

"Too many drivers focus on physical strength and not enough on the mental side. "There is a big lack of culture in Formula 1," said Ceccarelli.
#Formula uno driver#
Lella Lombardi is the only female driver to have finished in the points in F1 "We have 30% less muscle so we have to work hard, but there's no reason why females can't get strong enough to race an F1 car," she said.Īccording to Dr Riccardo Ceccarelli, who offers medical support to the Toro Rosso and Lotus F1 teams - and has set up a centre called Formula Medicine external-link which conducts research into how an F1 driver can train to the optimum - strength is not as important as many people think. Many believe women lack the strength to cope with the demands of the sport, but Wolff rubbishes that claim. It's also about strategy and managing your tyres."

#Formula uno plus#
Plus F1 is not just about taking risks, but knowing when to take risks and when to back off. I'm just as aggressive as the guys when I get my helmet on. "I'm obviously different because of the path I've taken. While Wolff agreed that women are generally not risk-takers, she said those who want to be racing drivers break the mould. "I love reading fashion magazines, buying handbags, the usual things - but when you're in the moment and focusing on setting up the car, how you look is so irrelevant." That's when I know I'm having a really bad hair day. "Sure, it's sometimes difficult when you take your helmet off to talk to your engineer and someone hands you a cap and says put this on. The American twice competed in the Le Mans 24 Hours and became the first woman to win the Indy 500 Rookie of the Year award.
#Formula uno series#
The American currently competes in stock car series Nascar. Danica Patrick: Became the first woman to win a race in the Ind圜ar Series in 2008 and holds the highest finish by a woman at the Indy 500 with third place in 2009.But there's a fine line between being feminine and creating attention on yourself because of what you're wearing. As a racing driver, you're representing a brand and your appearance is part of your job. Wolff laughs it off: "That's just Bernie being Bernie. Just as well, considering F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone's recent comments: "If Susie's as quick in a car as she looks good out of a car, she'll be a huge asset." I don't race to prove a point about how well a woman can do against men on the track." I've always said I race for me, because I love racing. "Do I care about what men say at the race track? No, not at all. "Being a female in a man's world is sometimes very tough," added Wolff. "One of the main issues is that young girls have no one to aspire to growing up, whereas a young boy can grow up wanting to be Sebastian Vettel," said Wolff.Īnd when a woman does get that chance, the extra focus on her achievement will provide added pressure.

There is only a small percentage of aspiring girl racers - compared to the hundreds of thousands of boys - who attempt a racing career, so the chances of them getting through to F1 is always going to be remote. Giovanna Amati - 3 races (1992), 0 starts (did not qualify).Desire Wilson - 1 race (1980), 0 starts (did not qualify).

