( CNN ) -- Maria de Villota has become the first female to be involved in Formula One for 20 years after joining Russian team Marussia as a test driver . De Villota , the daughter of Spain 's former F1 driver Emilio de Villota , is the first woman to be part of the elite motorsport since Italy 's Giovanni Amati entered three grands prix for Brabham in 1992 . The 32-year-old will work alongside Marussia 's newly-formed driver line-up of German Timo Glock and French rookie Charles Pic , and will be given time behind the wheel during the 2012 season . `` I am very happy to be joining the Marussia test driver program , '' De Villota , who has competed in the World Touring Car Championship , told the team 's official website . Pit-lane pioneers : Women in Formula One . `` This is a fantastic opportunity to work closely with a Formula One team and gain important experience to help me progress my career , including the chance to drive the new car later in the year at the Abu Dhabi test . `` I will be joining the team trackside so I 'm looking forward to working alongside them at the first race next weekend , and this can only help my future ambition to step up to Formula One racing . '' Team principal John Booth welcomed De Villota to the Britain-based team , which competed as Virgin in 2010 and 2011 . `` We are pleased to welcome Maria to our test driver program , which will enable her to be integrated into a Formula One team environment and gain a vast amount of experience that will be useful to her career progression , '' he said . `` We will also provide Maria with the opportunity to sample F1 machinery later in the year , further adding to her racing credentials . '' De Villota is only the sixth woman to be involved in the elite division of motorsport , the first being Italy 's Maria Teresa de Filippis -- who raced in three grands prix for Maserati in 1958 . The best finish achieved by a woman in F1 was in 1975 when De Filippis ' compatriot Lella Lombardi scored half a point for placing sixth in a shortened Spanish Grand Prix . British driver Divina Galica entered three races for both the Surtees and Hesketh teams between 1976 and 1978 , but failed to qualify . She told CNN last year that De Villota 's biggest challenge would be handling the media attention and withstanding the physical demands of F1 . `` My concern for her is not that she would be an ambassador , which she would be , and I 'm sure she would do a wonderful job , '' Galica said . `` But when she actually gets in the car I 'm wondering if she 'll be fit enough . `` I would be in the gym trying to lift heavy weights and get my neck muscles going and just make sure I 'm strong enough . I do n't know her , but I think that would be my advice . '' American Danica Patrick attracted huge interest last month by becoming only the second woman to win pole position for a race on the NASCAR circuit . Patrick is the most successful woman in the history of open-wheel racing , after becoming the first female to win an IndyCar series event and coming third in the Indianapolis 500 in 2009 .
Spaniard Maria de Villota joins Marussia as a test driver . De Villota is the first woman to join a Formula One team since 1992 . The last woman behind the wheel of an F1 car was Giovanni Amati with Brabham . Maria Teresa de Filippis scored half a point as a Maserati driver in 1975 .