麻豆社

Motor racing is one of the few sports where men and women can 鈥� in theory 鈥� compete on equal terms. But you wouldn鈥檛 think that from looking at almost any race.

Only one in ten drivers in motorsport are women and most compete in karting, the category of racing where professional drivers tend to begin their careers. The last woman to take part in an F1 race was Italy鈥檚 Lella Lombardi, and that was 50 years ago.

To increase the pool of female drivers and return women to the top ranks of motor racing, F1 Academy was set up. In our conversation, three F1 Academy drivers 鈥� Rachel Robertson, Alba Larsen and Esmee Kosterman 鈥� share their experiences of speed, ambition and the sexism they have often faced from boys they have raced against.

鈥淭hey always tell me 鈥極h it鈥檚 not for girls鈥� and 鈥榠t鈥檚 not your sport鈥� 鈥� they make fun of it," says Esmee. 鈥淚 really love to do this sport, and I don鈥檛 care what they think.鈥�

Presenter: James Reynolds
麻豆社 producer: Isabella Bull
Boffin Media producer: Richard Hollingham
Editors: Arja Haikonen and Harriet Oliver

A Boffin Media production in partnership with the 麻豆社 World Service Outside Source team.

(Photo: Esmee Kosterman. Credit: F1 Academy Ltd/Parc Ferme)