Young women from Austin-based charity Girlstart heard from British racing driver and campaigner, Sir Lewis Hamilton, this week at the Circuit of the Americas at an event designed to encourage students from underrepresented groups to aspire to careers in motorsport and science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM).

The day-long, immersive experience into the world of F1 and STEM – encompassing activities from coding to AI-assisted engineering – formed part of a programme established by Hamilton’s charity, Mission 44, which has donated $44,000 to Girlstart – a national organisation which offers year-round, out-of-school STEM programming for young female students in Texas, California and Massachusetts.

Mission 44 has also pledged $2 million in grants to STEM organisations across the USA over the next three years, as part of its mission to support young people from underrepresented backgrounds into careers in STEM.
Two projects are already underway in Miami with further funding set to be directed towards the fellow tech hubs of Austin and Las Vegas. Whilst each city has a growing STEM scene – along with its own date on the F1 circuit – they are also home to large communities of underrepresented young people.

During an exclusive Q&A session, the seven-time FORMULA 1™ World Champion shared his own journey and spoke about the role STEM plays in motorsport, emphasising that the industry offers a myriad of opportunities for young women to grow and develop their own careers.

Members of Girlstart also visited the Scuderia Ferrari HP garage, deep in the circuit’s pit lane, where they had the unique opportunity to watch Hamilton’s own car – which will take to the track this weekend – being built.

It comes in a week that marks the UN’s International Day of the Girl (11 October 2025) – a global moment that seeks to ensure young women across the world have equal access to education, opportunity and leadership – across every sector.