New F1 Team Hopes To Break Male-Dominated Sport With Gender Equality
Craig Pollock, former British American Racing (BAR) founder, is back in the game and this time he's taking on Formula One with a team that promises to be a trailblazer for gender equality in motorsports. Pollock's new team, Formula Equal, is hoping to secure a place in F1 as the 11th team, and if they do, they will be the first F1 team that is truly outside of Europe.
Pollock is determined to build a team that is 50% male and 50% female, a feat that is unheard of in the male-dominated world of Formula One. He told CNN Sport:
"Our ambition is to deliver and build opportunities and pathways for women to get to the very top level inside motorsports."
To achieve this ambitious goal, Formula Equal will have to start from scratch, which Pollock sees as an advantage. "It's a lot easier with a clean sheet of paper," he said.
Pollock's vision for Formula Equal is not just about gender equality, but also about nurturing talent and providing a clear pathway for young drivers to reach the top. He hopes to include a female driver in the team's lineup, but acknowledges that there are currently not enough women trained to the level of Formula One.
To address this issue, Formula One have launched its F1 Academy this year, a championship series primarily for women looking to start their journey up the pyramid. The series will be closely affiliated with teams who make up the grid of the Formula 3 and Formula 2 feeder series, which F1 hopes will provide a clearer pathway to the top.
Formula Equal's entry into Formula One is not without its challenges. There are lingering concerns over adding a new team into the mix and diluting the prize fund for the existing teams at a time when F1 is enjoying an unprecedented popularity boom.
But Pollock is undeterred, he continued:
"We know we're going to have to build it up. But we're determined to create a team that represents the future of Formula One, a team that values diversity, talent, and ambition."
Formula Equal has already held funding discussions with a Gulf state, and Pollock is optimistic about the team's prospects. If they do secure a place in F1, Formula Equal will be a team to watch, not just for its commitment to gender equality, but also for its potential to shake up the status quo and bring a fresh perspective to the world of motorsports.