The number of women licensed by the Portuguese Automobile and Karting Federation (FPAK) increased by 216% in 2022 compared to 2021, the president of that body said this Sunday.
Speaking to the Lusa agency, Ni Amorim said that in 2022, the FPAK had 824 licensed practitioners when, in 2021, there were 260.
According to the federation leader, in the previous year there had been an increase in female practitioners, since in 2020 there had been 155, the lowest figure in the last five years.
This is because, in 2019, 255 practitioners had been authorized and 282 in 2018.
“[Neste momento] we are very active when it comes to women’s motorsports”, the president of the FPAK told Lusa.
According to Ni Amorim, there have been “management awareness actions to promote sport among women.”
“I am in a commission of the FIA [Federação Internacional do Automóvel] — The Drivers’ Commission, chaired by the Brazilian Felipe Massa — which tries to significantly increase the quota of women in Touring Cars and Formulas. One of the changes will be the introduction of assisted driving, since it is physically more difficult for a woman to compete with a man. It is a great measure”, considered Ni Amorim.
Therefore, the federation leader views the future of Portuguese motorsports in women’s racing with optimism, and points to Maria Germano Neto as a hope to reach Formula 1.
“I think we can have someone competing at the highest level. For example, we were one of the countries that brought the most women to the Motorsports Games. Maria Germano Neto has the best structured race. She has a lot of talent and a lot of work,” Ni Amorim concluded.
Source: Observadora
