Sophie Flörsch has come a little closer to her dream of Formula 1 and will have the support of a Formula 1 team from 2023.
As Alpine confirmed late Thursday evening at the presentation of its new A523, the 22-year-old will become a new member of the Alpine Academy and thus belong to the young talent program of the French racing team.
“Joining the Alpine Academy is an honor and a great opportunity for my career,” says Flörsch. “I have big ambitions and I am sure that by applying Alpine’s knowledge and expertise I can only grow. I can’t wait to start this new chapter and represent the Alpine brand on the global stage.”
In 2023, Flörsch will compete in Formula 3 and drive for the new German team PHM. She had already completed a season for Campos in the championship in 2020, but then drove in the DTM and in long-distance championships. Now she is back in formula racing and in the lower house of Formula 1.
In addition to Flörsch, Alpine has announced other female drivers for its Rac(H)er program, which supports women in motorsport. They include Britain’s Abbi Pulling, who will compete in the new F1 Academy series, and six other drivers who will compete in karting.
“Rac(H)er is key to our ongoing drive for performance to shape the future of our industry by driving real change and creating equal and fair opportunities for a range of human talent,” says Alpine Managing Director Laurent Rossi .
“Sophia and Abbi, for example, are good examples of such talent. I’m delighted to have Sophia join our program and am honored to welcome Abbi to the Academy. I’m sure both riders will bring a lot to Alpine become.”
Zinedine Zidane becomes ambassador
Alpine also had another surprise in store for the presentation on Thursday: soccer world champion Zinedine Zidane will represent the manufacturer as an ambassador and at the same time act as a sponsor of the Rac(H)er and Concours Excellence Mecanique equality programs.
“As always, it’s a story of encounters,” says the Frenchman. “I liked the vision and the concrete approach of the Alpine teams, especially in the implementation of their equal opportunities programmes, as I have a special affection for Alpine as a Frenchman and a Formula 1 fan.”
“I think it’s important to convey to the children that no matter where they come from, one day they can become the champions of tomorrow, no matter what path they choose in life, and that they should always believe in their dreams. This project aims to do that contribute to making this possible,” said Zidane.
“Change takes time and if I can help speed things up then that gives me great satisfaction.”
Laurent Rossi says: “Zinedine Zidane is not only a great champion and a sporting legend, but also a committed man who has chosen to use his global presence to inspire young people and drive change to create equal opportunities.”
“He exemplifies what we as a company should stand for: a resilient mindset, a natural talent and an advocate of promoting inclusion for all while upholding meritocracy by inspiring those around him to strive for greatness to strive. It fills us with great pride that Zinedine is joining Alpine to make a difference.”
Olympic champion comes as a mentor
Another big name Alpine has introduced is Nicole Adams, a two-time Olympic champion in boxing and gender equality activist, who will serve as a new role model and coach for the brand.
She will teach Academy and Formula 1 team drivers and hold conferences to inspire, motivate and raise awareness of diversity as a key performance factor.
“As a top athlete, my mentors have played a crucial role in my career,” she says. “I can’t wait to pass on my experiences, to coach, share and give advice to the riders and teams, as well as to do my bit for Alpine and help reduce gender inequalities in sport.”