Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner believes it's only a matter of time before his team adds a female talent to their junior program. The Briton is eager to see more women in motorsport and can't think of any reason why women can't compete in Formula 1. Horner hopes that the F1 Academy can make a positive contribution towards that goal.
It is no secret that Formula 1 is eager to have a female driver in the pinnacle of motorsport. In the search for female talent, the F1 Academy was established. This new racing series exists alongside the W Series. Since the financial troubles in 2022, very little news has emerged about the latter series.
Horner speaks highly of the F1 Academy and is pleased that active efforts are being made to search for female drivers. "It's good what Stefano (Domenicali) is doing with the initiative to encourage more women to pursue a career in motorsport," Horner says in an interview with the Financial Times, as quoted by Motorsport.com. "It's unfortunate that the W Series has struggled, but hopefully Stefano's championship will take off. More and more young women are discovering what Formula 1 is and becoming interested in it."
It is a positive development that more opportunities are arising for women in motorsport, according to Horner. The team principal of Red Bull is convinced that women are capable of competing in Formula 1 as well. "I believe that we will then see a larger talent pool, as long as there is support to guide them in the junior categories. It is fantastic to see more women in motorsport. I see no reason why they cannot compete at the highest level."
Currently, Red Bull does not have a female driver in its ranks, but according to Horner, it is only a matter of time before this changes. "We don't have one at the moment. Last year, we had a female Japanese driver who seemed fairly talented. So, we are continuously monitoring the situation. However, instead of focusing on the current group, we are looking at 12 or 13-year-olds who are showing potential in karting. It is only a matter of time before we identify someone," Horner stated.