Recently, Williams F1 test driver Susie Wolff fronted the cover of Autosport magazine, championing the way for gender equality in the racing world. She has tested with the team and run in limited Free Practice sessions. Wolff herself feels ready to make the step up to the grid; it’s just a case of sponsors, and anyone actually giving her a drive.
However, in the article she stated: “If I can’t be the woman to break through the glass ceiling, then I want to be involved in making it happen for the person who does”. Wolff herself came up though the ranks in British Formula Renault, F3 and then DTM with her close association with Mercedes and husband Toto Wolff aiding her. Although she isn’t necessarily paving the way for women in all forms of motorsport, she is certainly one of the high profile women around and is making her voice heard in the F1 paddock. Many will benefit from what she and others have done.
Women in Motorsport Past, Present and Future
MICHÈLE MOUTON
Perhaps not the best-known driver outside the motorsport circle, Mouton is the most successful female rally driver. She raced between 1974 and 1986 for Fiat, Audi and Peugeot, recording four wins and nine podiums out of the 50 races she participated in. Recently, she became the first president of the FIA’s Women and Motor Sport Commission and the FIA’s manager in the WRC. As such, she now has a prominent role in securing more female racers for FIA championships.
She recently caused a stir as she dismissed Carmen Jorda’s position as development driver for the Lotus F1 Team: “Less successful girls have managed to climb the motorsport ladder, but that has more to do with marketing strategies and political reasons, and I am not interested”.
CARMEN JORDÁ
The young Spaniard, famed for her model-like looks, has raced in GP3, Indy Lights and is now a Lotus F1 Development driver. Her career so far has come under heavy scrutiny. In three years of racing in GP3 her best result has been 12th. Lotus themselves have come under much scrutiny for giving her the role over many arguably more worthy male drivers. Nevertheless, despite the vast number of negative comments, Lotus maintain that she is doing a good job and learning the ropes of Formula One. She could even be in the frame to test the car towards the end of the year. Bernie Ecclestone has voiced his support for her.
SIMONA DE SILVESTRO
The Iron Maiden is probably the most ready to start an F1 race. In fact, she has participated full time and part time in the IndyCar series, scoring several points finishes, with fourth place being her best result. She stepped away from IndyCar in 2014 and became an affiliated driver with the Sauber F1 Team. This was a slightly obscure role, but she ran in their 2012 car several times during private tests. Her role came to an abrupt end as Sauber needed money and almost collapsed. Team Principal Monisha Kaltenborn came out in full support of de Silvestro and said that their relationship could be rekindled once their financial situation sorted itself out. This year, Silvestro has been signed up full time by Andretti to participate in the second season of the Formula E series.
MONISHA KALTENBORN
Though not a driver, the Sauber CEO and Team Principal has only had a positive impact on women entering motorsport, inspiring young engineers and drivers alike.
DANICA PATRICK
Patrick is one of the best-known women racing in America. She has raced extensively in IndyCar, Sports Cars and currently participates in the NASCAR Nationwide and Sprint Cup Series. Danica is the most successful woman that has been in the IndyCar series, achieving three pole positions, one win and six podiums. Her best season ranking was fifth in 2009.
The Wisconsin-born racer has always been linked with Formula One, from the failed USF1 project to Haas F1’s entry next year, given that she races for the Haas NASCAR team. Although she has stated that she has no plans to switch to European racing, Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone has said that “to have someone like Danica Patrick in F1 would be a perfect advert”. However, the risks appear too high for Patrick to switch over to the big European leagues after finding success in America.
KATHERINE LEGGE
The 35-year-old racer from Surrey has had a varied career racing in many different categories from Touring Cars to open-cockpit machines and all electric Formula cars. She first raced in Champ Cars between 2007 and 2008, recording a best finish of sixth twice. From there she moved over to the German Touring Car Series, DTM, where she raced for Audi for three years. This proved a frustrating part of her career with no points finishes to her name.
Some part time rides in the IndyCar series in 2012 and 2013 yielded one top ten finish and two Indianapolis 500 finishes. Last year she was signed up to race for the first all-electric racing series, Formula E, by the Amlin Aguri squad. An uncompetitive car initially saw her record two 15th places before being dropped by the team, instead focussing on the development of the radically innovative DeltaWing prototype-racing car in the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship.
Most recently it was confirmed that Legge was signed up to drive for the all-female Grace Autosport team that launched for the 2016 Indy 500. This team’s board and race team are made up entirely of women. The first expansion if successful would be to do a full IndyCar season.
MICHELA CERRUTI
After a successful year in Auto GP where she recorded one win and two podiums, the young Italian racer was taken under the wing of experienced F1 veteran and compatriot Jarno Trulli. She was subsequently signed up to race in the first Formula E season for Trulli GP. However, a poor car meant both drivers struggled. She participated in the first four races with a 12th place her best result. She left the series after a mutual agreement with the team. She then joined the Walkenhorst Team racing in the VLN Endurance Championship, racing in a BMW Z4 GT3 and scoring several podiums and wins so far with her co-drivers.
ALICE POWELL
The 22-year-old Oxford born racer became the first woman to win a Formula Renault championship in 2010 and most recently in 2014 in the Asian Formula Renault series. Other accolades include being the only woman so far to score points in GP3. However, due to financial strains, she could not progress from GP3. She switched to the British Formula 3 Class in 2013, finishing second in the championship with five wins.
Powell is very popular in racing circles and has some decent backing. In fact, she almost got her chance to be in Formula One in the last race of the 2014 season. Powell had raised funds to drive one of the Caterham F1 cars in a practice session. The team had missed the previous two races after going into administration. Although they did make the race, Powell had abandoned the idea, as it was unlikely she could obtain the appropriate Super Licence.
BEITSKE VISSER
20-year-old Visser is a Dutch racing driver currently in the Formula Renault 3.5 Series. She has achieved quite a lot for her age. Starting out in the ADAC Formel Masters Series, she drove for the Lotus Team. After finishing eighth in her first two seasons with three wins to her name she was a part of the Red Bull Young Driver Programme. Unfortunately, a poor start to her maiden 3.5 campaign saw her lose the Red Bull backing. However, she persisted, participating in selected GP3 rounds as well.
2015 is going a lot better for Beitske with nine 3.5 races under her belt and three points so far. However, she has been unlucky and after some solid qualifying performances would have had more points on the board were it not for incidents and mechanical failures.
SOPHIA FLOERSCH
The 14-year-old German racer has been making lots of headlines recently in her relatively short career so far. After just half a campaign in the Ginetta Junior Championship, she sits third with two wins and several top four finishes. However, she is calling her Ginetta days off, as she wants to focus on tacking the Fomula 4 series in Germany, which she states gives her more for her money.
Her maturity shines out with a career plan already in motion, supported by her sponsors and management; she hopes to be in Formula One by 2019. What’s more, she has caught the eye of Red Bull. Although not part of their young driver programme yet, she enjoys a loose affiliation, which she hopes will turn into more.
JAMIE CHADWICK
Chadwick is currently making her name in the British GT Series racing for Aston Martin in their GT4 car. The 17-year-old has so far won a race with her co-driver. Previously she made waves in the Ginetta Junior series much like Floersch. In 2013 she finished 10th in the series with a highest place finish of fifth. Continuing on for a second season she finished eighth with five podium finishes to her name.
VICKY PIRIA
The 21-year-old Italian has had limited success so far, racing in the lower Italian Formulae with part time drives in Formula Renault 2.0 as well. More recently, she raced in GP3 with Trident Racing but failed to finish in the points the entire season. From there she made the move to the European F3 Open where she finished tenth in the final standings. In 2014 she raced along with two other women in the Pro Mazda series as part of the ‘Mazda Road to Indy’ scheme. She only participated in the first four races with a best result of 13th.
JULIA BALLARIO
Ballario became Argentina’s first female driver to race in the US when she participated in the Pro Mazda Championship part time in 2013. She contested four races, scoring three top-10s. This was enough to secure her a full-time drive the following year in the series. She finished 11th in the final standings with a best result of fourth. Since leaving the series she has found little success.
MICHELE BUMGARNER
Bumgarner is from the Philippines and was the third woman to participate in the Pro Mazda series. In 2013 she was in two races claiming one top ten finish. She came back next season with a full time drive but failed to break into the top ten all season with a best result of 11th.
PIPPA MANN
Mann is another British driver who’s taken her career over the Atlantic. After racing in the Formula Renault 3.5 Series she participated in the Indy Lights Series picking up one win in her two-year tenure of the series. Now she participates part time in the Indy Car series. In 2015 she currently has 29 points and lies 31st in the standings.
ANNA BEATRIZ
‘Bia,’ as she is affectionately known, is a Brazilian racer who won several accolades in the early part of her career. She was the Formula Renault 2.0 Brasil Rookie of the Year and Indy Lights Rookie of the Year. In her two years in the Indy Lights she finished third and eighth in the final standings, scoring two wins and several podiums. Her IndyCar career has been less successful. Only ever able to participate part-time, her best result was 11th back in 2011. In 2014, she raced in the Brasil Stock Car series with a best result of 11th.
What is clear to see is that there are a lot of female drivers trying to make their way in a male-dominated sport. Some are clearly not good enough, some attract sponsors because they are women, but many are good enough. The tide is changing within the motorsport community around the world and it is only a matter of time before we see a female driver in Formula One. If not Susie Wolff, then she can take solace from the fact that she has opened the path for others to follow.
Of course, the Scot is not the only one to do this. Mouton and in particular Patrick and Silvestro have all pioneered the way for women in American auto racing series. Therefore there is no lack of women trying to make it in racing. It’s just a matter of talent, luck and money, and it is very difficult to have all three. Just ask any male driver.
