Female Drivers Take Part in Berlin Rookie Test
Four female drivers participated in the recent rookie test in Berlin, with Abbi Pulling leading the way as the 17th fastest. The event, held after a doubleheader at Tempelhof Airport, saw a mix of emerging talent, including several women who showed promise in the all-electric championship.
Abbi Pulling, the 2023 F1 Academy champion, set the 17th-fastest time for Nissan. She was closely followed by fellow Briton Ella Lloyd, who came in 18th for McLaren, and Jamie Chadwick, who placed 19th for Jaguar. Rounding out the female drivers was Bianca Bustamante, who finished 22nd for Cupra Kiro. While Pulling’s performance highlighted her potential, the overall results were tightly contested, with only 1.550 seconds separating the entire grid. This included former F1 driver Daniil Kvyat and other top names from Formula 2.
Progress and Challenges in Women’s Representation
Formula E CEO Jeff Dodds expressed optimism about the progress made in increasing female representation on the grid. He noted that the championship has moved from having no women testing to having 20 women in the official women’s test last year. This led to four women participating in the Berlin rookie test this year.
“We’ve made progress,” Dodds said, acknowledging the steps taken towards greater inclusivity. However, he also recognized the challenges that remain, particularly in terms of team decisions. “The teams will make choices based on their objectives, such as building a fan base, promoting themselves, and securing sponsors,” he explained. While he remains hopeful for future inclusion, Dodds admitted that it may not happen next year.
Historical Context and Current Status
Over the past 11 seasons, Formula E has seen only three female drivers compete in races. Katherine Legge raced twice in 2014, Simona de Silvestro made 12 starts between 2015 and 2016, and Michela Cerruti entered four races across 2014 and 2015. Among them, only de Silvestro managed to score points. This record is stronger than that of Formula 1, where no woman has started a Grand Prix since Lella Lombardi in 1976.
Despite these challenges, Abbi Pulling remains optimistic about her career in motorsport. She views Formula E as a viable career path but acknowledges the financial hurdles she faces. “I see Formula E as a really viable career path in the future,” she said. “For now, I’m going to keep moving up the ladder as far as possible and see where things take me. I don’t have the finances to plan massively in advance, so it all depends on how I perform this year.”
Looking Ahead
As Formula E continues to push for greater diversity and inclusion, the participation of female drivers in events like the Berlin rookie test marks an important step forward. While there are still significant challenges to overcome, the progress made so far shows that the goal of having more women on the race-day grid is within reach. With continued efforts from both the championship and the teams, the future of women in Formula E looks increasingly promising.
