Women in motorsport

[mountainstar]

Originally Posted by cmk

Michelle Mouton proves the case that women can and should be in motorsport, because they can have the same level of talent and guts that men can, and she did it way back in the early 80s! Very nearly World Rally Champion for Audi in '82, twice Pikes Peak record-holder, and a multiple rally winner. Take a long look in the mirror and ask whether you could powerslide an Audi Quattro S1 around the edge of a cliff at mind-numbing speed. But I guess she wasn't pretty enough or something?

Oh no question and rallying tends to suit women better as it requires a lot more organization and it's racing against the clock rather than door to door.

I've had access to a lot of different studies by the US military and others on physical and mental differences in men and women and women have a difficult time turning on the aggressive nature of attack for a prolonged period of time. I've seen it in lap times and door to door racing on track that women can't keep the wick turned up lap after lap. For one lap or two yes, over a 60 lap race, no. And that's why I think you'll see few championship caliber women circuit racing drivers, if any, anytime soon. Race winners perhaps for some, but champions no. A thorough analysis of Kat Legge, sarah fisher and danica racing open wheel cars is a good start.

I do a lot of instruction and women drivers do have some great positives. One they are generally under confident, which is better than over confident. It's easier to build someone up than down. Also they listen and communicate better. Also they are smoother. Competing against the clock they do really well. Witness women's success in drag racing and rally. They also make exceptional co-drivers in rally.

[Aslak Vind]

Consider the success of women in the US flying fighterplanes. Their bodies are better adapted to the high G-loads, as they are smaller and more compact. And as far as I know, they are getting bigger in numbers every year.

Not to repeat myself, but I know a girl racer. And she is probably the most aggressive in the field. Physically women are catching up, however they dont have as many muscelfibres as men. But I really cheer for the women coming into the sport!

But I guess, that the mental thing could be key?

[mountainstar]

Originally Posted by Aslak Vind

Consider the success of women in the US flying fighterplanes. Their bodies are better adapted to the high G-loads, as they are smaller and more compact. And as far as I know, they are getting bigger in numbers every year.

Not to repeat myself, but I know a girl racer. And she is probably the most aggressive in the field. Physically women are catching up, however they dont have as many muscelfibres as men. But I really cheer for the women coming into the sport!

But I guess, that the mental thing could be key?

Coming straight from the mouth of a US military flight surgeon, women in some cases handle g-loads better than men because the distance between their eyes and heart are shorter. However short men have the same advantage.

I think the mental thing is the key. Men and women are just wired differently. They are not equal, BUT that isn't anything bad because we both balance one another out. In general women are better at some things and in general men are better than other things.