As the awards season draws to a close, it’s worth keeping an eye on the place of female drivers on the sporting and media scene. 2023 was certainly not a great year for women’s results in international karting. No women were honoured at the FIA Karting awards ceremony, with Portugal’s Maria Germano Neto ranked 128th in the world and top female in the FIA International Karting Ranking (IKR).
And yet the subject of women in racing has never been so much in the news. The F1 Academy run by Susie Wolf is in the news a lot, Jessica Hawkins took the wheel of the Aston Martin F1 AMR 21 for the first time since 2018, Belgian Sarah Bovy was voted RACB Driver of the Year, Frenchwoman Doriane Pin, 2022 FFSA Volant d’Or has been crowned 2023 WEC Revelation, and Alpine has launched its Race(H)er women’s programme, which includes Frenchwomen Lisa Billard, 7th in the FIA Karting Academy Trophy, and Angelina Proenca, the X30 Junior hopeful.
Aside from the double-edged sword of intensive media coverage of the cause of women in motor sport, there are some real achievements worth highlighting. Everyone is more or less aware of the danger of confining women to competitions reserved for them, even though motor sport is one of the very few disciplines in which there is no gender discrimination. Germany’s Sophia Floersch made a name for herself some time ago when she openly spoke out against women-only competitions. Putting her money where her mouth is, this year she made a courageous return to F3 after a stint in endurance racing, putting in some very interesting performances. Doriane Pin, also trained in karting, also made a name for herself in Endurance with the Iron Dames before recently shining in F4 South East Asia and preparing for a 2024 season in FRECA.
On the other hand, the F1 Academy, an all-women’s one-design F4 competition, may seem like a step backwards for the Spaniard Marta Garcia, who won in 2023 and had previously driven F3s, and for her compatriot Maya Weug, who will be competing in FRECA this year. A sporting regression, no doubt, but one which could nonetheless lead to greater fame, leading to more solid partnerships for the rest of their careers.
Spotted and supported by the FFSA Academy in the French Junior Championship and in the FIA Karting Academy Trophy, Lisa Billard, 14, represents the best young French hope on the way to single-seater racing. She will be working with the FFSA Academy and Alpine to prepare for her debut in French F4 at the end of the year, with a view to a full season in the French F4 Championship in 2025.
Women’s progress is therefore a combination of welcome media coverage and convincing sporting development. In the end, it’s the track that decides, regardless of gender, according to the adage “May the best woman win”. With this in mind, an early start in karting and strong determination are the most effective parameters for success, whether you’re a woman or a man.
Kartcom Selection wishes you a wonderful festive season and looks forward to seeing you at the start of January as the 2024 season gets underway.
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