Why aren't there any female F1 drivers?
Discussion
Serious question, so no answers about their tits or bums not fitting in the car!
Is it they just can't drive or don't have the reactions for example - If girls are good enough to fly a fast jet in combat surely they can drive an F1 car competitively?
I seem to remember a girl who was progressing through the ranks some years ago (can't remember her name?) but she seems to be off the radar now.
Is it they just can't drive or don't have the reactions for example - If girls are good enough to fly a fast jet in combat surely they can drive an F1 car competitively?
I seem to remember a girl who was progressing through the ranks some years ago (can't remember her name?) but she seems to be off the radar now.
There have been a few going through the lower formulae over the years, there's usually one or two in FFord and sometimes one will get up to F3.
But despite the obvious marketing possibilities, I don't think there has yet been a woman who's fit enough, talented enough and determined enough to deal with the various demands of F1 racing.
Last great hope was supposed to be Sarah Fisher, who tested for McLaren for a publicity stunt a few years ago. But she was still a couple of seconds away from the pace and now occasionally runs a car in IRL. Finished 17th yesterday in the Indy 500.
The top woman in single seaters at the moment must be Danica Patrick, who ran British FFord a few years back and has been mentored up to one of the top teams in IRL. But given how long it's taken her to get up to scratch, in the best team in the championship, and looking at how Seb Bourdais is faring in F1 after winning 4 consecutive IRL championships with ease, it's very unlikely that she'll ever be good enough either.
But despite the obvious marketing possibilities, I don't think there has yet been a woman who's fit enough, talented enough and determined enough to deal with the various demands of F1 racing.
Last great hope was supposed to be Sarah Fisher, who tested for McLaren for a publicity stunt a few years ago. But she was still a couple of seconds away from the pace and now occasionally runs a car in IRL. Finished 17th yesterday in the Indy 500.
The top woman in single seaters at the moment must be Danica Patrick, who ran British FFord a few years back and has been mentored up to one of the top teams in IRL. But given how long it's taken her to get up to scratch, in the best team in the championship, and looking at how Seb Bourdais is faring in F1 after winning 4 consecutive IRL championships with ease, it's very unlikely that she'll ever be good enough either.
it is quite clear that the F1 would have to tone down the parties if women were allowed 
But seriously motorsport is a man sport. Therefore women trying to gain sponsorship from a young age is difficult. This means they never will progress as fast as needed to gain entry into F1. mainly as this is done in the UK.
Go to the US, Australia and Germany and women are accepted a lot more.
Also we don't have any good looking women to go into F1, they are too busy with horses and shopping and stuff.
Who would you put forward for future racing in F1 out of the current crop of youngsters.
But seriously motorsport is a man sport. Therefore women trying to gain sponsorship from a young age is difficult. This means they never will progress as fast as needed to gain entry into F1. mainly as this is done in the UK.
Go to the US, Australia and Germany and women are accepted a lot more.
Also we don't have any good looking women to go into F1, they are too busy with horses and shopping and stuff.
Who would you put forward for future racing in F1 out of the current crop of youngsters.
Bernie-the-bolt said:
So it looks like the sport is simply not geared up for women and to a greater degree sexist?
I think it looks sexist from the viewpoint of outside the sport. It really isn't if you work in motorsport.As I said above, there aren't any Female drivers good enough at the moment.
That will change when my little girl is old enough for Karting.
There have been a few, over the years, but Giovanna Amati (sp?) was the most recent one, around 90/91... There will probably be one next year, if team USGP goes ahead. Surely it's all about the numbers. There are a number of talented male drivers, in F1, who simply just don't perform. Therefore, I would hazard a calculated guesstimate, that based on the smaller number of female racing drivers, there just isn't the numbers to produce 1 or 2 that are half decent. Of course being half decent at another discipline doesn't mean that they will do well at F1, it's more of a mental thing and those final tenths are mostly in the mind, as can be seen by some differing displays by drivers in the same team. Of course usually they go away to another form of motorsport, having languished in F1 for a bit and blow all the other competitors away. Brundle was always hugely quick at Le Mans, McNish is one of the quickest around there, and Johnny Herbert and so on.. They are quick drivers and excellent, but quite often only 99% the finished article, someone comes along who is a few tenths of a percent quicker/better and beats them.. all imho
The last woman in F1 was Giovanna Amati.
Although the Brabham she was driving at the time was desperately off the pace - I have vague recollections that she was several seconds down on Eric van de Poele in qualifying and never qualified for a race.
Both Damon Hill and van de Poele did manage to qualify the car on a handful of occasions.
Although the Brabham she was driving at the time was desperately off the pace - I have vague recollections that she was several seconds down on Eric van de Poele in qualifying and never qualified for a race.
Both Damon Hill and van de Poele did manage to qualify the car on a handful of occasions.
Flavio Briatore's girlfriend, Giovanna Amati (circa 1992) was the last woman to run a F1 car in a competative setting (Free Practice and Qualifying), she simply wasnt quick enough to make the start grid in the 3 races she tried to qualify for.
Its way back in 1976 that the last woman driver actually started a race.
Its way back in 1976 that the last woman driver actually started a race.
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