Women in motorsport (was F.Woman)

[Artie]

Yeh its rumoured that Mazda will have a BTCC entry next year with the FW Champ driving it?

[Artie]

I reckon Tim Harvey should have joined those girls on their early morning jogs and exercise programmes, looking a bit tubby there Tim for a top class racing driver?

[Craig]

Ouch. haha! Can't argue with his past results though, can you?

Where did the rumour of the Mazda BTCC entry come from? Never heard that one before? :confused:

[Artie]

He is doing very well in the Porsche but so he bloody should.
Regarding the Mazda..theres a dubious connection with Mr Firman senior, now ex Van Diemen, and the new Super Mazda Series USA which also whispers development of a GT? But.....its a long line of whispers, no doubt chinese?? But spot the connection with the FW championship leader??!!

[mcurtis26]

I doubt a mazda btcc entry will come off, if it does, I would expect a two car effort with an established top-line driver in one of the cars. Today's programme did little to dispel my doubts about the series though.

[touringlegend]

I thought the TV programme was particularly nasty - especially for Katherine Legge.

As for the "rumoured" Mazda BTCC entry is this something someone dreamed up because VBH mentioned something about the winner being in Touring cars next year. Thought all that was a bit wishful thinking on the TV's part. And if they even did enter, why wouldn't they use a proven(female) competitor like Susie Stoddart?

That's what I find funny too. The TV programme today made it out as if women don't have a chance in motorsport. Don't think the MSA ban women from having licences?

[Simon S]

got to say, I can only agree with the comments on here.

contrived is the key word...

just look at the time sheets for the races so far, two things stand out:

1) Half the 'winners' just can't drive for toffee
2) the ones that can are being 'slowed down' to give the others a chance

are they really trying to tell us that these 16 are the best of 10,000?

That just can't be right? I have seen more femail talent on your average trackday

[qaz]

whats all this nonsence about fire fighting and the like to build up team spirit.thought racing was about individual against individual.thought programme was pants.should be interesting next week when we see 1st round at oulton.

[Rache]

Found it funny that those who have interesting jobs were listed as "blah blah, Dolphin Trainer", and those with "normal" jobs were listed as "blah blah, Manchester/Birmingham/Cornwall/etc" Also can't believe that the official FW forum is devoid of any discussion on the programme by any FW members?

[Kelvin]

Maybe they are not allowed too dicuss it Rache?

[Kelvin]

The program was much as I expected it to be, though the water tank and fire fighting did seem a bit out of place.

[Rob29]

I agree there Kevin.Not relevant,and the lady who is a RAF pilot would have had previous experience of that sort of thing-unfair?
Other observations;everyone seen on screen was white,and with possibly a couple of exceptions atractive.
And what happened to Katherine Legge was weird.Dragged into the office,I thought,what's she doing there,she's an experienced driver? Turned out she was the instructor being sacked for upsetting some of the poor girls by being too tough!!
BTW: Its on again tonight at midnight for anyone that missed it.

[StephenRae]

Maybe they introducd the fitness tests to get rid of all the quick grannies, perhaps they thought all the quick fatties would sink. I can't work out why they set fire to them, probably all part of the smoke screen that has allowed the selection to not be based on speed alone.

[superMINI]

The Katherine Legge thing was amusing in a I shouldn't laugh at someone elses misfortune, but I will kinda way. A bit sick of them to sack her on TV, but I thought after I sat and watched her rub out one of time harvey's racing lines on the whiteboard and draw in her her own, behind his back while he was giving instructions at a FW briefing that she had pushed her luck too far this time.

She was slated by contestants for being a mean cow but when she took me out I found her main failing was trying to impress me by driving like a lunatic and then looking over for my (non) reaction. Then pulling the steering wheel away from me while I was trying to drive. However, while she shouldn't have been an instructor in the first place, it was a little unnecessary to sack her on the programme.

Another few points:

one of the contestants used to be a man – ? hello ? – smacks of Big Brother tactics

when do we get to see any actual racing?

The woman crying because she already had a licence - hilarious!

