Formula E’s co-founder and chief championship officer Alberto Longo has called on motorsport to focus on closing decades of missed opportunities for women rather than creating separate female-only championships, as the racing world grapples with persistent gender inequality.
“I firmly believe that if women are competitive, they should race against men, not have their own championship,” Longo told Reuters on Wednesday, contrasting Formula E’s approach with Formula One’s F1 Academy — a support series dedicated to female drivers. Instead, Longo said the solution lies in nurturing talent from an early age through Formula E’s FIA Girls on Track programme. “Fifty years ago, a father would take his son to a karting track and his daughter shopping for dolls. Now, why not take both?” he added.
See also: Citroen Racing To Enter Formula E As Maserati Exits Under Stellantis Shakeup
The challenge remains significant. At Formula E’s rookie test in Berlin in July, only four women took part. Abbi Pulling, the reigning F1 Academy champion and current GB3 competitor, was the best-placed female driver, finishing 17th overall with Nissan. “If people told me that a female driver was going to join Formula One or Formula E, I’d say we’re not quite there yet — we are half a century behind,” Longo said. “We are trying to make up those years so that they are equally competitive within the next 10 to 15 years.” He noted that women often lack the same years of racing experience as men, adding, “If you start racing from the age of six or eight, when you reach 16 you’ll be at the same level.”
Now in its seventh year, Girls on Track has reached more than 4,500 participants aged 12 to 18, in a sport where women make up only about 3% of licensed competitors globally. Although Formula E currently has no female drivers — after featuring three in earlier seasons — Longo pointed out that women account for 54% of the championship’s workforce, including engineers and mechanics across all teams. “We certainly make room and open doors to make this possible,” he said.
See also: Formula E Eyes Expansion in China With Potential for Four Races
Looking ahead, Formula E is targeting significant expansion in China, potentially adding up to four races in the world’s largest electric vehicle market. “I’ve never seen such an appetite from a country to be part of our championship,” Longo said. The provisional 2025–26 calendar includes two rounds in Shanghai on July 4–5, with additional race slots on May 30 and June 20 still under discussion. “The growth of the category there is spectacular. It’s more than just strategy — it’s a voracious appetite for our products in Asia,” he added.
Longo contrasted China’s enthusiasm with the United States, where the EV market has slowed amid reduced federal incentives. “In the U.S. it’s a little more difficult, perhaps because now they don’t have such a clear green agenda,” he said. Despite this, Formula E plans to host at least two U.S. races — one on each coast — in the medium term, with the ultimate goal of expanding to six American cities.
Source: Reuters