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Bernie Ecclestone on Women drivers in F1


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He's right though. If they were quick enough then they'd get the top seats and the advertising, especially since it's very PC to have a woman driver right now, but no-one is. Wolff was never going to be good enough for the top level, and let's not even get started on blondie at Renault. We should also consider the fact that world in general, but particularly motorsport, is also still male-dominated in mindset.

 

At the lower levels yes, girls are definitely as good as boys, but the physicality required for race cars mean they'll never be on an equal footing. In terms of technique sure they might well be as good as a man, but you need the whole package. It's no different to tennis in that regard, you'd never expect a woman player to beat a man at the top levels of the game, regardless of the skill she may possess.

 

Will it ever change? Not in my lifetime.

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You don't need to be good enough, plenty of bought seats have happened in the past. Just bring along a truckload of sponsorship (a thick brown envelope probably wouldn't hurt). :lol:

 

A female driver who wasn't up to the task buying her way into a race seat would be an embarrassment, and would do more harm than good to the plight of aspiring female racers. It's bad enough when men do it, but for a female it would just confirm the suspicions and prejudices of those who believe it's not possible.

Are there women who could compete at that level? Quite possibly, but it is true that women are, on average, less strong than men. If it is going to happen, please let it only be on merit, otherwise it will be a farce.

Bernie was just calling it as he sees it (for once) I reckon, and I don't find his comments particularly offensive (although I don't really get offended to be fair).

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Have to agree with Dan here. There's no doubt that Suzie Wolff is very talented but we're talking about competing against the best drivers in the world here. Lesser formula where strength and endurance aren't a major factor can be advantageous to women as one factor in their favour is their weight, Danica Patrick for example weighs just 45 kgs :scare: .

 

Not many sports where women can compete against men on a level playing field, showjumping and to an extent ultra marathon running (where women have more fat to burn) are the only ones I can think of right now.

 

Pete

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Women drivers have competed at the same level as men in Rally driving. Michelle Mouton for one. And also drag racing the Nordics have produced some awesome women top fuel drivers. Ok so drag racing doesn't have the same endurance requirements as F1 but I'm pretty sure rally driving does

 

 

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I think it's a lack of interest more than anything. If there was as many women interested in motorsports as men then I'm sure there would be many capable of taking up a few driver's seats.

 

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He's right. Not sexist or stuck in a time warp.

 

This country is so "PC" substandard women's sport is forced down our throats by sky and the BBC.

 

Football is a prime example. Sky just informed my Chelsea and Arsenal are playing in the women's cup final. The Chelsea player they had on looked like boris Johnson.

 

Stand her next to a top female tennis player and then tell me she is a professional athlete.

 

Many amateur level guys get up on a Sunday to play football. They will never get the chance to play at Wembley so why should a bunch of chunky, amateur women?

 

I'm not sexist. Just winds me up when I see out of shape amateurs claiming to be professional athletes, and advertising England kits alongside premier league footballers. It's ridiculous.

 

I couldn't beat Maria sharapova in a single game of a 5 set match, I wouldn't win a point. But I know me and a few mates could wipe the floor with Arsenal or Chelsea's women's teams.

 

I have nothing but respect for top female athletes. But they're aren't going to emerge in male dominated sports in which historically women do not participate in.

Edited by Kev
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Ermmm. I used to play Sunday league football for about 10 years and we got creamed in a "kickabout" by the millwall lionesses. The skill level is up there. We were run ragged and I was in my mid 20's then!!

 

 

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He's right. Not sexist or stuck in a time warp.

 

This country is so "PC" substandard women's sport is forced down our throats by sky and the BBC.

 

Football is a prime example. Sky just informed my Chelsea and Arsenal are playing in the women's cup final. The Chelsea player they had on looked like boris Johnson.

 

Stand her next to a top female tennis player and then tell me she is a professional athlete.

 

Many amateur level guys get up on a Sunday to play football. They will never get the chance to play at Wembley so why should a bunch of chunky, amateur women?

 

I'm not sexist. Just winds me up when I see out of shape amateurs claiming to be professional athletes, and advertising England kits alongside premier league footballers. It's ridiculous.

