Girls on track: Accelerating change in motorsport
- Lily Dixon
- Jun 16
- 3 min read
Written by Lily Dixon, Edited by Rohan Brown
Since the first launch off the line and chequered flag, motorsport has been dominated by male figures, whether it be the drivers in the car or the team personnel in the pit lane. From media to mechanical roles to karters, females have been underrepresented over the course of the sport’s rich history, falling short of opportunities to make their mark on history.
Now the scene is changing. Laura Müeller became the first female race engineer in Formula One for Haas driver Esteban Ocon this season. And programmes like Discover Your Drive and F1 Academy, championed by former female driver Susie Wolff, have brought importance to the value of unique perspectives and voices, ones that have been silenced in the past.
Women are showing up in paddocks, press rooms and engineering offices more than ever before, and the shift is not unprecedented.
One of the largest initiatives the world of motorsport the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) has taken is launching Girls on Track (GoT), an association that aims to bring girls aged eight to 18 behind the scenes so they’re able to learn from and experience the thrill of motorsport up close.
The goal is to further integrate more women into the sport’s male-dominated industry from a young age and to support young women, regardless of whether they want to work as a broadcaster, mechanic or racer themselves.
Launched in 2018, GoT is a free program for students that takes place at events such as a Formula E-Prix or World Endurance Championship races. Throughout the day, girls are invited to listen to motivational talks from women in the motorsport field and hear their challenges and triumphs, providing an opportunity to pave the way for the next generation.
Whether it’s a female strategist sharing what it’s like to make mid-race calls or a communications manager explaining how to shape a team’s brand and messaging, every woman offers a window into possibilities.
In addition to career-focused discussions, GoT participants also learn through a variety of hands-on activities. The experience is as much about building confidence as it is about exposure. It’s not just about watching from the grandstands, it’s about stepping in and carving a space out for yourself.
Not only does the event provide a great opportunity for those eager to pursue education in motorsport to network with industry leaders and professionals, but it also gives them a true insight into their daily lives and how to stay ahead of the curve.
From understanding how a team travels the world during a season to how engineers optimize a car’s performance by analyzing data in real-time, it’s a crash course in one of the most demanding sports in the world.
Girls on Track has reached over 4,500 participants across the world, and its impact is only growing. According to Formula E, women currently represent 1.5% percent of the motorsport licenses. That number is slowly climbing, and programs like GoT are key in shifting those stats.
The presence of women in technical and leadership roles has proven to boost innovation, collaboration and overall team performance, and until recently, many of these paths felt out of reach.
Taking place in various locations across the globe from Jakarta to London to Mexico City, GoT is bridging the gap between potential and opportunity. In each city, girls who may have never seen themselves in the motorsport field are suddenly surrounded by others who share the same passion, who dream big and who refuse to settle for being the only one in the room.
That kind of community doesn’t just create support, it builds a future for young women.
Motorsport has always been about pushing limits, breaking barriers, and striving success, but that isn’t limited to just one gender. Women just needed a way in, and now they have it.
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