Formula Women... A great thing!!
Discussion
suitsyouuk said:
do you have some insider knowledge on formula woman james?
Yes! I have had some good inside knoledge because I have a good contact on the inside. This person wants to stay anonymus because of the contract he/she signed. I am just a mouth piece for their views. What is your involvement with Formula Woman then "suitsyouuk"?
I think it could be quite popular.
I used to take part in Womens Downhill Mountain bike racing and although it was a male dominated sport the turnout for women was very good at the high end (Euro and international races) However the smaller stuff like Regional and national wasn't so well attended. (I think girls must get good quick!)
Foxy x
I used to take part in Womens Downhill Mountain bike racing and although it was a male dominated sport the turnout for women was very good at the high end (Euro and international races) However the smaller stuff like Regional and national wasn't so well attended. (I think girls must get good quick!)
Foxy x
did anyone see the picture in the club section of this weeks Autosport of the final 16?, at first i thought they had all subjected to the ugly stick but then i read their faces were blurred for publicity reasons. 
oh dear, what are we meant to do, camp outside Mallory Park to catch a glimpse of the drivers? write to the papers and say we think we know who one of the drivers is? And all the cars are silver!!! how fascinating is 16 identical silver cars trundling around Mallory going to be?!?
oh dear, what are we meant to do, camp outside Mallory Park to catch a glimpse of the drivers? write to the papers and say we think we know who one of the drivers is? And all the cars are silver!!! how fascinating is 16 identical silver cars trundling around Mallory going to be?!?I'll cut to the chase. The championship - if it hasn't already - will soon loose all credibility.
Right now I don't even think the organisation know when the first race will be because of problems with the cars. For sure the first and second rounds are at least moved if not binned.
Then you have the drivers themselves. Now fair enough if they are so keen to go racing that should be encouraged and if being in a woman only series gives them some more confidence then great. However that isn't the case. Many of the "chosen" girls firstly aren't really girls but women and a number have very well paid jobs - so it begs the question why haven't they gone racing before? Do they want to race or are they more motivated by the fact they will can get all dramatic on T.V?
But even if you ignore all of that and take a view that they are all super keen motorsport mad women then their knowledge of the fundementals is dreadful.
Most have little idea about the racing line, or the basics of driving on a circuit. They have had minimal proper 1-1 coaching and minimal track time. They haven't had any real feedback on elements they need to improve and having shared a track with them all recently they are woefully off the pace.
It is such a grave pity that even if some of them are keen to learn they are now caught up in what I see is fast becoming a farce. Thankfully if you really want to support women racers go and see Suzi Stoddard in Formula Renault - she is without doubt the only credible women driver I've ever seen.
Right now I don't even think the organisation know when the first race will be because of problems with the cars. For sure the first and second rounds are at least moved if not binned.
Then you have the drivers themselves. Now fair enough if they are so keen to go racing that should be encouraged and if being in a woman only series gives them some more confidence then great. However that isn't the case. Many of the "chosen" girls firstly aren't really girls but women and a number have very well paid jobs - so it begs the question why haven't they gone racing before? Do they want to race or are they more motivated by the fact they will can get all dramatic on T.V?
But even if you ignore all of that and take a view that they are all super keen motorsport mad women then their knowledge of the fundementals is dreadful.
Most have little idea about the racing line, or the basics of driving on a circuit. They have had minimal proper 1-1 coaching and minimal track time. They haven't had any real feedback on elements they need to improve and having shared a track with them all recently they are woefully off the pace.
It is such a grave pity that even if some of them are keen to learn they are now caught up in what I see is fast becoming a farce. Thankfully if you really want to support women racers go and see Suzi Stoddard in Formula Renault - she is without doubt the only credible women driver I've ever seen.
For all you bidding "Women Racing Drivers", the best advice is contact:
www.bwrdc.co.uk
regards
James
www.bwrdc.co.uk
regards
James
P290 KVP said:
I'll cut to the chase. The championship - if it hasn't already - will soon loose all credibility.
Right now I don't even think the organisation know when the first race will be because of problems with the cars. For sure the first and second rounds are at least moved if not binned.
Then you have the drivers themselves. Now fair enough if they are so keen to go racing that should be encouraged and if being in a woman only series gives them some more confidence then great. However that isn't the case. Many of the "chosen" girls firstly aren't really girls but women and a number have very well paid jobs - so it begs the question why haven't they gone racing before? Do they want to race or are they more motivated by the fact they will can get all dramatic on T.V?
But even if you ignore all of that and take a view that they are all super keen motorsport mad women then their knowledge of the fundementals is dreadful.
Most have little idea about the racing line, or the basics of driving on a circuit. They have had minimal proper 1-1 coaching and minimal track time. They haven't had any real feedback on elements they need to improve and having shared a track with them all recently they are woefully off the pace.
It is such a grave pity that even if some of them are keen to learn they are now caught up in what I see is fast becoming a farce. Thankfully if you really want to support women racers go and see Suzi Stoddard in Formula Renault - she is without doubt the only credible women driver I've ever seen.
Hi there!
Do you have the same inside info I have? There is a letter going round confirming this is true!
regards
James
P290 KVP said:
Most have little idea about the racing line, or the basics of driving on a circuit. They have had minimal proper 1-1 coaching and minimal track time. They haven't had any real feedback on elements they need to improve and having shared a track with them all recently they are woefully off the pace.
To be fair - I had minimal track time, no 1-1 coaching and zero feedback, but I got out there in the Tuscan Challenge and had a go. Fortunately I am not woefully off the pace.
