V8 Supercars is "putting its money where its mouth is to find a female driver good enough to race full-time at the elite level," according to Mark Fogarty of the SYDNEY MORNING HERALD. Backing a "declared ambition to have a woman competing in the main championship as soon as next year, V8 Supercars will provide the funding for a team to run a female who has the potential to match the established male drivers." The sanctioning body has "taken the unusual step of securing sponsorship for a full-time female competitor to accelerate interest among top-tier V8 teams." Believed to be worth around A$1M ($700,000), the "commercial support for a female racer in the title series will be available" from '17. But to "avoid the appearance of a publicity stunt, V8 bosses are adamant that the drive would have to be earned on merit and are prepared to withhold the backing" until '18 or even '19. Two young women will contest V8's second-tier Dunlop Series this year, "but it has been 41 years since a female has competed in all races of the national touring car championship." Local rookie Renee Gracie and Swiss int'l Simona de Silvestro "shared a falcon backed by retailer Harvey Norman in a two-year deal brokered by V8 Supercars" (SMH, 1/23).
