BAR founder, Craig Pollock is trying to return to the F1 grid in 2025/2026 with a brand new staff that will comprise a 50/50 male-female workforce.
Born in Falkirk, Scotland, Pollock was Jacques Villeneuve’s supervisor for a lot of his profession and through that point based British American Racing.
Leaving BAR in 2002, the place he was changed by David Richards, the staff subsequently morphing into Honda, Brawn, then Mercedes, Pollock based PURE (Propulsion Universelle et Recuperation d’Energie), which unsuccessfully sought to provide energy items to F1.
His newest mission, is Method Equal, as he defined to CNN.
“This has been happening for shut on 4 years,” he stated, “the increase of a model new Method 1 staff, however taking into it our ambition to ship and construct alternatives and pathways for ladies to get to the very prime stage inside motorsports.
“The idea and the concept was to try to construct a Method 1 staff that’s 50% male, 50% feminine, which is extraordinarily onerous to do you probably have an present Method 1 staff. It is a lot simpler with a clear sheet.
“It might be completely implausible,” he replied, when requested if this meant a lady driver. “However the actuality is to have the ability to get into the cockpit of a Method 1 automotive, you have to have a sure variety of factors in your superlicence.
“I can not put my hand on my coronary heart and say sure,” he admitted, “however we’re conserving a really shut eye on it. I simply hope for the ladies that that is the case.
“However to make this very clear, this isn’t nearly ladies driving Method 1 vehicles,” he insisted. “That is about all through the staff; we would like it even as much as the board stage if we will do this. We want to have a gender equal Method 1 staff going ahead.
“We all know that we’re going to need to undergo our academy techniques,” he stated of the method by which he hopes to ascertain the 50/50 workforce. “We all know we will need to construct it up as a result of there usually are not sufficient ladies in the mean time who’re skilled as much as the extent of Method One they usually’ve bought to earn a spot in there on the similar time.”
When it comes to funding, the Scot is eyeing an more and more well-liked supply.
“We’re in intense discussions with I might simply say a Gulf space nation,” he stated. “I am probably not within the place to speak about that and be absolutely open about it at this current time – that can come out within the very close to future. I simply hope it’ll work as a result of it does take some huge cash.”
Certainly, Pollock admits the staff could be based mostly within the area.
“Clearly that’s linked to equality, variety, inclusion, and sustainability,” he stated. “This isn’t a query of me going to them. In actuality, it is them having come to us as a result of we now have a turnkey operation with the marketing strategy, with all of the costings, with all the pieces able to go.
“This needs to be constructed from the underside up in a Gulf state and that is what we’re aiming to do. It is a long-term mission – this isn’t short-term.”
