Formula E plans major women's programme expansion: race seat targeted within 2 to 3 years

Formula E wants to accelerate the return of a woman to its regular race grid. CEO Jeff Dodds announced a major expansion of the championship's existing women's programme ahead of the London season finale. The specific target is for female drivers to compete at championship level against Formula E's regular racers within the next two to three years, with the teams set to play an even greater role in that process.

According to Reuters, Dodds does not see the fundamental performance level of female drivers as the problem. Formula E believes men and women can compete against each other at the same level in motorsport, but the opportunities available to reach that level are currently not equal.

Formula E now wants to address that gap. A significantly expanded development programme is set to be announced soon. Rather than focusing primarily on giving female drivers test mileage in current Formula E machinery, the initiative is intended to create further steps towards a regular race seat. Dodds described the project as a substantial investment.

Formula E teams to step up support for female drivers

The teams are expected to play a key role. According to Dodds, most Formula E outfits already have a female driver within their development programmes. From next season, however, the championship wants the teams to become even more involved in developing female talent. Dodds said the initial response from the teams had been very positive.

Formula E and the FIA have laid some of the foundations over the past two years. In 2024, they held the first dedicated Formula E test exclusively for female racing drivers, followed by a second edition in 2025 with twice as much track time. A total of 14 drivers took part in the most recent test in Valencia.

Across the two tests, 21 women have already had the opportunity to drive the Gen3 Evo. Several teams have also integrated female drivers into their programmes, including Abbi Pulling at Nissan, Juju Noda at Jaguar, Bianca Bustamante at Cupra Kiro and Sophia Flörsch at Opel.

The next step is intended to go beyond test and development roles. Within the next two to three years, Dodds wants to see female drivers competing in Formula E races against the regular grid. Whether and which drivers ultimately secure a race seat will depend heavily on the teams, however. Without their support and the necessary opportunities, that target cannot be achieved.

No woman has raced in Formula E since 2016

Female drivers competing in Formula E races would not be unprecedented. Since the championship began in 2014, Katherine Legge, Michela Cerruti and Simona de Silvestro have all contested E-Prix. De Silvestro was the most successful of the three, completing Season 2 as a full-time Andretti driver and remaining the only woman to have scored points in Formula E.

Her final start came more than ten years ago. On 3 July 2016, de Silvestro competed in the London E-Prix and became the most recent woman to start a Formula E race. Since then, numerous female drivers have taken part in tests and worked in development roles with teams, but none has returned to the E-Prix grid.

The beginning of the Gen4 era could create further opportunities. Formula E has already confirmed that the new cars will feature power steering. The system reduces the physical effort required to steer the car and, according to Dodds, should help create more equal conditions for male and female drivers.

No specific race seat has been secured yet. But by publicly setting a two-to-three-year target for the first time, Formula E has made its ambition increasingly clear: the current testing and development programmes are ultimately intended to bring women back onto the regular Formula E grid.