Formula E make complete fools of themselves with mandatory test for women
Column
- Ludo van Denderen
Does the name Freddie Slater sound familiar? Or Deagen Fairclough? Perhaps James Piszcyk? Probably not, although these young men were champions in a Formula 4 championship somewhere in the world in 2024. Imagine for a moment if these drivers were allowed to take part in a test in next season's Formula E cars. That would be strange, wouldn't it? Yet drivers who don't have more experience than F4 cars will get the chance to take part in a test in an official FIA world championship.
Here's the thing: All Formula E teams are obliged to field only female drivers for a day during the upcoming winter test in preparation for next season. As there are few women at the top of motorsport—Sophia Floersch (in F3) and Jamie Chadwick are the most well-known in formula cars but are not active at the top—the FE teams are (of necessity) calling on drivers who currently compete in F1 Academy.
The young girls need to develop ready for a class in which men also compete. Take Marta Garcia, who became champion in F1 Academy in 2023. She competed in FRECA last season, and her best result was 14th place. In the championship, she is currently 22nd with zero points, but she may take part in the test in Formula E.
Unequal opportunities for men?
F1 Academy, which has only female drivers, is obviously a great initiative, giving young girls the chance to gain experience in the sport. But it is a very junior series. All drivers drive cars equivalent to F4 cars, a class behind Formula 2, Formula 3, and FRECA. F4 is really the very first step in a motorsport career. And someone who drives around in F4 does not normally get a chance in a Formula E car.
Unless it is a woman. For a long time, women have 'complained' that they don't get equal opportunities in motorsport. That it was always the men who got more chances. Slowly, the opposite is starting to become true: It is precisely the men who are being disadvantaged, so why don't the aforementioned F4 drivers get such an opportunity in Formula E? Or, okay, drivers from FRECA? Otherwise F3?
No, because they are women, they—despite not being ready—are allowed the chance. To return to Marta Garcia, if she was a man and currently 22nd in FRECA, she would never have had that opportunity in Formula E. Let alone the rest of the ladies who will soon get to climb into, for example, Nyck de Vries or Stoffel Vandoorne's cars.
If Formula E wants to be taken more seriously, the class should not look at a driver's gender but at their qualities. Now, that would be fair.