£25,000 incentive for top GB4 female driver

MotorSport Vision boss Jonathan Palmer is putting his money where his mouth is to encourage female racers up the ladder to Formula 1.

MSV’s GB4 single-seater championship will offer a £25,000 contribution to an F1 Academy budget for 2025 to the top female racer in the UK series this year. That amounts to nearly a third of the all-female F1 support category’s budget of £85,000.

The organiser reports significant interest in GB4 this year from female racing drivers, with Alisha Palmowski – fastest in a recent Oulton Park test – already signed up with Elite Motorsport, while Megan Bruce will drive for Fox Motorsport.

“It is really exciting to have so many more females taking part in motor racing and particularly in single-seater racing,” said Palmer. “There is real momentum gathering now, as witnessed by the commitment Formula 1 has made with F1 Academy and the support Motorsport UK is giving to generate female participation.”

GB4 already has a record of promoting female racing talent. In its inaugural 2022 season Megan Gilkes and Logan Hannah both won races on the same day at Donington Park, while Gilkes, Jessica Edgar, and Chloe Grant all graduated from the series to F1 Academy last year. Edgar won the US Grand Prix support round in Austin and continues in the F1-affiliated series this year with Rodin Motorsport.

“GB4 has proved a great-value series in which to learn, gain experience and showcase talent,” said Palmer. “Of course, career progression is vital for the most successful, and what is key to that is funding, so that’s what we are now boosting.” The series also offers £50,000 to its champion towards a 2025 budget for either GB3 or British Formula 4, while a pot of £4000 is available via the George Russell Pole Position Cup.