Formula 1 has been a male-dominated sport. That being said, with a shift in the dynamic, the W Series, and a wealth of talented female drivers coming up, it would appear that the day is not far when we see a female F1 driver. And according to Toto Wolff’s wife, Susie Wolff, that day is closer than we think.

F1 isn’t a sport that is regressing. With so many new initiatives to inculcate diversity and equality, it only makes sense to give the next deserving female driver a shot in F1. According to Susie Wolff, there is one driver that has what it takes to become a seasoned F1 professional.

At the Performance People podcast, Wolff said, “We have a young girl in the Mercedes Junior Programme, she’s only 11. She’s competing at the front in European karting. I’d like to think if she carries on in her path, and she’s got the right support around her, she will have a good chance.”

She’s talking about no one else but Luna Fluxa, 12, who’s Mercedes’ first female driver.

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Currently, the only viable way for a female driver to come into the eyes of F1 teams would be through the W Series, a dedicated all-female single-seater open-wheeled competition. However, the W Series is facing problems of its own that threaten the way we could see a female F1 driver in the future.

F1 feeder series, the W Series, forced to close shop early due to financial woes

Susie Wolff believes that the next female F1 driver is just around the corner. That being said, the W Series, the only premier all-female open-wheel single-seater competition, is facing monetary woes that led to them to conclude the series without even getting through its whole calendar.

As the season ended 3 races early, Jamie Chadwick, the points leader, was crowned the champion for the third time in a row.

W Series CEO Catherine Bond Muir announced this recently. She said, “It’s with both great sadness and frustration that we announce that our much-anticipated final three races of the 2022 season in Austin and Mexico City will not go ahead.”

“As a start-up in only our third season of racing, we are always working hard to ensure regularity of funding as we continue to grow our business, but due to recent unforeseen circumstances outside of W Series’ control, we had not been in receipt of contracted funds due to us.”

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With the W Series not in a great place, how long will we have to wait before we see a female driver competing full-time on the F1 grid?