SHEPHERD COMPELLO TO SUPPORT FORMULA WOMAN

• Motorsport insurance specialist supports the Formula Woman competition

• Shepherd Compello to promote diversity in motorsport

• Branding to appear on cars, caps and race suits

• Shepherd Compello to support applicants adventure in to motorsport

Formula Woman, the all-female televised motorsport competition has gained the support of motorsport insurance specialist Shepherd Compello.

As the motorsport event industry opens up after a year of lockdowns, Formula Woman is breathing life back into the motorsport arena and relaunching their competition from 16 years ago.

Shepherd Compello has recognised the importance of supporting diversity in motorsport and sees Formula Woman as a great opportunity to help women on their adventure through the competition and beyond.

With applications open until September, Formula Woman is a unique opportunity to experience motorsport from assessments through to training and then the ultimate prize - a season driving the McLaren 570S GT4 in the 2022 GT Cup championship.

Holly Shepherd, Managing Director of Shepherd Compello commented: “The Formula Woman competition is the perfect fit for Shepherd Compello as it combines our motorsport insurance expertise with our commitment to promoting diversity in all industries. Shepherd Compello is a proud signatory of the Women in Finance Charter and an award-winning firm for our work in diversity and inclusion in the insurance sector. We are delighted to have the opportunity to promote women’s involvement in motorsport through this new partnership with Formula Woman.”

Graeme Glew, Founder of Formula woman commented: “One of the essential partners in a motorsport project is insurance and with the Formula Woman comeback and our association with McLaren Customer Racing and GT Cup Shepherd Compello was on our preferred partner wish list right from the start. We are certainly looking forward to working with Shepherd Compello and their team and they will be supporting us at all the forthcoming assessments starting in September.”

Formula Woman online tutorial is now live!

The Formula Woman online tutorial has gone live today which is available to all our applicants via this website.

Clicking on the online tutorial button will then take you to the Formula Woman portal and should take at least an hour to complete. Applicants can then access this multiple times with their login details.

This is to prepare our applicants for the assessment days which commence on the 19th September with the application process closing two days prior.

The first assessment will take place at Anglesey Circuit with more to be announced in due course. But we can say that Knockhill Racing Circuit will host one in November.

We can also reveal that some of the tasks at these assessment days will be a short test based on the tutorial.

All of this was brilliantly set-up by InGear Media who are a digital marketing agency and work with I Zone simulators at Silverstone.

You will see this simulator on the online tutorial as Formula Woman resident applicant Nikki Dean visited InGear Media to film for it.

So huge thanks to Nikki and InGear Media for their work on this online tutorial as the next stage of Formula Woman now commences!

However, if you are yet to apply then don’t worry, because there is still plenty of time to do so….just click ‘apply now’.

Formula Woman at Supercar Fest the Runway

Supercar Fest the Runway took place at Sywell Aerodrome on May bank holiday weekend, in what was the first event Formula Woman have been able to attend since lockdown.

Several Formula Woman applicants were able to get close to Paddock Racing’s McLaren 570S GT4 race car, as well as meet some of the Formula Woman team in what turned out to be a great networking day.

“It was amazing to get out and about in the sunshine,” said Formula Woman CEO Graeme Glew, as temperatures reached 25°c.

“To meet some of the new Formula Woman applicants was terrific, as well as launching the new merchandise range too which was a success!”

At the event, applicants were able to buy Formula Woman merchandise at a discounted rate with a teddy bear, mug, water bottle, city bag, t-shirt, and face mask all on offer.

From next week, the merchandise will be live on this website and is already available on the f1.co.uk online store.

If you would like to see more of Supercar Fest, then Resident Applicant Nikki Dean vlogged her day while discovering more about her fellow applicants.

There will be many more events to look forward to in the near future with hospitality at the British Grand Prix, track days, and I Zone simulator days.

Meanwhile, the Formula Woman online tutorial will be launched next week on the 10th June for all those who have applied for the competition.

Formula Woman to attend SupercarFest Runway and the British Grand Prix

Formula Woman will attend SupercarFest Runway where applicants have been invited to get close up to one of Paddock Racing’s McLaren GT4 race cars.

