The long awaited final part of the FIA Girls on Track – Rising Stars programme is about to take place with the involvement of the FDA (Ferrari Driver Academy) after the initiative organised by the FIA Women in Motorsport Commission had to be abandoned back in November. It is aimed at promoting women in motor sport and supporting the most talented girls aged between 12 and 16 in their aim of becoming professional racing drivers.
Back to Italy. The four finalists – 15 year old Julia Ayoub and 14 year old Antonella Bassani, both from Brazil, Doriane Pin, 16 from France and Dutch Maya Weug, also 16, born in Spain with a Belgian mother and Dutch father – will be doing their utmost to secure a place in the Ferrari Driver Academy. They have therefore returned to Maranello, after being chosen by FIA experts at the end of a four part process held mainly at France’s Paul Ricard circuit. The programme had to be postponed after one of the contestants had tested positive for Covid-19.
Packed programme. The girls will be evaluated over a few days in Maranello, when they will get a taste of what it is to be part of the Academy. The programme involves physical and mental aptitude tests, simulator sessions, media activities and a series of lessons relating to sporting regulations and behaviour on track. The most eagerly anticipated and important part of the selection process takes place on Thursday and Friday, with the girls driving at the Fiorano track in a Formula 4 car fitted with the same Pirelli tyres used in the Italian championship.
The selection. The girls will leave the Ferrari camp on Friday afternoon and over the following few days a commission of engineers will meet to analyse all the on and off-track data in detail to select the candidate most deserving of a place as the first female member at the Ferrari Driver Academy.