Aston Martin induct talented 3x Swedish champion Jessica Backman into their racing academy

Aston Martin Racing named their new Driver Academy racers for the 2023 season. Among the newly added drivers to the program is Swedish racer Jessica Bäckman, the only woman among the 24 inductees.

Backman climbed the ranks of the national TCR series up to the World Touring Car Cup, where she made history in 2021 by becoming the first, and only, woman to have scored points at the top of the TCR pyramid.

The 25-year-old has claimed podiums in four different TCR series over the last five years. She became the first woman to step onto the podium at the continental level and was crowned vice-champion in ADAC TCR Germany in 2022.

After driving the Aston Martin Vantage GT4 in Arizona, USA, Backman decided to venture into GT racing this year. Speaking after being promoted to the AM racing academy, she said (via mynewsdesk):

"Super happy and thankful to be part of the AMR Driver Academy 2023. This is exactly what I need to take the next step as a racing driver and to get a glint of what it takes to be a factory driver for an luxury brand like Aston Martin."

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Aston Martin enjoying strong start to 2023 F1 season

Aston Martin have exceeded expectations this year by emerging as the second-fastest team on the grid, behind Red Bull.

While Mercedes and Ferrari have struggled with their car performances, Aston Martin have taken giant strides this season with the AMR23. The team has been on the podium in all three races so far — Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and Australia.

Their hiring of Fernando Alonso as Sebastian Vettel's replacement, after the German announced his retirement, has proven to be a masterstroke as the veteran has shown that he still has what it takes to fight at the top, if given the right car.

Alonso finished P3 in all three races, his longest podium streak in a decade. He last achieved the feat in 2013, in Belgian, Italian, and Singapore GPs. With Lance Stroll finishing P4 in Melbourne last weekend, Aston, for the first time in their history, had two cars in the top four of an F1 race.

The Silverstone-based team finds itself second in the constructors' standings, while Alonso is third in the drivers' championship, trailing only the Red Bull Racing pair of Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez.