A fine fleet of racers in Ad Diriyah

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The girls were out in full electric force in Ad Diriyah for Sunday's in-season Formula E test, a day after the series' opening round won by BMW's Alex Felix da Costa.

A total of nine female drivers were on track throughout the day, with BMW I Andretti's Simona de Silvestro proving the fastest of the group and tenth quickest overall.

The Brazilian was followed by DS Techeetah's Tatiana Calderon and British F3 driver Jamie Chadwick who drove for Gen2 Nio and finished the test P14 overall.

"To be testing here in Saudi Arabia is incredible," said Calderon.

"I think the step they've taken to allow women to drive and to encourage more women to get into motorsport with such great teams is a really great initiative - I'm really happy to be a part of it and I hope that it leads to more opportunities and leads to more women in motorsport."

Watching the action trackside was former rally driver and FIA's Women in Motorsport Commission President Michèle Mouton.

"It is great to see so many strong female drivers testing the new Formula E car," said Mouton.

"I strongly believe that in order to see the potential of the best women drivers in the world, they need to get a chance to drive with the best teams, which is exactly what is happening here.

"Through our FIA Women in Motorsport monitoring and assessment programmes, we know that some of the best are here today.

"I hope that this initiative with Formula E can continue in the future and I can’t wait to get all the feedback from the drivers and teams."

Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.