Sauber sign female driver Simona De Silvestro

Simona de Silvestro

Swiss team Sauber F1 confirmed that they have signed female driver Simona De Silvestro. The team also hopes that De Silvestro will obtain the FIA super-licence in time so that she can drive in the 2015 F1 season.

The 25-year-old competed in Formula BMW USA in the year 2006, and then moved on to the Atlantic Championship. From the year 2010, De Silvestro has taken part in the IndyCar Series where she managed to win the Indy 500 ‘Rookie of the Year’ award in her debut campaign.

Sauber’s female team principal Monisha Kaltenborn said, “After four years in IndyCar, Simona’s ambition is to enter Formula One in 2015.

“We regard her as a very talented race driver, and we therefore have decided to take her on board as an ‘affiliated driver’ and support her on her way to the pinnacle of motorsport.”

An ecstatic De Silvestro said, ‘I’m so happy to have the opportunity to take this step with such a great team.“Sauber is a team with a legacy, and the only Swiss team in Formula One, which I think makes this even more exciting.

“I can’t thank Monisha and Peter Sauber(team owner) enough for their support and belief in my abilities and for giving me this chance. I’m thrilled to have this extremely unique platform on which to prepare myself to take on the challenge.”

Italian Lella Lombardi was the last female driver to start a F1 race way back in 1976, Sauber as well as many fans will hope that the long wait for a female driver comes to and end next season.