The FIA has named Silvia Bellot as the permanent race director for Formula 2 (F2) and Formula 3 (F3) championships from 2020 onward.
The 34-year-old Bellot will have a permanent role as the FIA race director of F2 and F3 championships from 2020 onward after working as a steward for series’ like F1, DTM, WRC, WTCC, GP2 and GP3 along with having a team role with Carlin as well at one point.
Interestingly, Bellot will be the first-ever female race director that FIA has appointed for its championships. “I feel I have an extra responsibility because I am a role model for young women,” she said in an interview to The Guardian.
“In the FIA Women in Motorsport Commission we believe the best way is to show we have the women already in the sport. If I can do it, it proves someone else can do it [as well]. I know it could impact on other women’s lives.
“I never dreamed of this. But I guess when you get involved you want more and more. And now I am happy to be race director. I never thought it could be a real career. I thought it was a hobby I was just happy to do.”
As a steward, she had a tough job already as it involved in penalising drivers (or not) after reviews but she feels she did a fair job in the end. “I like the competition, the technical side, but more the feeling of bringing fairness through the decision,” said Bellot.
“We are not the police; we don’t try to search for breaches of regulations. We are there when there is a problem to decide what is right and wrong. We always give the right to everybody to give their opinion. Sometimes we move on swiftly.
“It depends on the complexity of the incident we are investigating. It is similar in a way to being in court. They have the right to explain what happened so you want to make the process as fair as possible. We want to have the right decision for the benefit of the sport.”