This will take place at Sywell Aerodrome next bank holiday weekend on the 30th May before the British Grand Prix on the 16 – 18 July.

Formula Woman have taken a hospitality suite at Brooklands for Friday practice, which overlooks one of the best viewing points at Silverstone and is exclusive for Formula Woman competitors and sponsors.

However, the Friday will also feature a qualifying session for the new sprint race format that has been introduced to three Formula One weekends in 2021.

Applications for Formula Woman continue to pour in from across the globe with women from Tasmania, Canada, USA, Brazil and India, to name a few, applying for the competition.

The application process is open until 17th September and the online tutorial is expected to go live very soon for all the applicants.  

Formula Woman is open to women of any age from all walks of life and if you would like to take part in this opportunity of a lifetime, then apply via this website!

International Applicants join the race for Formula Woman

• Applications from around the world join Formula Woman.

• Formula Woman sparks interest from USA, India, Europe and beyond.

• Assessments to commence in September 2021.

• Winners to compete in the 2022 GT Cup in two McLaren 570s GT4 race cars.

Applications to Formula Woman is attracting interest from around the world with international applications racing in, as the competition seeks to find the next star female racing drivers.

The highly successful competition from 2004 is back with a bang, with applications from women looking to take the opportunity of a lifetime and become a Formula Woman.

Applications to join the competition are open until September with online tutorials beginning in May, enabling applicants to join from wherever they are in the world.

Applicants who join the Formula Woman community get the chance to experience a host of women only activities throughout their adventure, from track days and ice-driving, to simulator experiences and visits to motorsport events.

The successful applicants who get through to the finals will have the most superb opportunity to race a McLaren 570s GT4 in the 2022 GT Cup.

The Formula Woman competition will also be broadcast on television as the applicants are followed on their adventure, with the format being finalised very shortly.

A new initiative launched by Formula Woman to help applicants, is personal sponsorship, enabling applicants who need a little help with their one-off £99 access fee or for any other purchases such as merchandising and track days to bring on board their own personal sponsor to join them on their adventure. Their personal sponsors will have a presence on their car, helmet or overalls.

Formula Woman is all about creating opportunities for women who wish to get involved in motorsport. One of those is to create some social media buzz about their involvement in the competition and gain coverage in their area from local media.

Applications are now open via this website.

Formula Woman Applications are now open!

It has been a busy week at Formula Woman following the major announcement last Monday regarding McLaren Customer Racing.

Two GT4 race cars will be made available to the six winners of Formula Woman, who will then compete in the 2022 UK GT Cup Championship

Today, as the competition develops further with the opening of the application process, you can now officially enter.

What is the application process?

Up to this point, it has been a case of individuals registering their interest via the Formula Woman website.

This was done to provide an indication to us as to what appetite there would be for the new initiative.

From noon on Friday 12th March, the expression of interest section on this website will be replaced with the application process.

However, if you didn’t register your interest before today, you can still apply for Formula Woman.

So from today, this is where you can now confirm your intent to start the Formula Woman journey with the online tutorial and assessment commencing in April, which every applicant will be invited to take part in.

So, when it comes to your application, you must first answer a series of questions before a one-off payment of £99.

Please note this is the only fee you will be required to pay, other than your own travel expenses to and from the allocated assessment centres.

However, with this £99 comes a Formula Woman welcome pack containing a branded and numbered access card, which you should always use to gain access at your assessment and any events you participate in.

Then you will be invited to take part in the on-track, televised assessments in September at selected venues across Great Britain – Covid-19 restrictions allowing.

Finalists will then be selected from these on-track assessments to take part in the final ‘shoot out’ in the winter of 2021/22.

6 of those 16 will then be trained and coached between February and April 2022, ahead of a sponsored entry into the GT Cup Championship to compete against your male counterparts.

And to drive a McLaren Customer Racing GT4 race car while doing so presents a great opportunity for all Formula Woman applicants.

