- Australian tech mogul David Dicker is planning on launching a Formula One team
- The team will be headquartered in the interiors of New Zealand
- His team will have the first female driver
Australian tech mogul David Dicker is planning on launching a Formula One team headquartered in the interiors of New Zealand championed by a female driver.
Dicker, a billionaire tech-head runs Dicker Data Australia, alongside Rodin Cars. The latter is what Dicker often calls a love project that produces little boutique race cars in Christchurch, on New Zealand’s South Island.
The Aussie tycoon software expert recently invested in Formula 2, Formula 3, and Formula 4 racing team Carlin.
Additionally, Dicker has supported Jamie Chadwick, the W Series champion, throughout her career and his ambition is having race in his F1 team.
The Motorsport enthusiast says he has more than $465 million in funding to expand Formula One into having more teams other than just those from Europe.
David Dicker. Photo/Liam Lawson
His plan is to manufacture the F1 car in New Zealand and have Chadwick as the constructor’s first female driver.
In an interview with Motor Sport Magazine, Dicker said, “We’ll make the whole car here and we guarantee to put a woman in one of the seats.”
“We’d be the only team that’s got a full junior program. We’ve been covering the entire spectrum from F4 all the way up to F2 and no one else is even close to doing it,” he added.
Dicker is optimistic about making this a success because many people want to get into a team based in New Zealand’s F1 program.
For Dicker to obtain an FIA Super Licence to race in New Zealand, he needs not less than 40 points over the preceding three racing seasons.
Fortunately, Chadwick who is a three-time W Series champion qualifies. According to reports, Dicker’s expression of interest date has been moved from April 30 to May 15.
Although options exist for 2026 and 2027, two new teams may join Formula 1 as early as 2025. The Australian tech tycoon is aware making it all happen is hard enough but adds that given the resource he is offering, he believes he has a good bargain for it all.
He admits that he has had the idea run through his mind for months and his quagmire was if or not to apply for a licence from the FIA.
Jamie Chadwick. Photo/SkySports
Now, he says that manufacturing their power unit makes their offer more than appealing
“We actually have a very compelling offering because we’ll be making our own power unit,” he notes. “We’ve already got a pretty sophisticated facility. We’ve got a tonne of gear. So, you know, we’ve got pretty much all the equipment we already need now to build the car.”
His company Dicker Data is the biggest IT firm serving New Zealand and Australia. Dicker’s tech entrepreneurship traces back to 1987 when he founded this IT firm which is now the region’s biggest tech provider.
He spent the majority of the 1980s forming his ideas on what a typical computer should be. In 1978, he founded Dicker Data, which has since evolved to become one of the region’s largest IT distributors.
Among the many awards the company won over the years is the Distributor of the Year Award in 2014 at the ARN ICT industry awards.
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