Female open wheeler racer Sophia Florsch has slammed the all-women Formula 1 support category as engaging in little more than "pinkwashing".
The inaugural ’F1 Academy’ champion of 2023 was 24-year-old Spaniard Marta Garcia, who then received a race seat in this year’s Formula Regional European Championship funded by F1 Academy, series car manufacturer Tatuus, and Pirelli.
However, she switched from the top Prema team in April to join fellow female driver Dorian Pin, funded by Mercedes, at the new Iron Dames team.
Garcia did not score a point as the season ended last weekend at Monza.
"I’m a bit emotional," she wrote on social media, revealing that it had probably been here "last race in a single seater at least for the near future".
"I’m actually with some tears writing this. My dream was always to get to F1 and this dream will stay forever in me."
German female driver Florsch, who made waves with her spectacular Macau F3 crash and spinal injuries back in 2018, has been a regular critic of the women-only racing initiatives including the defunct W Series and F1 Academy.
Responding to the demise of Garcia’s open-wheeler career, 23-year-old Florsch - who still competes with the men in FIA Formula 3 - renewed her criticisms.
"I’m so sorry for you, Marta," she said on social media. "It looks like they used you in 2023 for short term marketing with female drivers.
"Visibility doesn’t help to keep up with the stopwatch. Visibility just helps F1 but not female drivers," added Florsch, who just days ago was preparing for her first test in the former Indy Lights series, Indy NXT.
"Have you found one sponsor, Marta?" she added. "They then drive you onto the sideline. Where are all the women’s programs that were announced in 2021-2022? It’s so sad. Pinkwashing."
According to F1-insider.com, Autosport ran the story about Florsch’s scathing remarks for just half an hour before taking it offline.
"Behind the scenes, it is said that this happened under pressure from F1 Academy boss Susie Wolff," claims correspondent Ralf Bach.