Retired British racer Susie Wolff insists F1 CEO Bernie Ecclestone "is supportive of women competing in Formula One despite his latest round of controversial remarks," according to Philip Duncan of the PA.
Ecclestone said for the second time publicly this year that female drivers would "not be taken seriously." He also "questioned whether they had the physical strength he deemed necessary to compete."
Ecclestone's comments "provoked a fierce backlash" but Wolff, who became the first female driver in nearly two decades to take part in a Formula One race weekend during practice for the 2014 British Grand Prix, "moved to defend the F1 supremo on Wednesday."
In a series of tweets, Wolff, 33, said, "After hearing Bernie's comments in context and speaking to him today, it's clear we both have the goal of getting a female driver to F1. Through my years in motorsport, he was supportive of my mission to make it onto the starting grid in F1" (PA, 4/20). The BBC's Alex Bysouth wrote British racing driver Alice Powell said that Ecclestone's views on women in Formula 1 "could stop female drivers being given a chance in the sport."
Powell, who came close to racing with Caterham in '14, "is confident female drivers can compete." Powell:
"Someone definitely needs to prove him wrong. Bernie's views aren't ever going to change unless a female does make it while he is still in charge. I would like that to be me but I will stand by anyone who does do it" (BBC, 4/20). In London, Mark Sweney wrote Piers Morgan criticized Ecclestone’s claim that "women cannot compete."
He said that "in a sport such as F1, which involves driving skill rather than head-to-head physicality, he believed women could match men." He said, "Women’s sport is not as revered as men’s. It is an interesting debate. I find it hard to believe a woman could never be as quick as a man in Formula One. Why couldn’t that be?" (GUARDIAN, 4/20).
