(© Ben Johnston 2015)
Williams Martini Racing Team test driver Susie Wolff has hit
out at the idea of an all-female Formula One series.
Formula One commercial rights holder Bernie Ecclestone has
made the suggestion that Formula One set up an all-female series that could run
alongside the sport with races taken place before Grand Prix events.
However Wolff, who has been part of the Williams team since
2012 has said that firstly female drivers including herself have raced with
their male counterparts all the way through the junior racing categories and
for the same not to be the case in Formula One would not be right. Wolff also
believes that the sport would find it difficult to get a full grid of female
drivers in place.
Wolff became the first female driver to take part in an
official Grand Prix weekend in 22 years last season when she drove for the
Williams Martini Racing Team in Free Practice One at the British Grand Prix in
Silverstone.
Ecclestone’s idea comes following the news that the Lotus F1
Team have signed Spanish GP3 driver Carmen Jorda as their new development
driver. She is expected to take part in a number of Free Practice session’s
this season once she has gotten up to speed with the E23 Hybrid. She will spend
time in the simulator at the team’s HQ in Enstone and will also travel to Grand
Prix events. She was at the Malaysian Grand Prix with the team over the
weekend.
Susie drove the Williams FW37 in the opening Barcelona
winter test at the Circuit de Catalunya last month and showed great pace. The
Scot will also drive the car in a number of Free Practice session’s this season
starting with the Spanish Grand Prix in May.
© Ben Johnston 2015
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