F1 Australian Grand Prix 2023: Qualifying Start Time, Live Streams, Results, Draw, Oscar Piastri
Red Bull chief Christian Horner said on Friday that gender equality will inevitably reach F1 amid reports that a team made up of men and women is looking to enter the sport.
Former British American Racing (BAR) founder Craig Pollock told CNN last week he wants to make his Formula Equals debut from the 2025 or 2026 season.
The goal was to have a 50 percent gender separation across the entire organization, from the cockpit to the engineers to the boardroom.
He reportedly submitted a statement of interest to the racing governing body, the FIA, which opened the search process for a potential 11th team earlier this year.
Horner, when asked about Pollock’s plan, said he believed gender equality in a traditionally male sport would happen “naturally” anyway.
“I think it’s fantastic to see how many girls, women, are interested in Formula 1 now, and we see it at all levels,” said the Briton in Melbourne ahead of the Australian Grand Prix.
“I think the interest is growing… more women are attracted to sports, whether it’s engineering or all aspects of the organization.
“As the sport becomes more accessible and we strive to make it more accessible, I think it will still come naturally.” Pollock, the former manager of 1997 Formula One champion Jacques Villeneuve, admitted that funding such a venture would be extremely expensive, but said he was in intensive negotiations with the “Gulf country” to fund the project.
7:30 a.m.: A CALL FOR HUGE CHANGE FOR THE REVOLUTION OF THE AFSI GP
Turning the Australian Grand Prix into a night race has been approved by F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali, who also wants The blockbuster event is back for the season with the curtain up.
With the F1 race set to remain in Melbourne until 2035 despite Sydney’s attempts to steal it, Domenicali confirmed talks were underway to have Albert Park as one of the seven night races on the calendar.
Melbourne billionaire and Australian Grand Prix chairman Paul Little expressed his hope that by 2030 the event could be held in the light, but noted that significant investment would be required.
Victorian taxpayers are estimated to have spent a record $78.1 million to host the 2022 Melbourne Grand Prix.
“I would like to not rule out a late-night Grand Prix,” Little said.
“I just think that if we could do that it would be amazing and also a great way to reach out to the rest of the F1 audience.
“There is no doubt that more people would watch it if they could see it live at a reasonable time on the other side of the world.
“So I think we will continue to look into the viability and possibilities of that.”
Australian F1 rookie Oscar Piastri backed the idea but noted a significant increase in absenteeism on Monday.
“It definitely adds something a little different,” he said.
“I don’t know if there will be too many happy people going to work on a Monday morning.
“But from a commercial standpoint, it would obviously make a lot of sense.”
Originally published as 2023 F1 Australian Grand Prix: Qualifying Start Time, Live Streams, Results, Draw, Oscar Piastri