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Britain’s Katherine Legge will ensure the new Formula E electric car racing series is not an all-male championship when it starts in September. |
The 33-year-old former Champ Car racer, who tested a Formula One car with the now-defunct Minardi team in 2002, was announced yesterday as one of two drivers for the rebranded Amlin Aguri outfit.
Formula E chief executive Alejandro Agag said in a statement that he hoped Legge would be the first of many women to compete in the series that is sanctioned by the International Automobile Federation.
The 10-race, 10-team series has raised 50 million euros ($68.20 million) from new investors to fund its launch and is due to start on a layout around Beijing’s Olympic Stadium on Sept 13. It ends in London in June 2015. Teams, including ones backed by Hollywood actor Leonardo Di Caprio and Virgin boss Richard Branson, have so far confirmed 11 drivers.
Familiar names include ex-Formula One racers Nick Heidfeld, Jarno Trulli, Bruno Senna, Karun Chandhok, Franck Montagny and Jaime Alguersuari. No female driver has started a Formula One race since 1976.
