The racing series, using new ‘Gen3 Evo’ vehicles that will be used throughout the 2017 season, will have 22 female drivers at the Ricardo Tormo track near Valencia, Spain.
Although the drivers have not yet been revealed, Formula E stated that the test will provide “a tangible platform for a wide pool of elite drivers who wouldn’t otherwise get an opportunity.”
For the half-day test in November, all existing Formula E championship teams will have to have at least one female driver; however, fielding two will be encouraged.
As of right now, there are no female racers in Formula E.
In the 2014 season, three female drivers participated in Formula E races: British sports car and IndyCar racer Katherine Legge, Swiss Simona de Silvestro, and Italian Michela Cerruti.
Lella Lombardi of Italy was the final female racer in Formula 1. She did it in 1976.
The CEO of the World Endurance Championship, which oversees the storied Le Mans 24 Hours, Frederic Lequien, stated last year that there were “plans” for a female to participate at the highest level in the series by 2025.
Alice Powell and Jamie Chadwick, two former W Series drivers, are among the female drivers who have tested in Formula E, which is a racing series with identical open-cockpit cars powered by lithium-ion batteries.
