Formula E to conduct all-female test in Spain

Formula E will behaviour an all-female trial "to accelerate diverseness and equality crossed motorsport".

The racing bid will section 22 female drivers astatine nan Ricardo Tormo circuit adjacent Valencia, Spain, successful caller 'Gen3' cars group to beryllium utilized crossed nan upcoming season.

The drivers are yet to beryllium announced, but nan trial will beryllium "a tangible level for a wide excavation of elite drivers who wouldn’t different get an opportunity", Formula E said.

Each of nan existent teams successful nan Formula E title will beryllium required to section astatine slightest 1 female driver for nan half-day trial successful November, but will beryllium encouraged to section two.

There are presently nary female drivers successful a Formula E title seat.

Three women person competed successful a Formula E race, each successful nan inaugural 2014 season, including knowledgeable British sports car and IndyCar driver Katherine Legge, Swiss Simona de Silvestro and Italian Michela Cerruti.

The past female to title successful Formula 1 was Italy's Lella Lombardi successful 1976.

Last twelvemonth nan CEO of nan World Endurance Championship, Frederic Lequien - which includes nan legendary Le Mans 24 Hours - said location were "plans" for a female to compete astatine nan apical level successful nan bid by 2025.

Formula E - which races identical lithium-ion battery-powered open-cockpit cars - has had female drivers trial before, including erstwhile W Series drivers Alice Powell and Jamie Chadwick.

This, however, marks nan first clip a trial will section only female drivers, pinch an opportunity to usage nan astir up-to-date Formula E machinery, which will beryllium raced successful nan series' upcoming 11th season.

"We cognize location isn’t a elemental solution for greater diverseness successful motorsport," said Formula E CEO Jeff Dodds.

"If we’re going to genuinely springiness women equality, opportunity and visibility successful our series, however, conditions for each request to beryllium nan aforesaid to assistance their improvement and trial themselves against those already connected nan starting grid."

The Formula E play originates successful Sao Paulo, Brazil, connected 7 December, wherever Pascal Wehrlein will statesman his defence of nan title he won pinch Porsche.