Formula E successfully completed its first all-female test in Madrid this week, providing an opportunity to 18 drivers in the process.
Abbi Pulling ended up fastest of all, just ahead of the experienced Jamie Chadwick – who has tested the machinery before.
The two were the class of the field, and some five-tenths faster than the next nearest driver – Bianca Bustamante.
It represented a significant step which no other category has taken yet and hopefully will open the door for more opportunities in the future.
Jamie Chadwick wants motorsport to ‘change’ opportunity
Chadwick’s run for Jaguar wasn’t her first and last opportunity with them, as she will test again with them in 2025.
It’s great that she will get another chance in the car, but outside of the car, she is campaigning for more opportunities for both engineers and mechanics.
Talking to Formula E Zone, she mentioned that it’s an area of motorsport that needs to be worked on in the future.
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“I think honestly, there’s so much more opportunity for women in this sport now. This test is a clear example of that, it’s now a really good time to get into the sport whoever you are or whatever you’re doing.
“It’s a sport that has historically been heavily male-dominated. We’re trying to change that, but I think what we need to do is try and give opportunity for everyone across the board – not just the drivers, but engineers, mechanics.
“Make the whole motorsports space much more diverse and I think we’re going in that direction.”
Chadwick headlines talent-filled field
It wasn’t just Chadwick and Pulling who were the big names in the field, with some other names making the headlines too.
The first Formula E points scorer in Simona de Silvestro drove for Kiro Race Co. and F1 Academy champion Marta Garcia drove for Porsche.
Ex-Formula 2 star Tatiana Calderon also drove, so there were plenty of the finest female racing drivers to grace the tarmac in recent times around.
If anything, it highlights just how special Pulling could be though, to lead that list of drivers by such a convincing margin at the age of 21.
She’s one to watch out for in the future and could be the next driver who is closest to finally achieving a Formula 1 drive.