Female World Championship

[bauble]

It seems Bernie has been upsetting the ladies again by suggesting they should, perhaps, have their own F1 Championship, and is now accused of being sexist! Nonsense!

Well I have been unable to miss the fact that women now play soccer, and rugby, they even have their own cycling series and Championships, so why not a Ladies F1 Championship?

There must be an attraction for sponsors in the notion, and it might be the only chance for some of them to drive in Formula 1.

Is it really 'sexist' to have a ladies only event?

[Tim Falce]

It could be a major sponsorship opportunity from shoe or handbag manufacturers

[djinvicta]

Sod the handbags! Lingerie!!

[bella]

Originally Posted by djinvicta

Sod the handbags! Lingerie!!

only on the condition the standard series advertises pants and the boy drivers do pouty photoshoots in their knickers too

equal opportunities and all that!

[Tim Falce]

Originally Posted by djinvicta

Sod the handbags! Lingerie!!

They could have count down boards at the corners with shoes on instead of lines, they'd probably need satnavs in each car so they could find their way round the circuit.

[Rob29]

Subject of women racing has been well discussed here .Don't see there could be any demand for this-though not sure what is actually proposed? Will F1 teams provide a 3rd car for a female driver? several have signed female test drivers but they don't seem to get to do much

[SteveR]

Can't help feeling that Bernie is fully aware of what the date is!

[bauble]

Chauvanist Pigs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Deleted]

Originally Posted by bauble

It seems Bernie has been upsetting the ladies again by suggesting they should, perhaps, have their own F1 Championship, and is now accused of being sexist! Nonsense!

Well I have been unable to miss the fact that women now play soccer, and rugby, they even have their own cycling series and Championships, so why not a Ladies F1 Championship?

There must be an attraction for sponsors in the notion, and it might be the only chance for some of them to drive in Formula 1.

Is it really 'sexist' to have a ladies only event?

It's not sexist, but considering that motor racing has been one of the last unisex sporting areas left (I mean, they even have separate male and female tournaments for CHESS!!? what the ****) suggestions like this just seem irritating. Especially coming from old gremlin who keeps making weird sensationalist statements every other week.

Furthermore, there would just be inevitable comparisons between this and F1 and how the girls would have no chance against anybody if they stepped out of their special artificial league. Which would of course not be completely true, but that's how it'd be seen.

If Uncle Bernard wants women to step up, and no-one is getting high enough through their own powers, he should sponsor couple of them in the game. God knows the grid is full of millionaire wannabe-guys, do the same for selected gals.

[kurski]

STCC driver Emma Kimiläinen said that she do not support women's series so I can not participate in it.

[bauble]

I know this has little to do with F1, but following an earlier suggestion as to the date of Bernies idea ......................???

SPECIAL ANNIVERSARY
RACES ADDED TO
SILVERSTONE CLASSIC LINE-UP

• 30 years of innovative Sinclair C5 celebrated this summer


It has been announced today (1 April) that this summer’s Silverstone Classic has been extended to five days to incorporate two very special 25-lap anniversary races.

While the World’s Biggest Classic Motor Racing Festival is celebrating its own 25th birthday in 2015, this year also marks 30 years since the single-seater Sinclair C5 was first launched to a notably narrow-minded audience back in 1985. Now that significant motoring milestone – which, of course, came decades before either F1 or Formula E adopted battery propulsion – will be honoured in speed-free style at the Home of British Motorsport in July.

The inclusion of these two commemoration showdowns, staged exclusively for grids packed with these pioneering electrically assisted bath chairs, has forced the organisers to extend the previously planned three-day automotive extravaganza.

With a heady top speed of 15mph and a maximum range of only 20 miles between lengthy recharges, it is estimated that each of these far from spectacular showdowns on the full 3.66-mile Grand Prix circuit could take far in excess of 12 hours to complete, hence the necessity to extend the event by two extra days.

On the plus side, with its Lotus Cars designed chassis and lightweight polypropylene body, the 12-volt pedal cycle is expected to handle Silverstone’s famously challenging corners with impressive aplomb.

The organisers had also planned to organise a complementary celebration cavalcade. This was to have commenced at the C5’s spiritual home – the Hoover factory in Merthyr Tydfil – and finished at the Silverstone Classic. Calculations, however, indicate that any such parade should have left south Wales in early November 2006 if its plucky participants were to have made it all the way to the famous Northamptonshire venue in good time for this summer’s celebrations.

“We are always looking for novel ways to grow and diversify the racing schedule and we have certainly found it with these two electrifying encounters for glacial C5s,” enthused event spokesperson Joe King.

Full details of all tickets for the 25th anniversary Silverstone Classic (which must be purchased in advance) – as well as hospitality packages and weekend festival camping – can be found on the official www.silverstoneclassic.com website.




-Ends-

[Paradise City]

There won't be a women's world championship as motorsports is too cash intensive and the cash isn't there. It's cash that's the key because Bernie certainly isn't tossin' and turnin' in his bed agonising over the plight of women.