If it encourages a few of them, or other women, into mainstream motorsport, then great. If not it is a farce, and a waste of sponsors money which could have gone into a more worthwhile series.
Hell, women don't even bloody use condoms!!!!
I for one shall be changing my contraceptive supplier in protest
Griff - Of course most people who have been self-motivated just get on with it and learn from mistakes that they make.
The point is the organisation have spent an age with these girls/women in front of a camera but actually not much work on circuit. Which I think is pretty fundemental given they are supposed to be racing.
The point is the organisation have spent an age with these girls/women in front of a camera but actually not much work on circuit. Which I think is pretty fundemental given they are supposed to be racing.
P290 KVP said:Isn't this just the face of modern motorsport though -90% of the time raising money to go racing, and 10% of the time actually doing it
Griff - Of course most people who have been self-motivated just get on with it and learn from mistakes that they make.
The point is the organisation have spent an age with these girls/women in front of a camera but actually not much work on circuit. Which I think is pretty fundemental given they are supposed to be racing.
. Having said that, if it is for TV, and it is supposed to attract genuine racing fans, if the competitors are truely cr@p, then I don't give the show or series much chance of succeeding
. That is unless there are some big crashes and girly fights in the padock afterwards of course
. Rich
P290 KVP said:
The point is the organisation have spent an age with these girls/women in front of a camera but actually not much work on circuit. Which I think is pretty fundemental given they are supposed to be racing.
I agree - during the assessment week we spent time changing wheels on RX8s against the clock "for fun", and spent time with a sports psychologist which to me was an utter waste. Oh, and also reversing an artic lorry too!! MUCH more time should have been spent on track, with some "theory" classes talking about general racecraft and where to put yourself on the track, etc. I guess time was against us, only having 5 days...not enough instructors/cars......just not enough time.
I did contemplate for about 3 seconds entering Formula Woman - and discounted it for a few reasons.
I hopefully will complete my ards and start racing Historic Saloon Cars in the nex month or so (my other half already does race Mk1 GT Cortinas so the cars are there and waiting thankfully). I want to race for fun and if I was serious enough to want anything further out of it I'd tend to follow the lead of many F1 drivers these days who "cut their teeth" in Carts or even the formula juniors that go out and race in meetings alongside us. That being said I'm a bit old at 32 to expect to be challenging Jenson Button for a seat in his car next year
I hopefully will complete my ards and start racing Historic Saloon Cars in the nex month or so (my other half already does race Mk1 GT Cortinas so the cars are there and waiting thankfully). I want to race for fun and if I was serious enough to want anything further out of it I'd tend to follow the lead of many F1 drivers these days who "cut their teeth" in Carts or even the formula juniors that go out and race in meetings alongside us. That being said I'm a bit old at 32 to expect to be challenging Jenson Button for a seat in his car next year
Mrs Button said:
I was one of the 50 finalists in Formula Woman and I can categorically state that not all of the girls chosen are there because of driving talent. *SOME* of them are, but others are there because of pure TV reasons. They are definitely not all the cream of novice female driving talent in the UK though.
I went into FW truly believing that they *had* to choose the best drivers, and I came away from it very disillusioned and pissed off at myself for being so gullible. So did several of the other eliminees.
The crap that went on during the eliminations week was unreal, however a confidentiality agreement prevents me from talking about it. I live for the day when that agreement runs out.
And it's not sour grapes either...I know I'm good on a track, I just didn't have anything that the TV people wanted.
The search for "female singing stars" by Mike Stock to release a "Formula Woman album" to tie in with this championship just makes me feel more and more that this is just a moneyspinner for the organisers.
Not all of the girls are photogenic either so it's not just a fashion parade. Anyhow, we will see what the driving and laptimes are like on each race, and judge from that. Maybe we will be surprised!
I do believe that FW won't be around next year, they would have to find another manufacturere with a car to flog? I can't see Mazda wanting to be involved for a second year running, and depending on how this first Championship is judged by the motorsport press and the public, will another manufacturer want to put its name to it?
>> Edited by Mrs Button on Monday 26th April 19:35
The people behind this farce seem to be getting a bit hot under the coller! This has all been about exploiting people and not helping women into motorsport!
1. The idea was a good one and set up with the best intentions. However it was modified and modified to suit TV requirements.
2. The girls were NOT chosen on driving ability.
3. One of the final 16 is not even a woman. This was made clear to the organisers early in the elinationations week. However the transexual has had an easy run into the final 16. The organisers are already lining up tabloid press.
4. The final 16 were chosen on their looks and freak value and not driving ability. Some even failed the fitness tests.
5. The way the Mates sponsorship deal was announched just showed that this farce was not about motor racing.
6. Mike Stock's Formula Woman album is just another money spinner.
7. One of the final 50 is a sponsor of the organiser's son.
8. Tim Harvey still swears this is a fair competition.
9. One girl; who is actually a woman was eliminated and publicly humiliated because she once held a license. Still the transexual went through.
10. Top woman instructor left after the first couple days.
11. One girl had to text a friend for the answers to the quiz.
12. As I have been told by one ex competitor, they cannot sue me for telling the truth!
I could go on and on why this is a total farce. Why are the MSA and BARC still supporting it? If they want to support women in motorsport then just support Susie Stodardt.
And as for the so called "Summer Series"! It costs more than the Tuscan Challenge!!!!
James
Hi Si,
There is more where this came from. A friendly F1 driver has a family connection with one of the final 16. I can also put you in touch with some of the final 50. However I think you know a few already. If I can help you I will.
regards
James
>> Edited by FourWheelDrift on Tuesday 11th May 18:22
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