UNITED KINGDOM: Formula One (F1) has announced that Susie Wolff will be the Managing Director of the new F1 Academy series ahead of its launch this season.
The former Williams development driver has taken on the role as the new all-female junior series will debut in 2023.
The series will have seven rounds as young female racers get on the single-seater ladder, including an appearance on the F1 support schedule at the United States Grand Prix at Austin later in the year.
Wolff brings experience as a driver and team principal to the role and works towards helping women in motorsport.
She launched the Dare to Be Different program in 2016, which aims to increase female participation throughout the motorsport spectrum.
She was the team principal at the VENTURI Formula E team in 2017 before being promoted to CEO in 2021.
Wolff will report directly to F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali in her new job. Her job is to “lead the development of female motorsport talent, with a focus on creating a successful path to higher categories in the F1 pyramid.”
Speaking on Wolff’s appointment, Domenicali said she has a wealth of experience and first-hand knowledge. He added that it would benefit the young drivers as they progress through the racing pyramid.
The F1 Academy will present an opportunity to promote genuine change in the industry by creating the best possible structure to find and nurture female talent on their journey to the higher levels of motorsport, both on and off the racetrack.
Wolff believes that the F1 Academy can inspire women worldwide to follow their dreams and realise that by nurturing talent, passion, and determination, there is no limit to what they can achieve.
Bruno Michel, F1 Academy general manager, said that Wolff would be invaluable to the F1 Academy team and the drivers.
Michel was excited to start the new chapter, which gives talented female drivers another way to get into the pyramid system.
The first race of the F1 Academy will take place on April 28-29 at the Red Bull Ring in Austria.
The F1 Academy aims to prepare the drivers to be ready to progress to the next category within the next three years, and it hopes that their skill and drive will inspire others to follow this path.
F1 is committed to maximising the opportunities in the sport for anyone to reach their true potential and achieve their dreams.
The F1 Academy is an integral part of F1 management’s plans to make the sport more diverse and inclusive.
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