F1 | “We want to continue to ensure that talent from underrepresented groups has meaningful opportunities,” says Domenicali after announcing extension on scholarship programme
Formula 1 made it known that they extended their commitment to the Engineering Scholarship programme for underrepresented groups until the year 2025, increasing this way the diversity within the sport.
After F1 launched the #WeRaceAsOne initiative, they set out plans to increase diversity and inclusion within the sport, one of them being the Engineering Scholarship programme. This programme was launched after the Non-Executive Chairman of Formula 1, Chase Carey, donated $1 million USD to fund scholarships for students with little to no representation.
F1 disclosed that the programme has successfully supported 10 students in leading universities in the UK and Italy with a scholarship that covers not only the full cost of their tuition but also living expenses for the full duration of their degree.
They announced that the programme will be extended for four more years, making way for scholarships for 10 more students per year from 2022 to 2025.
“We are committed to increasing diversity and opportunity within this incredible sport,” said Stefano Domenicali, Formula 1’s President and CEO.
“I am pleased to confirm that we will be expanding our programme for scholars until 2025, providing a fantastic opportunity for some incredibly talented students to begin their journeys with Formula 1.
“We want to continue to ensure that talent from underrepresented groups has meaningful opportunities, with the first 10 scholars already beginning their studies following Chase’s incredible donation to fund the scholars in their first year. We want to continue and build on the foundations of the programme in the years ahead.”
The initial programme partners, University of Cambridge, Coventry University, Manchester Metropolitan University, MUNER – The Motorvehicle University of Emilia Romagna, University of Oxford, and Strathclyde University, were responsible for selecting the 10 scholars that were supported in the first year. Their studies began in 2021, making it the inaugural year of the programme.
But Formula 1 didn’t just support their tuition and living expenses, as a wider programme for diversity and inclusion they committed to creating job opportunities by offering apprenticeships and internships across the business.
F1 started working with the Black Collective of Media in Sport (BCOMS), leading group for black professionals in the media, and The Blair Project, both are inspiring the next generation of engineers from socio-economic backgrounds with disadvantages, and they already welcomed the first apprentices who are studying mechanical engineering, and interns, with more to be appointed later.
