Alpine have confirmed that female racing driver Alice Powell has joined the team for a role in their development programme. 29-year-old Powell, who currently competes in the female-only W Series, has been named Talent Identification and Development Mentor for Alpine's driver academy. The Briton will act as a mentor to up-and-coming drivers by assisting with racing and career advice, with a particular focus on supporting female racers. "More and more opportunities for women within motorsport are emerging now, but budding drivers often lack guidance and experience in the early days of their career," said Powell. "The Alpine Academy provides a sense of credibility and has a defined place on the motorsport ladder. "Mentoring is very important. We need to change the mindset of young women that these opportunities do exist, but to also give them the resilience to reach out and grab these opportunities with both hands."
Increasing female representation in F1 teams
One of Powell's current mentees is compatriot Abbi Pulling, who also races in W Series and joined Alpine's affiliate programme last year. In partnering with Alpine, Powell is the latest female racer to have taken a role with a Formula 1 team in some capacity. Two-time W Series champion Jamie Chadwick is now into her fourth year as part of Williams' Driver Academy, while Jessica Hawkins joined Aston Martin as a Driver Ambassador in 2021. The 2022 W Series season, featuring Powell, Pulling, Chadwick and Hawkins, begins this Saturday in Miami, with two races taking place on the sidelines of the F1 Miami Grand Prix weekend.
I am delighted to join the @AlpineF1Team as their Talent Identification and Development Mentor. The Alpine Academy already has a hugely successful junior programme & am excited to help find the next generation of talent, especially female talent! #f1 #racing #alpine #motorsport pic.twitter.com/nBEsSLC5ik — Alice Powell (@alicepowell) May 3, 2022
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