RULES AND REGULATIONS
In some sports , men and women compete separately primarily due to biological differences . Believe it or not , there are no regulations from the FIA , motorsport ’ s global governing body , that say women cannot race in elite series . Despite this , Formula 1 has not seen a woman on the grid since 1992 .
Sara Mariani , Director of Sustainability , Diversity and Inclusion at the FIA , says : “ By setting the rules for our championships , we can really ensure that gender equality is ingrained in what they do and how we work .
“ Some series have mixed gender teams , but for the sports where the predominant athletes are male , for example in Formula 2 and Formula 3 , we have utilised regulations to introduce some adaptations to the car that can ensure that shorter and taller drivers can race comfortably .”
While women are capable of racing to the same level as men , biological differences can have an impact . In elite series , cars must conform to extremely tight design regulations which can make it hard for drivers who are not in a specific size range to fit . Many cars also do not have power steering , so turning the wheel requires a lot of force .
“ The cars before didn ’ t have a lot of flexibility ,” Sara explains . “ You could only move the pedals by 10 centimetres . If you cannot sit comfortably in the car , how can you focus on performance ?
“ You have to apply a lot of force when steering , so again focussing on performance becomes a secondary point . It should be the first priority for every athlete to try to compete at the same level with the same chances .”
The FIA has also launched a range of diversity and inclusion initiatives , including Girls on Track . Founded in 2019 , this programme aims to inspire women and girls to believe that there is a rightful and valuable place for them in the motorsports industry .
Sara says : “ More than 4,000 girls have taken part in Girls on Track . This year in Valencia at the Motorsport Games , we held sessions for clubs to learn more about how to get engaged
– 18 clubs have expressed an interest in implementing Girls on Track in their own country as a result of this . The programme is really growing .
“ Something that I feel is very important for every organisation trying to promote change is working with the stakeholder .
“ We are not going to change the world tomorrow . We need to build , nurture and make sure everyone is comfortable along the way because it ’ s a male dominated sport .”