BBC Sport pundit funds promising F1 bid

A rising star in motorsport has been handed financial backing by BBC Sport presenter Gabby Logan.

F1 hopeful Rachel Robertson is just 18 years old, but she has her sights set on joining the very short list of female drivers in the sport, aiming to follow in the footsteps of Maria Teresa de Filippis and Lella Lombardi.

Motorsport is one of the most exclusive sports out there, with barriers to competing stemming from financial problems and inequality, and Robertson knows just how hard she will have to work to make her mark.

The young racer began her own motorsport journey in 2022 and later that year, F1 announced the creation of F1 Academy, a motorsport series for young women, created to help develop female racing talent and prepare them for more competitive series'.

But it isn't as simple as just signing up to race. It costs a whopping £100,000 to enter the series, and even that figure has been reduced, with the entry fee previously closer to £150,000.

Robertson has dreamt of becoming an F1 driver since she was just eight years old, and given that a championship victory in the all-female championship leads to a fully funded seat in a higher-tier single-seater series, she is targeting a place on the 2026 F1 Academy grid.

And her journey to F1 has been given a boost by Logan, who selected the Scottish teenager as the first recipient of the 'Gabby Grant'. Robertson was awarded £15,000 as a result, with the prize money spent on two testing sessions in a Formula 4 car - a vital step towards a potential debut in F1 Academy.

Speaking to Daily Mail Sport, TV presenter Logan explained why she chose Robertson, saying: "I knew immediately who I wanted to give the first Gabby Grant to. The aim was clear; let’s give Rachel the best chance of a drive in the F1 Academy.

"Rachel struck me as determined, talented, humble, and hard-working, and I won’t deny the fact that it appealed to me that she was looking to break through to the top, in a sport that is so male dominated.

"I think there WILL be a female F1 driver in the next decade, whether it is Rachel or not, remains to be seen. I hope that money is not the factor that stops her or any other female driver with this talent."

Robertson secures F1 Academy testing spot

Since it's inaugural season, F1 Academy has produced two champions- Marta Garcia and Abbi Pulling, who have both gone on to race in a higher-tier single-seater series.

Robertson currently races in the Radical Cup series as a Radical Motorsport and Wera Tools Ambassador, but is hoping she will get the chance to compete for the F1 Academy prize in the near future.

Reflecting on her testing experience funded by Logan and how it differs to the car she currently races, Robertson said: "The car I’ve raced in this year in the Radical Cup is quite different. It’s more of a supercar.

"The Formula 4 car really moves underneath you. It’s such a great car to drive."

"The testing was really positive and at the test I did in Italy, I was only 0.35 seconds off their top driver. The team were like: “How did you do that?!”."

"The more money you have, the more track time you get, the more you’re going to get better."

Since taking part in the F4 testing days, Robertson has been announced as one of the lucky drivers who get to take part in the maiden F1 Academy rookie test, set for September 17 and 18 at Circuito de Navarra in Spain.

The rookie test will run alongside official testing and has been designed to ensure the best female talent have a chance to prove they deserve a full-time seat or Wild Card entry for 2026.

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