Klara Kowalczyk, 14-year-old racing driver: There should be no division into women's and men's series

I ride because I want to, but obviously, my parents and coaches want me to do my best. Although my dad always tells me that if I stop enjoying the sport, I should tell him and that I can stop riding if I want to. So the pressure isn't on me to always win, but rather to—once I'm on the track—give it my all and avoid unnecessary mistakes.

How involved are your parents in what you do?

My parents are very supportive. My dad puts a lot of work into funding me for this sport—which, as we know, is very expensive. My mom is also very involved—she manages my social media and travels with me to competitions so my dad can work.

Do you think this sport is reserved for privileged people?

In this sport, you need money to race. You can start without a big budget, but it's difficult to reach the international level without financial support. I know people who have great equipment simply because they can afford it – and in karting, that makes a big difference. At the Formula One level, that's less important. Some drivers also pay for their spots on teams to compete in Formula 2 or 3. There are also junior teams, but to get into them, you need to have the budget for good equipment, which can translate into results that attract attention. Talent is very important, but in this sport, money really matters.

How do young athletes cope with these costs?

The first few years in this sport aren't that expensive, but if you want to break into the international arena, you need sponsors – and finding them is a huge challenge. Many people think, "Such a young girl probably won't make it anywhere in this sport anyway." But right now, at this age, you need to develop. In just three years, I could be racing a full season in the F1 Academy – the only thing standing between me and that is budget.

F1 Academy is a series created exclusively for women. What do you think of this initiative? Is this a truly necessary space, or would you prefer to race against men straight away?

On the one hand, I prefer racing against the boys – I don't think there should be separate series. On the other, I know that today, if a woman doesn't make it into the F1 Academy, she has little chance of becoming recognized. It's an important initiative, but in my opinion, a better solution would be to add additional spots in Formula 1 rather than creating a separate series. We could also consider creating spots reserved for women or creating a women's F1 team.