“To receive the support from McLaren is incredible,” Graeme Glew, CEO of Formula Woman, said.

“The prize on offer to the winners is a fantastic opportunity to compete in a very successful series with one of the most successful race car manufacturers in the world.

“The GT4 is an amazing car with huge power and will give the winners a truly memorable experience with a very real chance of winning races.”

Since its formation in 2007, the GT Cup Championship has only grown in stature while visiting the major UK circuits during a season.

Danny Buxton, Head of McLaren Customer Racing, Motorsport said: “We are delighted to have the opportunity to support the Formula Woman initiative with our McLaren GT4 products in the 2022 GT Cup Championship.

“This championship is an established part of the UK motorsport scene and continues to grow in stature and popularity and we wish the Formula Woman programme all the very best for the season ahead.”

McLaren Customer Racing to provide GT4 Race Cars for Formula Woman Winners

• McLaren Customer Racing to provide two GT4 race cars for the Formula Woman winners.

• Winners to receive entry into the seven round 2022 GT Cup Championship.

• 16 finalists will compete for the ultimate prize.

Formula Woman is delighted to announce that McLaren Customer Racing has agreed to support the competition and will provide two GT4 race cars to the winners of the Formula Woman, a televised championship to find the next female motor racing champion.

After a series of online assessments, the successful applicants will then proceed to the next round of on track assessments which will culminate to the finals at the end of February 2022.

The winners will then be awarded their prize of a drive in two McLaren GT4 race cars in the UK GT Cup championship during 2022.

The winners will undergo full training and coaching during the months of March and April prior to taking to the grid in the 3.8 litre twin turbo V8 race car.

Graeme Glew CEO of Formula Woman commented:

“To receive the support from McLaren is incredible. The prize on offer to the winners is a fantastic opportunity to compete in a very successful series with one of the most successful race car manufacturers in the world.”

“The GT4 is an amazing car with huge power and will give the winners a truly memorable experience with a very real chance of winning races.”

Danny Buxton, Head of McLaren Customer Racing, Motorsport commented:

“We are delighted to have the opportunity to support the Formula Woman initiative with our McLaren GT4 products in the 2022 GT Cup Championship. This Championship is an established part of the UK motorsport scene and continues to grow in stature and popularity and we wish the Formula Woman programme all the very best for the season ahead.”

The Formula Woman competition is now open and accepting expressions of interest. Applications will open very shortly as the competition gets underway.

The on-track assessments will be broadcast on television in the UK and across the globe, giving huge exposure to everyone involved and focusing on the development of the 16 finalists.

Graeme Glew continued:

“We have had an amazing response so far but obviously we have to be aware of the current situation the world is in. The timescales will remain fluid as the country battles the pandemic. By starting the competition at the end of 2021, we will be in with a real chance of getting it underway.”

The competition has received the full support of the 2004 winner Natasha Firman

“I would encourage you to register and take part. It was a fabulous opportunity for me and will be for you too.”

Racing driver, motoring journalist and TV presenter Vicki Butler-Henderson who was the original host in 2004 said;

“If you have ever had the urge to test your skills on track, then Formula Woman is for you. I urge you to register now!”

Q&A with Formula Woman founder Graeme Glew

Just 8 weeks after our re-launch, the interest in Formula Woman has been very encouraging.

We are now up to 1000 registrations and have attracted global interest from countries like Brazil, Spain, the United States of America, and Poland, just to name a few.

So inevitably, Formula Woman has been subject to vast coverage from the external media.

Graeme Glew, FW founder, has appeared on MotorsportDaysLive and Motorsport.Radio, while many of the written press have covered a story on our re-launch.

But with so many things going on in the world, we decided to speak to Graeme and provide an update on Formula Woman and what will be happening in the near future.

Why is Formula Woman making a return?

Because the world is now ready for Formula Woman, judging from the registrations so far women around the world have an appetite for this. The response has been even better than we anticipated.

When will we know about the car manufacturer?

All I can say right now is that we have a major announcement coming soon - a very exciting one!

What has the response to Formula Woman been like so far?

