Formula 1 is mainly a male-dominated sport and it is expected to remain the same in the upcoming years. This is primarily because the participation from women in motorsport is very low, compared to men. Amid this, Max Verstappen has also shared his opinion on how hard it is for women to be a part of F1 when it’s already hard for men. This has come amid the “cut-off” deadline [2030] of having female drivers in the sport by Susie Wolff.
Speaking about this, Verstappen said in a report published by SpeedCafe, “I think if you look at the percentage of men and women in racing, I think already for men the potential is, of course, very low to get into Formula 1, so naturally for women it’s even harder.”
“I do think physically driving F1, in some places, is quite tough but I do think that it’s all trainable if you work hard for it, but it’s naturally a bit harder for a woman.”
Admittedly, the Dutchman emphasized how some tracks might get tough for female drivers to cope with physically. These kinds of tracks need ample physical ability to deal with, which might get harder for women at times. Tracks such as Spa Francorchamps, Marina Bay, and Losail get incredibly tough on the body due to elevation and temperature.
Furthermore, the three-time world champion also focused on how important it is to have ample physical training to overcome such difficulties. But these at times get very tough for women to complete.
Nevertheless, Max Verstappen also revealed that no team principal ever goes out to find a male or female driver particularly. Therefore, it is very much possible that Formula 1 might see a female driver by or within the time frame provided by Wolff.
Journey of Susie Wolff and F1 Academy
Formula One Management and the FIA sanctioned the F1 Academy for women drivers. Through this body, the women drivers are trained, given enough impetus, and provided chances to be behind the wheel of F1 machinery.
Susie Wolff heads the body as its head and has taken the academy to the forefront of success. The series has completed its first season and waiting for the second season to commence in 2024.
Some of the renowned names to come out of F1 Academy are Jessica Hawkins and Bianca Bustamante. Hawkins found herself as the driver ambassador and head of racing for F1 Academy for the Aston Martin F1 team.
On the other hand, Bustamante is a part of the McLaren Driver Development Programme. Notably, Susie Wolff’s journey with F1 Academy has been spotless until recently when the FIA talked about having an investigation on her and her husband Toto Wolff over their alleged involvement in the sharing of confidential information. Naturally, she did not take this well and vented out her anger on social media, following which the FIA withdrew the investigation.
