( CNN ) -- Despite being a sport well into its seventh decade , only two women have ever driven in Formula 1 but Susie Wolff is hoping she may just become the third . On Monday , it was announced that the Scottish driver will become the first woman to take part in a F1 event of any kind in 22 years . Already a development driver with British team Williams , the 31-year-old is scheduled to take part in the first practice sessions ahead of the British and Germans grands prix in July . The last woman to drive an F1 car during a race weekend was Italy 's Giovanna Amati , who failed to qualify at Interlagos in Brazil while driving for Brabham in 1992 . However , you have to go back to 1976 to find the last grand prix featuring a female driver when Lella Lombardi finished an F1 career that had started two years earlier . Prior to that , another Italian -- Maria Teresa di Filippis -- raced for Maserati three times in 1958 . Now Wolff has been given the chance to follow in their footsteps , even if such a prospect may take some time . ' I 'm grateful for the support and belief Williams continue to show in me and 2014 promises to be a very important milestone in my career , '' Wolff told the manufacturer 's website . `` My responsibilities within the team have steadily increased as I have proved myself , culminating in the opportunity to test the car at Silverstone and conduct straight line aero tests last season . `` Competing in two ( practice ) sessions , alongside an additional full test day this season will be a big step and I am looking forward to the opportunity to get behind the wheel on a grand prix weekend . `` It 's a challenge that I will relish and it will be a great chance for me to continue assisting the team . '' In a separate interview , Wolff stated that the possibility of taking part in practice sessions on a Friday meant she had to be eyeing up a chance at driving on the Sunday . `` If you can take part in the Friday practice sessions , then of course you have to be looking at doing an actual race , '' she told the British Press Association . Growing Presence . This may well be some time off though , with Brazilian Felipe Massa and Finland 's Valtteri Bottas the two designated drivers for the forthcoming season . Wolff is not even the team 's reserve driver since that role is taken by another Brazilian , 21-year-old Felipe Nasr . Having competed in the German Touring Car championship ( DTM ) for seven years , the Scot is married to Toto Wolff , a former Williams executive director who now holds that role at Mercedes . Yet Williams ' Chief Technical Officer Pat Symonds is adamant that Wolff deserves her place in the paddock . `` Susie has become a valued member of our driver line up and 2014 will see her take on more responsibilities as we seek to make a strong step forward in performance , '' he told williamsf1.com . `` Susie has demonstrated a natural talent for developing a car and providing strong feedback and these sort of characteristics will be key this season as teams seek to quickly understand and refine the radically overhauled 2014 cars . '' Wolff joined Williams in April 2012 and has been credited with helping to develop various cars . Having impressed in a test at Silverstone last year , Wolff can boast good knowledge of both the track for the British grand prix and Hockenheim -- following her experiences there in DTM . The news of Wolff 's role comes 10 days after Swiss driver Simona De Silvestro joined Sauber with a view to competing in F1 next year . `` After four years in IndyCar , Simona 's ambition is to enter Formula one in 2015 , '' said Team Principal Monisha Kaltenborn . `` We regard her as a very talented race driver , and we , therefore , decided to take her on board as an `` affiliated driver '' and support her on her way to the pinnacle of motorsport . '' Kaltenborn is one of several women in F1 , with Claire Williams working as deputy principal at the Williams team founded by father Frank in 1977 -- one year after the last woman drove an F1 race .
Susie Wolff to take part in practice sessions for two grands prix . Scot will become first woman in 22 years to feature in an F1 weekend . Development driver , 31 , joined Williams in 2012 .