F1 News: Lewis Hamilton admits 'biggest' surprise at F1’s lack of progress on gender gap

Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes, Japan, 2024 — Photo: © IMAGO

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Hamilton admits 'biggest' surprise at F1’s lack of progress on gender gap

The sport has taken huge steps in recent years to get more female drivers into F1

Tyler Rowlinson

Wednesday 17 April 2024 12:57

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Lewis Hamilton has admitted he is still surprised at the lack of female representation in Formula 1.

The sport has sought to eradicate the gender gap in the pinnacle of racing in recent years, which has seen only five female drivers take to the grid – the last being Giovanna Amati in 1992.

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Last year, Aston Martin driver ambassador Jessica Hawkins tested a 2021-spec car in Hungary, becoming the first female driver to test an F1 car since Tatiana Calderon in 2018.

2023 also saw the inaugural season of the F1 Academy, an all-female category that replaced the W Series, which ran from 2019 until it went into administration in 2022.

F1 Academy will support the F1 calendar for 2024

Marta Garcia won the inaugural championship in 2023

Hamilton surprised by lack of women in F1

Former Williams test driver Susie Wolff – wife of Mercedes team principal Toto – is the managing director of F1 Academy and Marta Garcia won the series’ first championship, winning seven races.

All seven rounds of the 2024 F1 Academy season will support the F1 calendar alongside F2, F3 and the Porsche Super Cup and all races will be made available to watch on their YouTube channel for free.

Furthermore, 10 of the 15 drivers will be supported by the 10 F1 teams and race in their respective liveries.

Lewis Hamilton has stated that more women is needed in the sport

But despite this huge leap forward, seven-time word champion Hamilton still believes there’s more to be done.

When asked by GQ about what he was most surprised has not evolved during his career, the Brit responded: “We still need more women in the sport”.

“And to fight to make sure that there are more and more women to put out at the front, in view, for young women and girls to be able to see that this is a place for women.”