Yes, but only one has ever started a race

Formula 1 has had female drivers, but the number is vanishingly small. Lella Lombardi remains the only woman to have competed in an official F1 race. She started the 1975 Spanish Grand Prix at the Montjuïc circuit in Barcelona and finished sixth, earning half a championship point — the only point a female driver has ever scored in F1 history. That was nearly 50 years ago.

Beyond Lombardi, a handful of other women have tested F1 cars or participated in official F1 events, but none have started a race. The distinction matters: testing a car is not the same as racing it in a championship event. Testing happens in controlled conditions with no points at stake. Racing means competing against the grid for position, speed, and points.

The gap between testing and racing reflects a broader pattern in motorsport. Women have entered lower racing series — Formula 3, Formula 2, and other feeder categories — far more often than F1. Some have been competitive enough to be considered for F1 seats. None have been hired.

Key Takeaways

  • Lella Lombardi is the only woman to have started an F1 race, competing in 1975 and scoring half a point at the Spanish Grand Prix.
  • Several other women have tested F1 cars or participated in F1 events, but testing is not the same as racing in a championship event.
  • Women have competed in F1 feeder series like Formula 3 and Formula 2, but none have been hired for an F1 race seat.
  • The absence of female F1 drivers reflects barriers in funding, team structure, and pathway access rather than a lack of competitive female drivers in motorsport.

Lella Lombardi: The only female F1 race driver

Lella Lombardi was an Italian racing driver who competed in F1 during the 1975 season. She entered the Spanish Grand Prix in a Surtees car, making her the first and only woman to start an F1 race. She completed the race and finished in sixth place, which at that time awarded half a championship point — the scoring system was different then, and races that were shortened or stopped early sometimes awarded partial points.

Lombardi's achievement was real, but the context was unusual. The 1975 Spanish Grand Prix was stopped early due to a crash, which is why it awarded half points instead of full points. She never started another F1 race. She continued racing in other series and competed in the Indianapolis 500 in 1976, becoming the first woman to race in that event as well.

Other women who tested F1 cars

After Lombardi, several women have tested F1 cars or participated in F1-related events, but none have raced in a championship event. Giovanna Amati tested for the Brabham team in 1992 and was entered for two races, but did not start either one — she failed to may have access to. Susie Wolff tested for Williams in 2014 and 2015, completing multiple test sessions and becoming the first woman to test an F1 car in over two decades. Wolff was competitive in her testing role but was never hired for a race seat.

More recently, Jamie Chadwick has tested for Williams and Alpine, and Tatiana Calderón has tested for Alfa Romeo. Both are accomplished drivers in lower series, but neither has raced in F1. The pattern is consistent: women can access testing programs, but the step from testing to a race seat has not happened since 1975.

Why women have not raced in F1 since 1975

The absence of female F1 drivers is not because women cannot drive fast enough. Women have won races and championships in Formula 3, Formula 2, and other major racing series. The barriers are structural: funding, team connections, and the pathway that leads to an F1 seat.

F1 teams hire drivers based on a combination of speed, sponsorship money, and connections within the sport. Most drivers who reach F1 have been racing since childhood, backed by wealthy families or sponsors who fund their progression through junior series. Women have historically had less access to that funding and to the networks that lead to F1 opportunities. A driver needs to win in Formula 3, then win in Formula 2, then impress in testing — and at each step, funding and team support matter as much as raw speed.

The sport has also been structured around male drivers for decades. Teams, sponsors, and media have built their expectations and marketing around men. Changing that requires not just finding a fast female driver, but a team willing to hire her and sponsors willing to back her — a combination that has not yet happened.

Female drivers currently competing in F1 feeder series

Women are racing in Formula 2 and Formula 3, the two main series that feed into F1. Abbi Pulling competed in Formula 3 and has moved toward higher categories. Chloe Chambers and others have raced in Formula 3. These drivers are competitive, but the jump from Formula 3 to F1 requires not just speed but also a seat offer from a team — and that offer has not come for any female driver since Lombardi.

The presence of women in feeder series is growing, but it is still small. In any given Formula 3 season, women typically make up a single-digit percentage of the grid. That smaller pool means fewer women are in position to be considered for F1 seats, even if the structural barriers were removed.

What would it take for a female F1 driver today

A woman would need to win or finish very high in Formula 2 — the when ready feeder series to F1 — and then impress during F1 testing. She would also need a team willing to hire her and sponsors willing to fund her seat. The sponsorship part is crucial: F1 teams do not pay drivers to race; drivers bring money to the team. A driver without major sponsorship backing is unlikely to be hired, regardless of speed.

Some teams have created development programs for female drivers, including Williams's driver academy and Alpine's program. These programs give women access to testing and mentorship, which is progress. But testing is not racing, and a development program is not a race seat. Until a team decides that a female driver is worth a race seat — and until sponsors are willing to back her — the gap that has existed since 1975 will remain.

Frequently Asked Questions

Did Lella Lombardi win any F1 races?

No. Lombardi finished sixth in the 1975 Spanish Grand Prix, which was the only F1 race she started. She scored half a point, which remains the only championship point ever scored by a female F1 driver. She never competed in another F1 race.

Why haven't more women raced in F1?

The barriers are funding, sponsorship, and team access rather than driving ability. F1 teams hire drivers who bring sponsorship money and have connections within the sport. Women have historically had less access to the funding and networks that lead to F1 seats, even when they are competitive in lower series.

Are there women racing in F1 right now?

No. As of 2024, there are no female drivers on the F1 grid. Women are competing in Formula 2 and Formula 3, the feeder series, and some have tested F1 cars, but none have been hired for a race seat.

Could a woman win an F1 race if she got a seat?

Yes. Women have won races in other major racing series, including Formula 2 and Formula 3. Speed is not the limiting factor. The limiting factor is access to a team, funding, and the opportunity to race.