‘It’s crucial to have a diverse group of people from all over the world,’ how F1 is closing the gender gap in STEM
Sitting at the intersection of motorsport and STEM, Formula One is accelerating its efforts to close the gender gap. Speaking to Jessica Hawkins, Head of the F1 Academy, UNLEASH finds out more ahead of International Women’s Day 2025.
Formula One launched the F1 Academy to diversify the sport, and to encourage women to take more STEM-based roles.
This is particularly important, as according to King College London, women contribute to only 34% of the US STEM workforce.
UNLEASH spoke exclusively to the academy’s Head, Jessica Hawkins, to discover how more about the work Formula One is working to create a level playing field for women.
From here, there doesn’t seem to be much room for improvement, with UNESCO sharing that only 35% of STEM graduates are women.
As Formula One sits at the intersection of motorsports and STEM – both of which are male-dominated – UNLEASH wanted to discover what’s being done to diversify the sport in terms of the drivers we see on our screens, but also all the roles behind the scenes.
To find out more, we spoke exclusively to Jessica Hawkins, Head of F1 Academy.
Diversifying Formula One through STEM
Three years ago, Formula One launched the F1 Academy – an all-female championship aimed at providing opportunities for young women in a bid to foster diversity.
Beyond supporting its current drivers, the initiative is set to give greater visibility to the opportunities women, as well as providing inspiration. One way the academy is set to achieve this, is through role models.
Role models have been found to be a vital component when encouraging women to enter STEM sectors, with data from CWJobs sharing that 60% of women are inspired by role models.
What’s more, almost three-quarters (73%) of women in STEM shared that they are inspired by role models of the same gender, compared to just 59% of men.
The F1 Academy therefore provides a platform to showcase women, by both increasing the DEI we on our screens, and what goes on behind the scenes.
If a young girl were to turn on a Formula One race and see 20 men racing, would she even know that she’s allowed to do that?,” Hawkins asks.
“F1 Academy is about giving visibility and opportunities to young women at the start of their single-seater careers, giving them the boost and direction they need, as well as the experience they’ll require for the future of their motorsport careers.”
But for Hawkins, it’s not just about seeing one woman in Formula One – she wants to reach equality across the board.
“It shouldn’t be a milestone for a woman to race in Formula One; it should be the standard,” she explains.
“We’re probably still a long way from that, but if we start introducing the younger generation to the sport at an earlier age, we’ll, by the law of averages, see more women entering.
“Currently, because so few females start out, it’s not surprising we don’t see many.”
Creating an inclusive, supportive culture
Earlier this year, The Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team partnered with Arm on their Official AI Compute Platform Partner, specifically to advance STEM in motorsport and to close the gender gap in technical fields.
A key focus of the partnership is improving STEM subjects, by introducing young females to motorsport, as well as encouraging them to explore roles beyond just driving, such as mechanics and engineering.
“I think it’s important to recognize that we’re much further along now than when I first started. While the ratio isn’t where it needs to be yet, we’ve made significant progress,” she adds.
One challenge Hawkins has noted is that many females do not feel they “deserve” a place in the industry.
This is why it’s so important to show that anyone is welcome in Formula One – if you’re hardworking, talented, and dedicated to developing your skills,” she adds.
Hawkins continues to explain that the first female race engineer was recently appointed, which she describes as a “huge milestone” in helping to provide visibility for the younger generation.
She concludes: “It’s crucial to have a diverse group of people from all over the world being considered for jobs.
“If we only stick to the traditional ways of doing things, we’ll never push forward with new ideas and innovations. What we need are fresh perspectives and a team that brings different ideas to the table.
“It’s essential to ensure everyone has the opportunity to contribute, so we can achieve the best results possible.”
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