 

I couldn't beat Maria sharapova in a single game of a 5 set match, I wouldn't win a point. But I know me and a few mates could wipe the floor with Arsenal or Chelsea's women's teams.

 

I have nothing but respect for top female athletes. But they're aren't going to emerge in male dominated sports in which historically women do not participate in.

 

Love it. "Chunky women". Definitely not sexist. ;)

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You only have to look at the pinnacle of sport.

The sport where years of training, dedication, blood, sweat and beers go into .......Darts

Not a female in sight, they just cant compete at the highest levels

Sorry, could not resist but agree with most comments above

When my daughter was 4 last year i thought to myself if i start training her now at football (i was above average player but certainly no messi) then i am fairly confident she could play for doncaster womans team when she is older and possibly england. If i had a boy, lets face it they would have no chance even if they wanted to.

Unfortunately she decided she enjoys dancing much more than kicking a ball so dissapears my dream. On the plus side, she is good at dancing and has already won tropheys at the age of 5.

 

I think i have come round to a point that most sports are male dominated. Boys want to play them growing up. Boys want to dream of making it so put more work in. Boys/males are pysically better built to succeed. If you have a big pool of talent and determination you by the law of averages alone will produce many more high quality athletes

Because many girls are opposite to the above they are always going to be playing catchup unless some parents devote all their time and effort almost forcing them through

 

Leeis hamiltons dad for example spent all his life paying for the karting and travelling round the country with him to help him succeed. Does this happen with girls? And how many gifls are dven interested in karting in the first place

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Don't worry about the spelling probably better than my wine blighted comments!!

 

Disclaimer: all above comments are subject to a wine factor. I'm currently in France for work, on my own with nowt better to do than get slightly pi**ed on French vino!!

 

 

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He's right. Not sexist or stuck in a time warp.

 

This country is so "PC" substandard women's sport is forced down our throats by sky and the BBC.

 

Football is a prime example. Sky just informed my Chelsea and Arsenal are playing in the women's cup final. The Chelsea player they had on looked like boris Johnson.

 

Stand her next to a top female tennis player and then tell me she is a professional athlete.

 

Many amateur level guys get up on a Sunday to play football. They will never get the chance to play at Wembley so why should a bunch of chunky, amateur women?

 

I'm not sexist. Just winds me up when I see out of shape amateurs claiming to be professional athletes, and advertising England kits alongside premier league footballers. It's ridiculous.

 

I couldn't beat Maria sharapova in a single game of a 5 set match, I wouldn't win a point. But I know me and a few mates could wipe the floor with Arsenal or Chelsea's women's teams.

 

I have nothing but respect for top female athletes. But they're aren't going to emerge in male dominated sports in which historically women do not participate in.

 

Love it. "Chunky women". Definitely not sexist. ;)

 

 

How is that sexist?

 

It was a accurate, compassionate discription. "Chunky" sounds better than fat.

 

She looked like she visits greggs on a daily basis and spoke like Harry Kane. My point was that she is in bad shape for a regular person let alone a athlete.

 

I have a ton of respect for professionals like Jennifer Ennis who work hard and make sacrifices. Out of shape women chasing a ball around a pitch do not compare.

 

It's disrespectful to the likes of Jennifer Ennis and serena Williams to call these amateurs professional.

 

Do you not think it's sexist when you see airbrushed pics of suzie wolf to make her look way more attractive than she is, to appeal to male F1 fans?

Edited by Kev
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Anyone who thinks women aren't physical enough to compete in something like F1 need to go and ask their mothers/wife's what it's like to go through labour!!!

 

Having just recently watched my wife go through the whole thing recently I can tell you I would (and other most men, F1 drivers included) wouldn't have managed 5 minutes let alone 6-7-8 hours of it.....

 

Bernie is part of previous generation that have had their time. My daughter is going to grow up doing what ever she wants. But more importantly for me it's always brains over brawn, and actually I don't want my daughter risking her life in a sport that exists mainly for entertainment, she's not going to be that stupid :).

Edited by gangzoom
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