Written by Isabel Brito, Edited by Vyas Ponnuri
Women have played an influential role throughout the history of motor racing. Many have taken to the wheels of motorsport machines, while numerous figures have worked tirelessly on the sidelines in various roles, shaping the motor racing world to the present day. Woman Spotlight Wednesday aims to take a look at the tales of these superwomen, who have surpassed various hurdles to reach where they are today.
The following article tells the story of a former W Series driver into F1 Academy, a 22-year old female taking the sport by storm, and a possible prospect in the future of F1. Her kind of talent definitely does not go unseen, and has caught the eye of many others. Being a driver for another series, or an inspiration, this driver shows what racing is all about.
Marta Garcia is a Spanish Formula 1 Academy driver, known for her current success in the series, and prior history in the W Series. The Spanish racer currently leads the championship in her most recent racing series, and has become a true talent, a beacon of light for young female racers around the world.
Early years
The Spanish driver started out in karting, like any other driver, earning the CIK-FIA Karting Academy Trophy in 2015. Although, one of her more outstanding achievements at the time was winning the Trofeo Delle Industrie of 2015. However, she came to be known for her rapid pace on track, when she raced in her first single seater series the following year.
Participating in the Spanish F4 Championship, Garcia competed in the final four rounds of the 2016 championship with Drivex, a team from the same country. She boasted a best finish of 5th, although she did not acquire a position in the drivers’ championship, having competed in only four rounds.
In 2017, the Renault Sport Academy recruited Garcia, allowing her to compete in the Spanish F4 Championship once again. And this time, she drove for MP Motorsport. Once again, her best position was 5th, and she managed to obtain 9th in the championship that year. However, Renault expected Marta to finish in the top three of the championship, and having failed to live up to the lofty expectations, the Spanish driver was expelled from the academy.
W Series
In 2019, the W Series came along, and Marta joined the series, having not participated in any racing event through 2018. Garcia finished fourth in the championship that year. However, the 2020 championship was canceled due to Covid-19, and Garcia was not able to physically compete that year. In a turn of events, a 10-race esports series was held, and the young driver obtained second place in the championship.
By 2021, Garcia was able to compete again in the series, this time for the Puma W Series Team. The season wouldn’t pan out as she expected, with Garcia retiring in the opening round, and managing a 12th place in the championship. In 2022, she raced for the CortADO W Series Team.
F1 Academy
Marta Garcia was announced as one of the Prema Racing drivers for the new female series in F1, in which she has almost always been at the top of the grid. Her strong performances have seen her receive more recognition for her great career. As of now, she is taking the championship by storm, currently leading the standings. Garcia is a true talent, and has shown time and time again, the force of her driving, becoming a clear prospect for higher series in the future.