How pally are Harvey and Glew?

Why did they ruin it with all this single mother social worker aren't we so very PC ****? Looks to me like talent was the last criteria required.


Autosport printed an excellent letter a few weeks ago pointing out just how dismal FW is considering its almost promising beginnings.

[Tainan]

Couldn't believe how many times the instructors were grabbing the wheel from the passenger seat. Do they really expect to control a slide from that position?

[Artie]

Many girls entered the competition having previously held a licence of one sort or another.

My licence was declared on the application so theoretically the my application should have gone in the NO pile whilst shortlisting but it wasnt, I was pulled right through to the final eliminations week having been assured the licence situation was fine as it had never been used.

The public eviction was a genuine shock and Tim Harveys` comments ruthlessly inaccurate.

[Keith Wheeler]

Someone used the word 'contrived' in an earlier post, and that about sums the whole thing up.
This is a reality TV programme, using the race series as the 'goal', with the added value of some car sales for Mazda.
What a shame that the money wasted on this could not have been better spent on an initiative to provide a motorsport experience for a far greater number of women.

[foreversideways]

I found it an interesting and moderatly entertaining little program. Far to many Tantrums though, but i guess that is what spices up reality tv like this. To be fair to the girls, i met a couple of them when i was testing at Oulton Park and found them very nice. Not at all as the program portrays. As to the racing , i think they need to be given a chance to find there feet. What did supprise me was that they were really thrown in at the deep end with very little instruction.

[mark_l]

It did seem to be a cross between Big Brother (with transexuals,pole dancers,etc) and the Weakest Link (you are eliminated, there's the door and Tim doing his Anne Robinson impressions).

I think the programme has also damaged Katherine Legge's reputation, what if her sponsors saw the programme, they cannot of been too impressed.

I think the only company/person to come out of the programme with any credit was Baker's Coaches, loads of free advertising!

[Dave Brand]

I was quite pleasantly surprised by the programme. They seem quite happy to let events speak for themselves, with no attempts to hype things up to make 'good television'. The real test comes next week - it's going to take a good editor to make those 'races' at Oulton look interesting.

[Rache]

Originally posted by superMINI
[B]She was slated by contestants for being a mean cow but when she took me out I found her main failing was trying to impress me by driving like a lunatic and then looking over for my (non) reaction. Then pulling the steering wheel away from me while I was trying to drive.

I had Katherine as my instructor at the initial assessment day at Snett and again at Cadwell during the skid training. I found her friendly, helpful and encouraging at all times, no wheel-grabbing and no harsh words at all. I have heard alternate reasons about her departure from FW and if they are true then I can understand her attitude towards some of the girls she had to assess....I agree though not very fair to show what they did on TV about her leaving.

[DanaM]

Formula Woman has certainly caused a stir in the forums! I saw the prog after the BGP and thought I should apply - it seemed like a good way to have a go - and quickly! I haven't changed my mind even after reading all the above - did I miss something?? Looks to me like good racing fun, without the time-consuming search for money - at my age I don't have that much time!!
I'll hope to be there next year!

[Andy Roberts]

I don't think I have laughed so much at the FW programme!

I can just see Williams sending Monty and Ralf of into a burning building then a sinking helicopter to help them work better together That would be a hoot!

Frank: Wheres Ralf?
Monty: Thought he was already out <cue smug grin>

I did however think what they did with Katherine Legge was well harsh. OK, they got rid of her for some reason but just say that she had left the competition for another reason, not publicly humilate her on TV which could seriously damage her career. Shame on you FW.

[Craig]

You have to say that whatever occured throughout the programme made for good TV entertainment for the (wo)man in the street... I'm not saying the whole thing was set up purely with that in mind though, like... hmmm.

I'm sure they'd not allow Artie to get as far as the selection week on purpose or that they made sure Katie was filmed getting sacked or anything like that... I'm sure that thought never entered into their heads

DanaM, good luck, be sure to come back and tell us about your experiences this time next year.

[Kicking-back]

The programme was entertaining, mildly - but I'll reserve judgement on the racing until I've seen more.