I have no moral issue with a women's world championship per say given that as a distinct group they typically weigh in at different strength thresholds. That's not an attempt to be condescending; it's reality, bourne out by the % of women that feature on building sites, oil rigs...etc So there's no real moral reason not to calibrate a world championship to suit their distinct differences. I wouldn't like it though if women were specifically excluded from the centrepiece championship. The treacley publicity the media would come up with surrounding a women's world championship would also drive me someway insane.

It won't happen though, the demand is far too weak to make any effort credible and I'm personally not bothered that it won't.

[AoB Special Stage]

Feminists would call a World Championship for Women sexist.

Either way, considering both Williams and Lotus have female test drivers, and Maldonado seems to be cursed as of late, we'll probably see one race in the near future, and I think Susie Wolff could contend a championship.

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by Chiana

Especially coming from old gremlin who keeps making weird sensationalist statements every other week.

I had to think hard for a moment about whether you were referring to Bernie or bauble....... (or both!)

[canamman]

The only female sanction in the states I can think of
was the Womans Global GT headed up by Lyn St. James
in 1999 and 2000. They all ran in Panoz's. If Bernie
was serious I would run them in a Formula E class and
see if it would become a viable endeavor.

See link for more on Womans Global GT.
http://speedqueens.blogspot.com/2010...gt-series.html

[Tourer]

Originally Posted by SteveR

Can't help feeling that Bernie is fully aware of what the date is!

Can't help absolutely agreeing with you. It can be good value when he makes these tongue in cheek comments & all those who take themselves too seriously need to have a bite.

[Paradise City]

April 1st is every day with Ebenezer Eccelscrooge. Usually he's sayin' these things to mask some other mischief he's getting up to on the sly.

[AoB Special Stage]

Originally Posted by canamman

The only female sanction in the states I can think of
was the Womans Global GT headed up by Lyn St. James
in 1999 and 2000. They all ran in Panoz's. If Bernie
was serious I would run them in a Formula E class and
see if it would become a viable endeavor.

See link for more on Womans Global GT.
http://speedqueens.blogspot.com/2010...gt-series.html

Tell that to Cerruti

[Paradise City]

There was that series with Mazdas that Ralph Firman's sister won IIRC. That wasn't even sustainable and it quickly disappeared into the ether.

[Akrapovic]

I know this was probably an April Fools prank, however if they want to make an effort to get women into motorsport, then segregating them out into another series is not the answer. Motorsport is rather hostile to women in that apart from the few odd exceptions such as Lena Gade, women in this industry are used as advertising banners. Some just stand around holding pit boards - others wear Lycra with a brand name slapped over it and walk around with the sole purpose of looking good. It does not send a good message to women, and car culture has had this issue for decades.

If you want women interested in motorsport, then treat them equally and don't use them to stand around as decoration.

[bauble]

Originally Posted by Aysedasi

I had to think hard for a moment about whether you were referring to Bernie or bauble....... (or both!)

Oi! Watch it! You can go off people you know!

[Born Racer]

One of the excellent things about motorsport is the equality afforded to women in that they can compete alongside men. I think that the physical conditions required to drive a Formula 1 car are ones that women are entirely capable of attaining, a slight condition, good cardio ability and a strong (but almost skeletal!) upper-body strength.

When a woman can get back into Formula 1 on as much merit as anyone in there, you can be sure she will, because she will have the talent and be marketable.

[bella]

Originally Posted by Akrapovic

I know this was probably an April Fools prank, however if they want to make an effort to get women into motorsport, then segregating them out into another series is not the answer. Motorsport is rather hostile to women in that apart from the few odd exceptions such as Lena Gade, women in this industry are used as advertising banners. Some just stand around holding pit boards - others wear Lycra with a brand name slapped over it and walk around with the sole purpose of looking good. It does not send a good message to women, and car culture has had this issue for decades.

If you want women interested in motorsport, then treat them equally and don't use them to stand around as decoration.

being serious for a second... (cause i know this has been discussed in other areas of the forum but not in f1 for a while)

it's not that bad. there's a few corners of the sport that are still 100% male dominated and it's very hard for a woman to get in regardless of how good she is. that's understandable in a way, it's difficult to get past seeing a stereotype as a job requirement. it's worth pointing out though as a counter point that there's some managers and bosses who are very proactive at recruiting women and getting them into the sport. those kind of people will actually see a different candidate as an advantage and look at skill sets rather than whether a woman conforms or not, which is ideal really for both a team and for the candidate.

in the drawing office and desk based jobs however, there's no gender bias towards the guys at all. if you're good enough to do the job, you're good enough to do the job.

frankly, i find the whole grid girl thing funny now. if guys feel they have to pay a girl to stand around looking pretty then that's a reflection on how badly they market themselves to the fans and sponsors. the girl's making bank for wearing an outfit and posing for pictures with thirsty guys. can't fault their hustle.

obviously you're gonna get some people who are far keener to point out the imbalances and stuff but i'm a firm believer in looking after your own kids, teaching them good values and that gender (and race, and religion) is unimportant. if men are too dumb to see anything but a pair of boobs in lycra or a race suit that's their problem, and they'll be judged accordingly.

[NaBUru38]

Yeah, because women can't compete with men...

You can't bring credibility to the proposal when GP2 has no women.

[NaBUru38]

Originally Posted by SteveR

Can't help feeling that Bernie is fully aware of what the date is!