Spain’s Marta Garcia turned the inaugural Method 1 Academy champion with victory within the first of three races on the US Grand Prix.

Garcia’s win put her past attain of rivals Lena Buhler and Hamda Al Qubaisi within the female-only feeder collection.

Yet another race in Austin this weekend concludes the collection’ maiden season.

Saturday’s second race was gained by Al Qubaisi.

The F1 Academy, established this 12 months, is the most recent try to extend feminine participation in motorsport with the long-term intention of getting girls to the best stage of the game.

Italian Lella Lombardi was the final lady to race and rating factors in F1. She scored half a degree for ending sixth within the 1975 Spanish Grand Prix.

F1 Academy managing director Susie Wolff stated on the US Grand Prix that it was essential the collection succeeded within the coming years if motorsport was to extend competitor gender variety.

“I’m very acutely aware of this not being a flash within the pan after which it dies away,” Wolff stated. “That might be an enormous remorse as a result of if that occurs there isn’t any probability for wider variety on this sport. If this does not work, nothing goes to work.”

Wolff stated that F1 Academy wanted to be extra than simply one other racing collection.

“Fifteen automobiles driving would not repair the issue,” stated. “There’s simply merely not sufficient participation for F1 Academy to exist if it is only a collection.

“I do not imagine in segregation, however I do imagine that the idea of F1 Academy it will likely be the rocket gasoline to development for these younger drivers.”

“With the momentum that we’re giving them, the publicity we’re giving them, I hope that can make it simpler to exit and lift the cash to additional up the game.”

Plans to assist the main drivers on this 12 months’s championship progress to the subsequent stage on the ladder to F1 might be unveiled within the coming days.

Wolff wouldn’t reveal what they have been, however stated: “We aren’t simply going to be sure that our winner progresses, I would like my winner to progress with the very best probability of success.”

Wolff stated that she was already seeing progress because of the publicity F1 Academy and its numerous recruitment programmes have been giving to the idea of ladies changing into racing drivers.

She stated a brand new programme at karting tracks within the UK this 12 months had “seen a rise from 2.5% to 9% – went from 18 ladies to 65 ladies – making an attempt to qualify for the British indoor karting championship”.

The programme, referred to as Subsequent Technology, began this 12 months at simply six tracks however might be expanded throughout the nation and past subsequent 12 months.

The ten F1 groups will all sponsor a driver within the Academy subsequent 12 months and drive automobiles painted within the colors of that crew.

Wolff stated: “They’ve all taken a leap of religion to affix us on this on this mission and we have to be sure that we’re delivering a powerful bundle.

“One crew principal particularly stated to me: ‘You’re simply placing a plaster on the issue. Are you really going to try to repair the issue?’

“I stated: ‘Sure, we’re not right here as a flashy collection that’s making an attempt to realize publicity and provides 15 younger drivers the lime mild. As a result of I have been there. I understand how powerful it’s and I understand how few girls are collaborating in all of the totally different ranges.

“So we have to work out how we will change long run and that comes right down to growing that expertise pool and that comes on to creating the game extra accessible and galvanizing the subsequent technology to enter the game.

“We’ll present this enormous international fanbase of Method 1, that this sport really desires to turn into extra various. The game desires to provide alternatives to girls and if I consider a 19-year-old lady zipping up the Ferrari race swimsuit subsequent 12 months, that is a robust picture that I am unable to quantify in numbers.

“By the top of 2025 after two seasons of my imaginative and prescient of what F1 Academy, we can have a really clear thought whether or not that is shifting in the appropriate course or not.”