Apart from healthy registration interest, we have been asked if there are opportunities in motorsport for positions other than driving and the answer to that one is yes. Our plan is once you become a Formula Woman, the world of motorsport will open up to you.

What are your goals for Formula Woman?

The main goal is to create an opportunity for women who could only dream of becoming a racing driver to actually enter the competition and have a go!

Are any of the former Formula Woman racers involved in the relaunch?

Yes! There are a few who want to offer their services as instructors, and our 2004 champion Natasha Firman is now a Formula Woman ambassador.

Can transgender people apply for Formula Woman?

Yes, of course! In the original Formula Woman Championship we had a transgender racer in the final 16.

How is this different to the W Series?

It is very different. The W Series is for women who have already competed and wish to continue their careers in single seater motorsport. Formula Woman is the women with little, or no, experience in motorsport. The objective is that the winners will compete against the men - watch this space!

By Edward Hardy

Formula Woman is Back!

SO YOU WANT TO BE A RACING DRIVER?
ANY WOMAN CAN DO THIS. FORMULA WOMAN IS BACK!

• Formula Woman was a highly successful all-female competition which first ran in 2004.

• There were 10,000 applications from women of all different backgrounds.

• Little or no experience, anyone can enter as long as you are a woman.

• Entrants must be over 17 years old and have a full driving licence.

• Expressions of interest are now open to any woman who thinks they could be a racing driver.

Formula Woman is back after 16 years to search for the next female motorsport champion. This highly successful competition sets out to introduce more women from everyday lives and backgrounds into motorsport competition.

The all-new Formula Woman is now open and expressions of interest are being invited to the new televised competition which will commence in the autumn of 2021.

Formula Woman is the brainchild of Graeme Glew to encourage women who have never considered being involved in motorsport to give it a go. He now feels the moment is absolutely right to relaunch the competition and help more women get on track.

Graeme commented: “I have been involved in motorsport for many years and when I launched Formula Woman back in 2004 we had no idea of the success it would be.

“The idea was to attract the interest of women who would not have explored getting into motorsport from the usual channels. We wanted to give them an experience, something they would thoroughly enjoy and also learn from.

“We were inundated with applicants, 10,000 of them, and this was before the days of social media.

“We had a very diverse group of women, from solicitors, policemen, shop assistants, hairdressers, firefighters, to a British Airways pilot and a pole dancer. We even had an opera singer and a 68-year-old grandmother! It was great to see such a wide-ranging group of people apply.

“Formula Woman was unusual, but it captured people’s imagination and offered something different. We also gained support from major car manufacturers and big brand sponsors as well as prime time ITV coverage.

“Here we are 16 years on and with the launch of other all-female initiatives to help women enjoy and participate in sport, I felt this was the right time to bring the competition back and create the next step on the ladder to find the next female racing drivers.

“Any woman can do this no matter who you are or where you come from. The interest so far has been fantastic. We have received expressions of interest from all age groups, cultures and jobs from around the world. I would encourage any women wishing to apply can go to our website and register online.”

In 2004, 3,500 women were assessed at race tracks across the UK and 100 finalists then took part in a three-day shoot out with the top 16 racers going on to compete in the first Formula Woman Championship.

Natasha Firman, the 2004 Champion, commented: “I won the very first championship and am delighted to hear the competition is back. We raced on some of the best national circuits, the competition was really close and went right down to the wire. So if you have the passion and interest I would encourage you to register and take part. It was a fabulous opportunity for me back in 2004.”

Graeme continued: “We will provide all the necessary equipment as well as providing hospitality opportunities at many motorsport events, from track days to ice driving in Sweden. The winners of Formula Woman will receive a sponsored race season in 2022.”

To register for Formula Woman 2021 and take part in a once-in-a-lifetime experience, you must be over 17 years old and hold a full driving licence. You must have had little or no racing experience and of course be a woman! To register, click here and answer one simple question: Why do you want to be a Formula Woman?

Successful applicants will then be contacted in the New Year and invited to take part in an assessment process with the winners getting a fabulous opportunity to race in something rather special in 2022.