McLaren investigating F1 Academy role

McLaren CEO Zak Brown has indicated he would like to get the Woking-based team involved with the new F1 Academy.

The sport announced the initiative at the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in mid-November, with the aim of developing female drivers capable of challenging through F1’s junior ladder.

The end goal is to promote talent into F1 for the first time since Susie Wolff took part in FP1 for the British Grand Prix in 2014.

McLaren signed its first female driver in its history this year in Emma Gilmour as the team embarked on its maiden Extreme E campaign, with series rules stipulating that each car must have a male and female driver.

Asked for his thoughts on the creation of the F1 Academy, Brown replied: “Anything that creates opportunity and encourages women and diversity and youth into motor racing is a good thing.

READ MORE...F1 Academy teams revealed

“We entered Extreme E this year, so McLaren racing has our first female driver in Emma.

“That's one of the main reasons why we entered the championship, to support our D&I [diversity and inclusion], our gender equality, our sustainability agenda.

“And so I think it's great to see a lot of what Liberty is doing, investing in the sport.

“So a women's series we would definitely welcome and want to understand it more to see where there are opportunities for us to possibly participate.”

The five teams that will take part in the Academy were recently revealed. Each of ART, Campos, Carlin, MP Motorsport and Prema will provide three cars to create a 15-car line-up.

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