11 April 2023
British American Racing (BAR) was a Formula 1 constructor from 1999 to 2005. They acquired Tyrell and formed a six-year subsequent contract with Honda.
Founder Craig Pollock has reappeared and plans to establish a new F1 team for the 2026 season.
However, with one significant difference, the initiative to have a 50:50 male: female team throughout. This format will represent the first team with this structure in the history of Formula 1.
To be known as the ‘Formula Equal’ project.
Recently, the FIA opened an application process to find ‘one or more’ new F1 teams to join the championship in 2025, 2026, or 2027.
Mr Pollock recently repeated a Toto Wolff observation, ‘estimating that it would cost a new team around $1 billion to join F1.’
The rumour mill points towards Pollock’s backers are from Saudi Arabia, which kinda’ makes sense, a country with bold ambitions in sport and having first hosted a Grand Prix in 2021.
A mixed gender, especially a 50:50 motorsports team in Saudi Arabia, would be noteworthy since women were barred from driving until 2018.