Susanna Coletta: “Creating sustainable female vocations in motorsport”

What activities have you offered here in Imola as part of Girls on Track?

The fundamental objective is to open young girls' eyes to the many career possibilities in motorsport, beyond the role of driver or engineer, often the most well-known. There is a much wider world behind the circuits: media, logistics, technical, regulation, fitness, photography, videography, etc. We organize an immersive "behind the scenes" day, where participants discover the different professions that revolve around a race weekend. At Imola, they were able to visit the media center, the control room (with a full explanation of how it works by the race director), the pit lane, and even the garages where they were able to interact with team members and drivers. At the same time, we set up several practical workshops. One of them, focused on fitness and reactivity, offers a lighter version of the warm-ups performed by drivers. Other workshops are dedicated to media careers or local initiatives. The aim is also to build bridges between these young girls and those working in the field in their region, so that their involvement can continue after the event.

 

See this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by FIA – Official account (@fia.official)

Do you adapt these programs depending on where you go?

Every location is an opportunity to connect with local stakeholders, whether it's a track, a team, or an association. For example, in cities like those hosting the Formula E, where there is no traditional circuit but an urban layout, we ensure that participants leave with local contacts, a concrete idea of ​​how to continue the adventure in their own environment.

How can they participate in these events?

In general, the opening of registrations is announced via our social networks, in particular the account FIA WIMA link allows young girls to register, and we then make a selection based on available places. We often prioritize local applications for logistical reasons, but if we have room, we broaden the call. For certain more confidential events, we go through the ASN (national sports authorities) to do targeted promotion.

What feedback have you had from the participants?

It's extremely positive. What we're seeing is that there's a real appetite among young girls for motorsport, but also a lack of awareness of the access routes. Some say they're excluded because they don't have a scientific or technical background, even though there are a thousand other ways to get involved. I've met teenage girls who knew the sporting regulations by heart at 13 or 14, it's impressive. Our role is to show them that their passion can become a project, and that each path is unique. I'm not an engineer myself, but I work at the heart of motorsport, with engineers every day. It's not the academic path that counts, but the desire to find your place.