As part of the WeRaceAsOne initiative, Formula 1 has set out three new commitments in a bid to increase diversity and inclusion in the sport.
F1 announced last year that it would focus specifically on creating employment and education opportunities for underrepresented groups to finance primarily engineering-focused scholarships for underrepresented students.
It has now announced the following three commitments, one day after the Hamilton Commission published its first report and 10 recommendations.
1. Formula 1 Engineering Scholarships for ten students from underrepresented groups including ethnic minorities, women, and those from under-privileged backgrounds. Each scholarship will provide the full cost of a student’s tuition, together with a living stipend. The scholars will be part of the September 2021 intake of undergraduate courses in the UK and Masters (Postgraduate) in Italy. All ten F1 teams have committed to provide work experience opportunities to a scholar during their time at university. The participating universities represent different regions within the UK and Italy, and each will run an independent selection process to determine the scholarship recipients. Partner universities:
• University of Cambridge – 1 scholar
• Coventry University – 1 scholar
• Manchester Metropolitan University – 1 scholar
• MUNER – The Motorvehicle University of Emilia-Romagna (Italy) – 3 scholars
• University of Oxford – 2 scholars
• Strathclyde University – 2 scholars
2. Formula 1 Apprentice Programme: F1 will place two long term apprentices from
underrepresented groups within our organisation in 2021. The apprenticeships will begin in
September and have a focus on mechanical engineering.
3. Formula 1 Internship Programme: Six interns from underrepresented groups will be offered roles across the organisation in 2021, with a mix of short- and longer-term placements. Two of the placements have already been assigned within the Motorsport and Marketing teams, with the other four being recruited over the coming weeks via multiple D&I partners including: BCOMS, who work with talented sports media enthusiasts looking to develop their career in media; Driven By Diversity, whose mission is to educate individuals and organisations on the value of diversity and inclusion in motorsport; and various other initiatives who train and nurture young people from underrepresented groups or with limited educational or employment opportunities.
President and CEO Stefano Domenicali said: “Formula 1 is a global sport with fans across the world. We want to be as diverse as our fan base and that is why we are taking action to ensure talented people from underrepresented groups have the best opportunities to get into, and build, a fantastic career in this amazing sport. I am delighted to announce that scholars, apprentices and interns will get the chance to fulfil their dreams in Formula 1 and I know they have amazing futures ahead of them. I want to pay particular thanks to Chase whose generous donation is funding the ten scholarships.”
“Our #WeRaceAsOne platform is our commitment to make real change and shows our recognition that we know we must make a positive contribution to the world we live in. All of the teams are committed to this and the work of the Hamilton Commission shows the dedication to addressing these issues across Formula 1. Our focus is on Diversity & Inclusion, Sustainability and Community and we will continue to drive forward with our plans to be more diverse, more sustainable and leave a lasting positive impact on the countries and communities we visit. We know we must continue to move forward on these issues and the whole sport is united in doing this in the months and years ahead.”