Photo: Formula Motorsport Ltd
Formula 3’s promoter Bruno Michel has revealed that the series is helping PHM Racing by Charouz driver Sophia Floersch with her budget for this season.
Michel’s Formula Motorsport organisation is increasing its support of female drivers this year, including managing the new Formula 4-spec F1 Academy series for female drivers where all the seats will recieve a €150,000 subsidy from F1.
F3 has also previously organised private tests with its Dallara F3 2019 car for women rising up the single-seater ladder.
“It’s true that it’s not easy for female drivers to find budgets at the moment, and I hope this is going to change as well,” said Michel in a recent press session.
“And that’s why also we’re trying to help them as much as we can. And that’s why also we’re helping Sophia as well in F3 this season, because it’s more difficult – and it’s a little bit surprising – but it’s more difficult for female drivers to find money. And I’m really happy that we can contribute to that, to help them to complete the budgets that they need to go racing.”
Michel clarified that “we’re helping her slightly with her budget” in regards to Floersch, who is making a return to single-seater racing this year in F3.
The 22-year-old German last raced in the championship in 2020 with Campos Racing, taking a best finish of 12th, and has spent the last two years in sportscars. She primarily raced in the DTM in 2021, then in the European Le Mans Series in 2022.
It is not unprecedented for Michel’s organisation to help arrange or directly provide support for drivers in its series, but such instances have not normally been disclosed publicly at the time.