Emmcee 0 Report post Posted April 30, 2014 I think the problem is that there isn't enough quantity to have the right quality at the right circumstances. It's already hard to become a male F1 driver, among thousands of male drivers. What is the proportion of female drivers? I doubt it is higher than 5% of the total. So she has to be quick, be at the right country, with the right sponsor, making into the right series...and be succesful at them. And all that would be enough in a perfect world with equal opportunities for both sexes. Reality is a little trickier than that. Still, they are slowly flowing in. We already have 4 women in high profile positions in F1, not counting de Silvestro: Suzie Wolff, Claire Williams, Monisha Kaltenborn, and Nico Rosberg. Things will get better, and grid girls will become a thing of the past. And Whitmarsh has to go! Love the whole post, nico a girl hahahahaa love it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jem of the Shire 0 Report post Posted April 30, 2014 Agreed. Also most of these drivers start as young children in go karts & very few little girls are interested in racing go karts Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Massa 0 Report post Posted May 1, 2014 How many aren't interested, and how many don't pursue it because they think/are told they can't? In the early days of Danica Patrick's racing, her sister, Brooke, also raced. In fact, it was Brooke's idea to go racing, not Danica's. Brooke apparently beat Danica in all their races, but quit pretty soon after because of how the male drivers treated her. I wonder how often that happens, even when a female driver does get into racing, how often she is pressured out. So, examples like Simona de Silvestro et al are good. Even if they are not going to be the first female to win a race, just being someone future female drivers can see as an example is going to have a positive impact on F1 and on racing. Quiet One is right; when you start with a small number, the odds are not good. Things like this expand that number. And that doesn't mean it is for publicity or that F1 "owes" it to de Silvestro/Wolff to give them rides. No, they have to get there independently, and believe me, de Silvestro is aware. Her comments have always been to the extent of "all drivers look the same with the helmets on" when people have tried to compare her to other female drivers; de Silvestro is not racing them. She's racing everyone. She apparently has ten test days scheduled this year. Problem-free in both at Fiorano. She was very steady in attrition races in IndyCar, always getting a good result in them. I wonder if that applies here, and if that makes her an asset to Caterham/Marussia who essentially rely on one good result amidst attrition to get the $40,000,000 WCC payout for tenth place. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Emmcee 0 Report post Posted May 1, 2014 Just look at the past woman who have entered f1, miles of the pace, there has to be some woman out there capable of running at the pointy end in f1, there has to be. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jem of the Shire 0 Report post Posted May 2, 2014 Seeing as motorsport is always trying to attract sponsors and viewers, I would've thought by now there'd be a big push to get young girls into racing, in the hope of gaining a larger female fan-base in the future. Personally I don't really care lol. Every time I've been karting, the females on the track just get in the way going too slow. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Quiet One 15 Report post Posted May 2, 2014 Nigel Stepney dies: http://www.planetf1.com/driver/3213/9293520/Nigel-Stepney-killed-in-road-accident Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Emmcee 0 Report post Posted May 2, 2014 That's sad, thoughts and prayers with his loved ones. That really is sad man. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites