Can Susie Wolff make it into F1?

[Teretonga]

Originally Posted by M_Fritz

Hi, this is my first post

Not to be totally biased against girls but lets just have a look at past women drivers in a racing series.

Danica Patrick- She clearly is underprepared for NASCAR in a car that could win she can't even get in top 20, should she be in NASCAR not to mention her snobbish, arrogant and selfish attitude. In the Nationwide series whenever she crashed she never blamed herself, either other drivers or her crew.

Silvia De Silvestro- I believe she raced against Danica in Indycar but again just like Danica always blaming someone else. In all her incidents she blamed the other drivers and even in 2010 blamed the safety officials for a crash that she caused.
Susie Wolff seems to be off the pace and just like these 2 girls, always blaming the other person because it seems that girls have trouble admitting to their own mistake.

NASCAR is really hard even for very good road racing drivers or Indycar or F1 drivers (like Ambrose, Franchitti and Montoya...ever heard of those guys...) Franchitti gave it away and went back to Indycar. Ambrose has excelled and won on road courses as has Montoya so Danica is not unprepared. She is just coming to terms with how tough success in NASCAR is.
I cant comment on her character and attitude though cos I don't know her.

Simona de Silvestro is driving OK on some Indycar road courses but has had some trouble in the past. But on what I have seen she is light years above Susie.... The other girls in Indy car haven't got as good results as Simona.

[Malfunction Junction]

I think it's a real shame that Katherine Legge isn't racing in a top flight series, she showed some potential.

That said, Claudia Huertgen is the woman I feel had the most absolute talent of the racers I've seen.

I'm not old enough to have seen then all, even Michele Mouton was before my time.

Very few women appearing at medium to high levels have been genuinely untalented. Some out of their depth, some unable to join the dots at that level and others lacking development through spasmodic or limited opportunity. The idea that women couldn't race is a reasonably recent one, since there were women racing at high levels, with some success in the 1930s.

I have some experience of men and women operating demanding equipment requiring a very high level of physical and mental skill and coordination, with extensive background knowledge required to be obtained and retained during the application of those skills.

Women can do it, there are trends of strengths and weaknesses, however few want to go through the sacrifices and sometimes degrading processes of making a career of it.

Overall, a driver can make it, or they can't. Gender isn't a showstopper.

[FAS33]

Originally Posted by M_Fritz

Danica Patrick- She clearly is underprepared for NASCAR in a car that could win she can't even get in top 20, should she be in NASCAR not to mention her snobbish, arrogant and selfish attitude. In the Nationwide series whenever she crashed she never blamed herself, either other drivers or her crew.

to be fair Jacques Villenoob hit her from behind at Road America last year, so you can't blame her for going off at him, I don't really care how she presents herself on TV, If she's good enough to be in the top tier Stock Car Championship on driver talent, then good on her, does she deserve to be there? looking at her recent results and driving ability, no not really. And like Susie it seems like she shouldn't be in that young drivers test, as she simply wouldn't cut it in the main game, also considering how old she'd be if she debuted in an F1 car next year.

[wnut]

Originally Posted by Malfunction Junction

Overall, a driver can make it, or they can't. Gender isn't a showstopper.

I agree, there is one caveat in F1 and those are the unboosted brakes which I believe put the women at a disadvantage.
Given that everything else is automated, this issue should be addressed and the cars should be allowed to run brake boosters.

[BSchneiderFan]

I can't believe we're seriously wondering whether a driver who has never won a car race should be in Formula 1.

[Paradise City]

Yeah, if the cheque clears as was cattily suggested above.

I don't really mind, it's been that way since time began and I must admit an occasional, eccentric backmarker is an interesting thing as long as they perform above a minimal threshold of competency.

[Mekola]

I want wildcards in F1. One-offs. In that mood, I could see easily the presence of Susie Wolff in a couple of GPs. A full season is not needed for her to say hello to F1, and to make her landmark. Remember Lella Lombardi.

[P38 in workshop]

At last week's test didn't she set a faster time than the two regular Caterham drivers?In a car thats hardly the class of the field this year,thats not too bad a showing.Or maybe an indication of more than one driver that shouldn't really be in Formula 1.

[Beetle]

Originally Posted by BSchneiderFan

I can't believe we're seriously wondering whether a driver who has never won a car race should be in Formula 1.

My thoughts exactly.

It's been said before, and I'll say it again: there is nothing to stop a girl being as fast as a guy. But you've got a lot less candidates to choose from. Therefore, the prejudice speaks for itself ---

Susie Wolff, the DTM's only consistent backmarker... F1 material?

[GTRMagic]

Originally Posted by P38 in workshop

At last week's test didn't she set a faster time than the two regular Caterham drivers?In a car thats hardly the class of the field this year,thats not too bad a showing.Or maybe an indication of more than one driver that shouldn't really be in Formula 1.

That last sentence may be the most poignant... both cars run Renault powerplants, similar to those at Lotus and at RBR, yet neither really bothered the timekeepers much at the junior driver test.

[IceMan_PJN]

Originally Posted by Gingers4Justice

Is does matter if she deserves the seat or not. Well, not to me specifically - it's none of my business who a team hires at their driver. But I really do care about women in F1, it's a sport that has no reason to be so male-orientated. If that is to be broken, the best way for that to happen would be for the first woman to race in the modern era of F1 to be truly worthy of her talent and get rid of all those horrid prejudices that remain to this day.

The problem with the lack of women in F1 is not that there is a massive queue of talented drivers who aren't getting through because of sexism, at least not in the final few steps in the ladder. There's just not enough women coming out of karting. I'm not sure where I've read it, but I'm sure I've read that many female karters lose interest in their mid-teens and pack it in all together.

There can't be one specific factor for this, but I'd say one of them would be a lack of an inspirational figure. I don't think Wolff is the answer. Is that the dream? To marry into the sport and to be judged on your looks more than your talent?

I'm all for female drivers, but I don't want their appeal to come from being a token female driver. I don't want a female driver on the grid just for the sake of having one. It wouldn't be particularly inspirational to would-be upcoming female drivers if they get a woman onto the grid in front of the entire world and she gets left behind. If girls are going to have an inspirational figure, it needs to be someone with at least some kind of success.

Are there plenty of male drivers that wouldn't be any faster? Sure, but nobody cares because there's male drivers who are faster. Males aren't in need of an inspirational figure because they have plenty. If would-be female drivers are going to have someone to inspire them, that figure can't be a backmarker. That says "Give it up girls. You just can't keep up with the boys."

[tristancliffe]

Exactly. I'd love to see a woman come into F1 and do well on merit. Doesn't need to be a winner or an all-time great, just someone that can hold their head up against all the other cars/drivers, and can say they didn't get their entirely because of money*/looks**/marriage***.

Unfortunately there aren't many on that horizon.

* any more than any other worthy drivers bring.
** if she has them, use them as marketing leverage, but don't use them to justify a seat in F1 (unless it helps with the first asterix)
*** Susie will never shake the fact she got to F1 because of her choice of man, which trumps being useless (in a relative sense) in a racing car.

[bella]

Originally Posted by tristancliffe

** if she has them, use them as marketing leverage, but don't use them to justify a seat in F1 (unless it helps with the first asterix)

can i just say, for equality reasons only you understand, i am happy for ANY male driver to use his looks for "marketing leverage"

[GORDON STREETER]

Originally Posted by bella

can i just say, for equality reasons only you understand, i am happy for ANY male driver to use his looks for "marketing leverage"

Is there hope for me (Delta's tea break post 1724) Bella !

[chillibowl]

Originally Posted by IceMan_PJN

If would-be female drivers are going to have someone to inspire them, that figure can't be a backmarker. That says "Give it up girls. You just can't keep up with the boys."

but it changes the conversation. a young girl watching a female rider getting left behind may think she could one day do better herself. with no female drivers on the grid that young girl may just think its impossible to even try.

its hard to say where inspiration comes from but i have to think that in terms of inspiring more people to try, seeing someone try and fail is better then not seeing anyone even try.

[bella]

Originally Posted by chillibowl

its hard to say where inspiration comes from but i have to think that in terms of inspiring more people to try, seeing someone try and fail is better then not seeing anyone even try.

i agree. challenging the stereotype is as important as beating it. and really, who knows the story behind any of the f1 testers and racers besides the fans of the sports. at the end of the day, young girls are seeing an eloquent, smart and well-presented women doing high profile stuff, and they're doing it visibly and without being token fluff or braindead.

motorsport enthusiasts who happen to be female have those ambitions already, and they will do it despite people (men and women) who got there as a side effect of marrying well, or who simply knew the right people to get the best opportunities.

gordon: one word. haircare

[Armco Bender]

Why cant we have transgender drivers in F1.
Stands to reason if your a bloke who cant get in the main game,a bit of rearranging of the plumbing system and hey presto.
Amelia Bender?....

[ensign14]

Originally Posted by Gingers4Justice

Can she "make it" though? Well of course she can. Van der Garde is on the grid! And anyone remember Sakon Yamamoto?

They have both at least won races. Wolff is more along Chanoch Nissany lines.

Which leads to a side-issue. How on earth did she get nominated for the Autosport award? Even once?

[littleman]

But for the publicity and a favour for the "Old Man", why would you use a Young Driver test to run a very average 30 year old with a zero track record?

Nice girl though - Toto should fund her in the Porsche SuperCup or something similar.A place in F1 is just ridiculous.

[wnut]

Originally Posted by littleman

But for the publicity and a favour for the "Old Man", why would you use a Young Driver test to run a very average 30 year old with a zero track record?

Nice girl though - Toto should fund her in the Porsche SuperCup or something similar.A place in F1 is just ridiculous.

Comparatively minor offence compared to some of the drivers that currently have or had F1 seats in the recent past!

She is also female and extremely personable and articulate so she would be a marketing dream.

[bella]

i find it difficult when people call her rude and arrogant without knowing the question she was answering, who was asking it and how they asked it.

i'd really REALLY love it if a journo asked giedo van der garde if he feels some sympathy for miz wolff considering that his girlfriends family has paid for him to get into f1.

[Paradise City]

Who's rude?

Stoddart is unremarkable not ridiculous as a backmarker in F1. She's a Giovanni Lavaggi level of talent, unimpressive and unremarkable but not a bad driver in general terms. As an F1 backmarker she wouldn't be dangerous nor conspicuous bar for her quality as a woman. The Chanoch Nissany comparison is absurd. He started racing at the age of 38! and only barely had a career.

Some people have this ideal of F1 as being the best of the best from the top of the grid to the back. That has never been the case and I doubt it ever will.

[VIVA GT]

I personally think that this is another thread where the arguements against are getting out of proportion, maybe this is gender based, and the jealousy/hatred is stronger because of this?
Due to her gender, Susie Wolff is in a minority in International Motorsport which maker her more unique (I appreciate that isn't stricly gramatically correct, but you'll know what I mean). By nature of this unique quality it does make her more prominent from a marketing point of view (let's face it, we're up to almost 50 posts on the subject on here already!), which can give her opportunities that some (admittedly more talented) drivers may not get. Nowadays, to get a seat in Motorsport is rarely done on talent alone, it can be only a small part of the overall equation. Sometimes it's nationality, knowing the right people, having a shed load of money to buy yourself that poosition or more usually a combination of all three. Apart from being female, Susie Wolff is no different from 90% of the pay drivers who get seats in Formula One in my opinion!

[Flavio Galtieri]

I must say I think some of the attitudes displayed here towards Ms.Wolff are mean spirited at best, downright loathsome at worst.

So she's a second off the fastest lap set in a Williams last week? In her first run in the car during which she ran over 80 laps of the GP layout? I would take that any day and I bet a lot of the male hot shots in GP3 and F3 would too.

Seriously, give her a break. She hasn't had a conventional career up to a Formula One test but so what? There's a lot more to her than meets the eye in my opinion. I haven't seen Lewis, Jenson or Paul DiResta giving interviews to the German TV in German lately and it takes more than just skill behind the wheel to cut it these days.

If she gets a chance then good luck to her. F1 could do a lot worse.

[Hawkwood]

Originally Posted by Flavio Galtieri

I must say I think some of the attitudes displayed here towards Ms.Wolff are mean spirited at best, downright loathsome at worst.

So she's a second off the fastest lap set in a Williams last week? In her first run in the car during which she ran over 80 laps of the GP layout? I would take that any day and I bet a lot of the male hot shots in GP3 and F3 would too.

Seriously, give her a break. She hasn't had a conventional career up to a Formula One test but so what? There's a lot more to her than meets the eye in my opinion. I haven't seen Lewis, Jenson or Paul DiResta giving interviews to the German TV in German lately and it takes more than just skill behind the wheel to cut it these days.

If she gets a chance then good luck to her. F1 could do a lot worse.

Bold - I agree completely. Also the fastest Williams time was set by a race-winning driver.
Underlined - you only have to look at GP2 today and see that everyone's favourite Ricardo Teixeira is back to realise that F1 could do a lot worse than Wolff.