Danica Patrick is one of the most successful women in American open-wheel racing, thanks to her steadfast determination to make it big. Her performance in the 2005 Indianapolis 500 was so remarkable that even F1 stars like Jenson Button and Jackie Stewart applauded her.
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With merely 10 laps to go, the then-Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing driver steered forth steadily from 16th place to the lead and thus became the first woman ever to lead a lap of the Indy 500. Following her success, a question arose; how will Patrick do in F1?
The 1995 Indy 500 winner Jacques Villeneuve stated that although he acknowledged Patrick’s driving prowess, competing in Formula 1 might not be easy for her. “Formula One is physical. In every sport, as soon as it becomes physical, there is a difference between a man and a woman. That’s just the way it is,” he said.
However, the legendary Jackie Stewart didn’t agree with that narrative. The “Flying Scot” felt that it was important for the sport to have an American in it, and the fact that the American could be a woman made it even more spectacular. “It’s nothing to do with strength,” he explained. “It’s to do with your ability to put yourself into something, totally connect with it, not give any compromise, and whether it’s a woman or a man really doesn’t matter as far as I am concerned.”
But he did mention that it’s too early to say whether Patrick would be successful in F1. It’s not just about an occasional performance; instead, it’s about performing well consistently and winning races, Stewart argued.
Danica Patrick receives hate from F1 fans
Fast forward to 2023, Patrick is a FEW commentator for Sky Sports. However, the racer-turned-commentator came under the heat of the fans, following her apparent insensitive comments belittling the female community. Although it might sound ironic to many, the veteran driver said this about women racing in F1:
“I think that the nature of the sport is masculine. It’s aggressive. You have to handle the car—not only just the car because that’s skill, but the mindset that it takes to be really good is something that’s not normal in a feminine mind, a female mind.”
Moreover, she also invited someone who denies climate change to her podcast “Pretty Intense”, when Formula 1 itself advocates the importance of a sustainable future.
Responding to her remarks, a user posted, “I really hope @SkySportsF1 reviews its contract with Danica Patrick at the end of the season.”
“Her recent appearances have been utterly appalling and I’m not sure how you can promote a sustainability push when you employ a climate change denier in such a prominent position.”
Hundreds of fans on social media agreed with the aforementioned comments against Danica Patrick. It’s even more weird to hear her comments considering how years ago, legends like Stewart defended Patrick against drivers who made similar comments back in the day. And with Patrick becoming a role model for up and coming female drivers in the sport, saying things like this only will end up discouraging the next generation.
