Just one day after Venturi FE announced Nick Heidfeld and Stephane Sarrazin as their drivers, Super Aguri have gone one step further today and have announced as well as a title sponsorship deal with Amlin, becoming Amlin Aguri, have also confirmed British female racer Katherine Legge.
As much as people wish not to make this big news, it is. As you have probably guessed, she is indeed a woman. The first woman to be announced in this series and brings the total number of empty cockpits down to 9. Previously Legge has participated in the US Champ Car and IndyCar series as well as the German touring car series, DTM. Most recently, she joined the DeltaWing programme in the United SportsCar championship.
So, in their first season, Formula E has bagged an accomplished female racer with no fuss. Which begs the question, why can’t it be the same in Formula 1?
Although lacking a female presence for many years, things are looking up in terms of gender equality in F1. Williams test and reserve driver Susie Wolff after countless test days with the team finally gets her chance in an FP1 session at Silverstone and at the German Grand Prix.
Sauber’s affiliated driver, Simona de Silvestro has been testing for days in their 2012 car at Valencia this past week in preparation for a 2015 seat on the grid. However, at first looking a bit far fetched, with her serious backers and track time, she could well make it. But perhaps not with the Sauber team as they appear pretty full of drivers at the moment. Nevertheless, things have been looking up over the last few years, whether they come to anything, is another question; with so many drivers being prepared for 2015, who would the teams pick? An experienced male racing driver or take a gamble on a female one. I know it seems sexist, but sadly, at the moment, it’s true.
Therefore, Formula E has made a fantastic coup with Katherine Legge and shows how it is not the future of Motorsport, but is instead the Motorsport series we deserve today.
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