No female has raced in F1 since the 1970s and a group of F1 legends are on a mission to change that.
David Coulthard, Adrian Newey, former McLaren sporting director Dave Ryan and ex-F1 journalist and chief of communications at McLaren, Matt Bishop have announced the launch of an all women motorsport series, one that will help female drivers trace their path back to Formula 1.
Arguments about female drivers not having the physical ability/strength to race in and conquer Formula 1 have been doing the rounds, but Coulthard believes that physical attributes don’t quite have a massive role to play and shouldn’t be an issue.
“In order to be a successful racing driver, you have to be skilled, determined, competitive, brave and physically fit,” he said.
“But you don’t have to possess the kind of super-powerful strength levels that some sports require. You also don’t have to be a man. That’s why we at W Series firmly believe that female and male racing drivers can compete with one another on equal terms given the same opportunity.
“At the moment, however, women racing drivers tend to reach a ‘glass ceiling’ at around the GP3/Formula 3 level on their learning curve, often as a result of a lack of funding rather than a lack of talent.” he added.
This creates opportunity rather than taking it away and that’s why I believe it’s a day my sister Lynsay would have loved to be part of #ifyouwantafundamentalchangeintheoutcomeyouneedafundamentalchangeintheprocess https://t.co/XdFgYVOww5
— David Coulthard (@therealdcf1) October 10, 2018
We believe any woman with talent, passion and commitment should have a chance in motorsport. We’re here to create those chances and increase participation in a sport we love. #RethinkRacing pic.twitter.com/Ilhq0ZhfLL
— W Series (@WSeriesRacing) October 10, 2018
Pippa Mann, British IndyCar driver though is not quite happy with the move, as she feels that women are being segregated through this sort of a series, and it will be difficult for them to get incorporated into the F1 world with this.
What a sad day for motorsport. Those with funding to help female racers are choosing to segregate them as opposed to supporting them. I am deeply disappointed to see such a historic step backwards take place in my life time. https://t.co/8ZrKqaADwx
— Pippa Mann (@PippaMann) October 10, 2018
I wrote this last year when this series contacted me, trying to prey on the fact I do not have the funding to compete full time without them. I stand by everything I said. Sadly the #HandmaidsRacingSeries now lives.https://t.co/S5P9chnf3r
— Pippa Mann (@PippaMann) October 10, 2018
One more tweet on this subject.
For the record, I stand WITH those who feel forced into this as their only opportunity to race.
I stand AGAINST those who are forcing the above mentioned racers into this position as their only solution to find the funding to race.
— Pippa Mann (@PippaMann) October 10, 2018
