50 Years Since a Woman Last Raced in Formula 1: Where Do Key Players Stand on Her Return?

The weekend of August 15-16, 2026, marks exactly 50 years since a woman last competed in a Formula 1 world championship race. Italian driver Lella Lombardi finished 12th at the 1976 Austrian Grand Prix at the old Oesterreichring in Spielberg, driving a RAM-entered Brabham BT44B . She remains the only female driver ever to score a world championship point — a half-point for sixth place at the 1975 Spanish Grand Prix . Only two women have ever started an F1 world championship race, both Italian: Maria Teresa de Filippis (1958–1959) and Lella Lombardi (1974–1976) . The anniversary has sparked a wave of public assessments from drivers, executives, and initiative leaders about when motorsport's top single-seater categories might finally welcome a female competitor back to the grid.

The Key Initiatives Driving Change

F1 Academy — Launched in 2023 as an all-female single-seater championship backed by Formula 1, it provides a structured pathway for young female drivers. F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali has called it an initiative that "removes barriers and shows what is possible" .

More Than Equal — An independent initiative co-founded by former F1 driver David Coulthard and entrepreneur Karel Komárek, focused on data-driven talent identification and development of a female driver capable of reaching F1. The group was highlighted in 50th-anniversary coverage as seeking to "identify emerging talent" and address the broken pathway for female drivers . Lauren Forrow, head of driver development at More Than Equal, told AFP: "We recognize that the pathway for female drivers has not successfully led to a woman competing in Formula One at a competitive level in the last 50 years" .

Susie Wolff (Managing Director, F1 Academy) — Has been a prominent advocate, arguing that the pathway for female drivers "has not successfully supported female talent" in the past. She has predicted a female F1 driver is 8 to 10 years away .

The Timeline Assessments: Four Key Voices

Jessica Hawkins — Optimistic for F1 in "a few years"

Hawkins, Aston Martin's Head of F1 Academy and Driver Ambassador, is the most optimistic among F1 insiders. She became the first woman in nearly five years to test modern F1 machinery when she drove the Aston Martin AMR21 in Hungary in 2023 . In August 2026, she stated that a woman will race in Formula 1 within "a few years," crediting the F1 Academy pipeline with developing drivers capable of earning a seat on the grand prix grid . She has also stated that women are now "physically strong enough for F1" .

Jamie Chadwick — Grassroots-first and longer-term

Chadwick, a three-time W Series champion and Williams development driver now racing in the European Le Mans Series , argues that grassroots development is the real bottleneck. Rather than expecting a quick fix at the top level, she emphasizes that the pathway needs to start much earlier — identifying and training girls from karting age . Chadwick herself was the subject of a rejected F1 team application: Rodin Cars' bid to join the grid in 2026 with her in a race seat was turned down by the FIA in 2023 .

Jeff Dodds (CEO, Formula E) — Boldest and closest target

Dodds is the boldest on timeline. He has predicted that a female driver will race in Formula E "within the next two years" by 2027–2028 . He stated he is confident his series will beat F1 to having a woman on the main championship grid, noting that Formula E has already featured three female competitors — Katherine Legge, Michela Cerruti, and Simona de Silvestro — which is one more than F1 has in its 76-year history . Formula E has taken concrete steps, including mandating that all 11 teams run at least one female driver in its all-female tests and in 2024 hosting an inaugural dedicated women's testing session in Madrid .

Stefano Domenicali (President & CEO, Formula 1) — Most cautious

Domenicali has consistently been the most cautious voice. In 2022 at the Belgian Grand Prix, he told reporters: "Realistically speaking, unless there is something like a meteorite, I don't see a girl coming into F1 in the next five years. That is very unlikely" . He has called his assessment a "realistic" one and has committed to accelerating the system — launching F1 Academy and improving pathways — but his public timelines remain measured . He has said it would only be a matter of time before a female driver reaches F1 "inevitably," but has not given a near-term target .

Summary of Timeline Views

Figure	Estimated Timeline	Target Series
Jessica Hawkins	"A few years" (by ~2029–2030)	F1
Jamie Chadwick	Longer-term; grassroots-first	F1
Jeff Dodds (Formula E)	"Within next two years" (by 2027–2028)	Formula E
Stefano Domenicali (F1)	Beyond 5 years ("very unlikely" sooner)	F1