Girls on Track aims to inspire women into believing that there is a rightful place for them in STEM and motorsport industries, with the help of a community of likeminded individuals and a series of school and community events.
Nicki joins a pool of leaders in the industry from team members to mechanics and presenters to engineers covering the breadth of the sport, attending school and networking events, in addition to speaking at virtual experiences - providing an important insight into the sport and imparting support and knowledge on the Girls on Track community.
“I was honoured to be asked to be part of the Girls on Track UK initiative," said Nicki. "I have witnessed first-hand the tremendous activities that FIA Girls on Track has organised at Formula E race events and have been hugely impressed. The concept of introducing and educating school-age girls to all aspects of motorsport is crucial to provide opportunity, capture inspiration, and to ensure and increase diversity within our sport and industry.
“If anyone ever asks me why or how I got into motorsport, particularly as a female, I always say that you need to have a passion for it and you need to be tough about it. Know the sport, watch the sport. Do your research, do your studying and most of all give those boys a run for their money!”
Susie Wolff, Team Principal of ROKiT Venturi Racing and Ambassador for the FIA Women in Motorsport Commission added: “Nicki’s passion for sustainable technology and her capacity to make even the most complicated scenarios simple and engaging for the viewer have made her a very valuable and essential component in the Formula E broadcast family.
"She will make a great addition to the line-up of brilliant female ambassadors for Girls on Track, sharp and professional with serious insight into the sport. I have no doubt that she continues to be a source of inspiration to many budding broadcast presenters.”
Girls on Track with Formula E
Girls on Track seeks to push forward the FIA’s goal of gender equality and increased participation in motorsport; "we want to inspire the next generation of young girls who want to create opportunity within the sport and make sure that they're supported through role models and mentoring," says Wolff.
"We have some fantastic ladies who are part of the team and before the pandemic hit, we put on live events who would get young school girls to the race track and open up all the different areas and aspects of the sport.
"Due to the pandemic, we're doing everything virtually, which actually has a huge added benefit that we're reaching a massively global audience as opposed to just doing local community-led events. So it's it's an initiative that I'm very proud to be a part of, and which is making progress."
READ MORE: How Venturi's Delphine Biscaye forged a career in motorsport
Having launched in February 2019 at the Mexico City E-Prix, and following more success with an event at the Berlin E-Prix early in 2019, Formula E partnered with FIA Girls on Track initiative again for Season 6 - when the championship was last able to welcome fans to events - at the season-opening Diryah E-Prix and Round 3 in Santiago, Chile.
It offered up a unique opportunity to inspire and encourage girls between the ages of 8-18 to get involved in a number of innovative activities aimed at boosting confidence and creating exciting new career opportunities.
Dare to be different
Girls were able to get involved in technical workshops to develop their Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) skills while being encouraged to be creative and work as a team.
Those taking part also learned directly from motorsport journalists as to how reporting from a race meeting and preparing a news story, as well as presenting a piece to camera.
Finally, girls could get stuck into a driving activity with a competitive element. After being guided by an instructor on a simulator about where to brake, how to steer through curves and when to accelerate, they were able to get out on-track for a practice lap and two timed laps - an opportunity to kick-start a karting career.
Join Nicki Shields + guests on #IWD2021
Formula E presenter, herself a Girls on Track ambassador, will be joined by a host of special guests over on Instagram Live this evening.
Abbie Eaton (racing driver), Cristina Manas (Jaguar Racing Performance Engineer), Liz Brooks (ROKiT Venturi Racing's Head of Communications), Derin Adetosoye (FETV presenter and Talent Call winner) and Laura Watts (FETV producer) will all be on hand from 7PM GMT and ready to answer your questions!