Stoddart: A women will make it in F1

[MrKipling43]

http://www.crash.net/motorsport/dtm/news/171872-0/...

I hate to smash open this enormous can of worms again, but I simply don't see it happening.

What do we reckon? Female F1 driver in the 'foreseeable' future?

[MrKipling43]

Nah, I know it's nothing new. And what I actually meant was 'successful female F1 driver'.

As far as I'm concerned it's got nothing to with driver skill (or lack thereof) but an inability to cope with the physical exertion required in F1 racing.

[skinny]

don't see why not, if they are good enough. there's nothing to physically prevent a woman driving an F1 car.

[Cara Van Man]

Why not?

We have female Tornado pilots in the RAF.

[Dirty Boy]

Cara Van Man said:

Why not?

We have female Tornado pilots in the RAF.

God help us.

[FourWheelDrift]

Dirty Boy said:

Cara Van Man said:

Why not?

We have female Tornado pilots in the RAF.

God help us.

They have ground crew to reverse park them.

[MrKipling43]

Dirty Boy said:

Cara Van Man said:

Why not?

We have female Tornado pilots in the RAF.

God help us.

Indeed. Flying a jet and piloting a Formula 1 car are completely different.

Aside from anything else you only experience G-loading that presses you down into the seat in a jet - there's basically no lateral G and none that would press you into the belts. F1 cars are also a great deal more physical than FJs.

Edited by MrKipling43 on Monday 17th November 15:11

[Plug550]

There have been a number of female F1 drivers over the years with varying levels of success. These 3 spring to mind :


Davina Galicia


Desire Wilson


Lella Lombardi

All from the 70's and early 80's. None for over 25 years now in the 'professional' age.

[FourWheelDrift]

Maria Teresa de Filippis was the first one, 1958 Monaco Grand Prix. Raced in 5 in total, best finish of 10th at the 1958 Belgian Grand Prix in a Maserati 250F.

[FourWheelDrift]

Which makes this piece of journalism ridiculous - http://www.autoracingdaily.com/news/latest-racing-...

Were the others sex-change patients?

[rude-boy]

I think we will see another woman F1 driver in the next 10 years, but not for the next 3 from what I have seen of those in the ranks at the minute.

One thing is for sure, whoever she is she will be unlikely to be that much of a looker as the 'F1 neck' doesn't look that great on ladies

ETA - before someone points me in the direction of a Motarola sponsored lady in the USA, i doubt she'd stand more than an hour (may be less) in an F1 car at Silverstone before she struggled to hold her head up.

Edited by rude-boy on Monday 17th November 15:49

[Dr KT]

Dont see any reason why not BUT....F1 is very,very...difficult to get into.

Unless they are very good, I dont see it happening.

Basically a Lewis Hamilton of women would be the only working option.

[robbom3]

Danica Patrick seems to have done a reasonable job in Champ car (I seem to remember that she actually won a race last year). without wishing to kick off a huge debate on the differences between F1 and Indy, they ARE both top level single seater championships. So, on that basis, why not a succesful woman in F1 ??

[Derek Smith]

Slavic Ecclestone looks like she'll make a few £million out of F1.

[Cara Van Man]

MrKipling43 said:

F1 cars are also a great deal more physical than FJs.

Don't really agree there.

They are different, granted, but the extremes of loading are similar, in whatever plane (no pun intended )

My point is, there is no reason physiologically why a woman should be unable to drive an F1 car. Apart from the reversing bit.

[williamp]

FourWheelDrift said:

Maria Teresa de Filippis was the first one, 1958 Monaco Grand Prix. Raced in 5 in total, best finish of 10th at the 1958 Belgian Grand Prix in a Maserati 250F.

In the F1 yes, but before the war there was a lot of female racing drivers. It suited the daredevil age...

[woof]

I think there's been a few women in F1 - mostly as grid girls and arm candy - and that's were they should stay

but seriously ...


Name Seasons Entries Starts Points
Maria Teresa de Filippis 1958 - 1959 5 3 0
Lella Lombardi 1974 - 1976 17 12 0.5
Divina Galica (UK)1976 - 1978 3 0 -
Desiré Wilson 1979 1 0 -
Giovanna Amati 1992 3 0 -

No one in modern history all failed to qualify.
I honestly can't see any woman making the grade in modern F1
It's too physically demanding.

[rude-boy]

Dr KT said:

Dont see any reason why not BUT....F1 is very,very...difficult to get into.

Unless they are very good, I dont see it happening.

Basically a Lewis Hamilton of women would be the only working option.

No.

If she was able to come in the top 3 in British F3 and GP2 and had the backing for that she would be fine.

[skinny]

didn't katherine legge try a minardi a few years back? from memory she didn't do too bad...

seb vettel said of it that of course women would be able to drive a modern F1 car, after all he's hardly a bear!

edit: found the quote http://commonsenselogic.blogspot.com/2008/04/danic...

Edited by skinny on Monday 17th November 16:15

[SamHH]

MrKipling43 said:

As far as I'm concerned it's got nothing to with driver skill (or lack thereof) but an inability to cope with the physical exertion required in F1 racing.

What part of the physical exertion don't you think women could cope with?