Having been selected by their National Sporting Authority to participate in the FIA Girls on Track - Rising Stars programme, 20 young racers from five continents are now in Le Castellet for an intense two-day assessment, which will be followed by a three-day training camp for the selected few. At the end of this programme in November, just one of the girls could be awarded a one-year contract with the world-famous Ferrari Driver Academy for an FIA Formula 4 season in 2021, potentially making history by becoming Ferrari’s first-ever female racer.

On the eve of the event, the girls received good luck messages from Scuderia Ferrari Formula 1 drivers Sebastian Vettel and Charles Leclerc and Ferrari Driver Academy members Mick Schumacher and Callum Ilott.

Yesterday (11 October), following their arrival and registration, the girls were welcomed to the Winfield Racing School where all mandatory safety equipment was distributed, personal items checked and any necessary seat fittings and adjustments made to the Praga karts to ensure optimum racing conditions for each of the 20 racers.

Today, the first full day of activities, the girls were split into six groups for a track walk, safety briefing and a series of workshops devised by 321 Perform, the internationally renowned driver performance centre. With 15 years of experience, its Academy coaches have nurtured and supported some of the world’s finest drivers in Formula 1 and its support categories, Formula E and the FIA World Rally Championship, to cite but a few in a wide variety of motor sport disciplines.

The Academy’s unique strategy targets the driver as a whole in regard to mental, physical and nutritive development, and the girls were afforded an exceptional insight into the importance of physiological welfare in the sport. The day also included a media awareness and training workshop where interviews, playbacks and analysis underlined the value of effectively interacting with the media and its various audiences, and the importance of personal presentation in every aspect.

The girls also got their first taste of the karts and, after a period of track familiarisation, were encouraged to set ‘hot laps’ around the 964m circuit, benefitting from the feedback of the Winfield Racing School coaches who talked them through their racing lines, acceleration and braking points. They also had the chance to evaluate Pirelli tyre performance ahead of tomorrow’s qualifying simulation.

The FIA Girls on Track - Rising Stars shoot-out continues on Tuesday with more school-based workshops as well as the first competitive action on the Circuit Paul Ricard in the junior specification Praga karts. The second day of on track activities will be attended as well by Jean Todt, FIA President and Michèle Mouton, Women in Motorsport Commission President. At the end of the day, after analysis of the girls’ performances both on and off track, up to 12 of the young hopefuls will be selected to continue in the first three-day Training Camp, also at the Winfield Racing School, from 14-16 October.

Imagery from the first day of the FIA Girls on Track - Rising Stars can be downloaded here and news, information and videos of the action can be found on the FIA Women in Motorsport social media platforms. Video is also available here;