Edition 18 of the SportsBiz Spotlight focuses on a passion project making a difference, we spoke to Helena Hicks about all Females in Motorsport!
What is Females in Motorsport all about and when was it founded?
Females in Motorsport is a website and social media platform that was created in 2018. Its purpose is to showcase women working and racing in motorsport, in the hope of inspiring the next generation of talent.
Tell us about the business: what do you do, when was it founded, what’s the inspiration?
I’m Helena Hicks, the Founder of Females in Motorsport. It was on a day at university during 2018 that I finally put pen to paper and set up the social media accounts for Females in Motorsport. I had been toying with the idea for a very long time but didn’t have the confidence to really go for it. It was during the F1 off-season and I was reading articles from the previous year and looking at the imagery thinking ‘where are all the women?’. I’d started my own personal blog in 2016 and I had been in and out of various motorsport paddocks and found the situation to be much the same. Women are the minority.
Quite simply, we’re a community of some 28,000 people who support women in motorsport and push for equality. One aspect of the passion project is our social media sites where we share news, opinions and threads on various topics. We reach about 2.5 million people a month with our impressions from across our Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. That number is growing month-on-month and it’s wonderful to see the impact we’re having.
The other side is the website which is dedicated to sharing articles and interviews that we have produced. We have featured women working in a range of roles in motorsport: composite technicians, assistant team managers, event managers, partner managers, performance engineers – the list goes on! We have also interviewed some very inspirational drivers – some who are just starting out in motorsport and others who are incredibly well-known.
What’s your main purpose?
It’s sharing success stories of women thriving in a male-dominated environment. Our tagline is that you have to see it in order to be it. Motorsport is a giant industry and so many roles are unsung. It’s about profiling those people and making them become visible because you never know who you may inspire. It’s also creating a community of like-minded individuals to celebrate achievements and share news on what’s happening.
From @thegrandtour to single-seater racing in @WSeriesRacing, there's no doubt that @AbbieEaton44 is a prime example of a motorsport role model ☄️
We caught up with the @RacingPrideHQ ambassador ⬇️#WomenInMotorsport https://t.co/zfwxlgY5qR
— Females in Motorsport (@FemalesinMSport) November 10, 2021
If failure wasn’t a possibility, what would be your biggest ambition?
To make Females in Motorsport the one-stop shop for all of the news and features on women in the sport. It would be wonderful if in a few years time you hear that someone has achieved their dream role because they were inspired by someone we had showcased or similar.
To celebrate #WomenInMotorsportMonth, we at FinM will be highlighting a formidable woman each day 👩
From past to present and future, we’ll be showcasing those who inspire us.
Because, you have to see it to be it 👏 pic.twitter.com/WktKuarihq
— Females in Motorsport (@FemalesinMSport) November 1, 2021
What’s your USP?
We express our opinions. Being a passion project we are able to voice our views and call out when things aren’t right. We aren’t afraid of making it known when something has to change. If we don’t speak up…who will?
We’re appalled to see the actions of a to-be Formula 1 driver. Mazepin should be using his platform to set an example and we are horrified to learn of what unfolded in the video. Those actions are never okay to do, let alone film and release to the public.
— Females in Motorsport (@FemalesinMSport) December 9, 2020
How many people work at Females in Motorsport and in what capacity?
We are all volunteers and have full-time jobs or are in full-time education alongside our Females in Motorsport duties. We’re currently a team of six who create content, write interviews and dabble with podcasting!
Who would be your dream guest?
Michele Mouton. That would be wonderful. To speak to Claire Williams again would be brilliant too. We have come a long way since we first interviewed Claire in the summer of 2018!
To Claire Williams,
Thank you for showing that little girls can achieve their dreams.
Thank you for showing that women are fantastic leaders.
Thank you for your honesty and integrity.
Thank you. pic.twitter.com/g70VDC5pbH
— Females in Motorsport (@FemalesinMSport) September 3, 2020
How to connect with Females in Motorsport…
All of our links can be found here: linktr.ee/femalesinmsport
Thanks to Helena Hicks for providing insight into Females in Motorsport, a project that is making a real impact on the lives of so many people. You have to see it to be it!
If you would like to feature your sports based business or know of an organisation you would like to see feature on SportsBiz Spotlight, get in touch.
