Formula E have announced Williams Advanced Engineering (WAE) as an official partner of the FIA Girls on Track initiative for the 2022/2023 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship season.
The next FIA Girls on Track activation will take place during race week ahead of the upcoming 2023 Julius Baer São Paulo E-Prix on 25 March and again at the 2023 Jakarta E-Prix on Saturday, 4 June. Around 400 girls aged 12-18 are expected to participate in the programme during Season 9 with upcoming activations at the São Paulo and Jakarta races
Successful diversity-focused FIA Girls on Track events have already taken place at the opening race of the season, the 2023 Hankook Mexico City E-Prix and the 2023 CORE Diriyah E-Prix.
The Season 9 programme includes more hands-on workshops and behind-the-scenes experiences than ever before for girls aged 12 – 18, with an increased focus on education, off-site careers talks and a presence at all races.
As the current battery provider for the all new GEN3 car, the fastest, lightest, most powerful and efficient electric race car ever built, WAE, which was bought by Fortescue Metals Group (FMG) at the start of last year, will be focusing its workshops on the process of designing and building batteries.
The virtual programme, including online sessions, will also enable girls around the world to access the insights of inspirational female leaders from across the championship including teams and partners.
Aimed at countering gender inequality in the motorsport and engineering industries, where only 1.5 per cent of all professional motorsport licences are held by women, the one-day immersive experiences help inspire and educate girls on the different roles open to them within motorsport.
From broadcasting, health and safety, driving and media roles, participating girls get exclusive behind-the-scenes access to race day operations and the opportunity to hear from female leaders across the championship. More than 1,800 girls have participated in the programme in the past five Formula E seasons.
It’s good to see the high-profile sport of Formula E electric car racing addressing the gender issues in this employment area. We are big believers in attracting more women to work in the emobility space.
Similarly, the EV SUMMIT, in partnership with Auto Trader, the UK’s largest automotive marketplace, is once again celebrating women in the electric vehicle industry with its Top Women in EV annual programme taking place 6-13 March.
This annual event will coincide with International Women’s Day and since 2020, the EV SUMMIT has placed women’s voices centre stage. Each year, the campaign celebrates women in the EV industry, whilst delivering actionable change, to address the gender imbalance across the industry.
Julia Palle, Formula E Sustainability Director, said: “We are thrilled to have WAE as an Official Partner of the FIA Girls on Track programme, which continues to grow in the quality and quantity of sessions that it delivers for young ambitious girls who are interested in expanding their knowledge and love of motorsport and engineering.
“With additional virtual sessions to those at the track, we hope to engage with a much wider and diverse group of girls, to help further their interest and future careers opportunities in and around motorsport.”
Craig Wilson, WAE CEO, said: “Being part of the FIA Girls on Track programme is something we are delighted about and provides an opportunity to share learnings and technologies gained from the track with the girls, encouraging them to consider engineering as a potential career.
“By creating a practical element to the session and run by female members of the WAE team, we hope to inspire the next generation of engineers.”
