Women In Racing

By Author: Linus
Total Articles: 81
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How many Formula drivers can you name in five minutes? Now, how many female drivers can you name? Slightly harder, isn’t it?
 
This, despite the fact that Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) has never been averse, even at times less politically correct than now, to letting women to race as equals to men. As far as the FIA was concerned they couldn't care less who sat in the cars as long as they were able to drive them.
 
One often hears the refrain, “Women can’t drive!” To those sceptics, I say, “Meet Desiré Wilson, Amanda Whitaker and Danica Patrick” ─ just to name a few.
 
Of these three ladies, Desiré Wilson kicked things off by winning the South African Formula Ford Championship back in 1976. She had started racing at the age of five, in micro-midget cars on dirt tracks. These cars with scooter engines were capable of 60 mph, but her father, South African motorcycle champion Charlie Randall, built the cars and fully supported her efforts.
 
In the early 1980s, she won the Aurora ...
... Formula One series in the UK, and attempted to qualify for the British Grand Prix in an old Williams. But, she was given a different car from the one she had when she won the Aurora series and couldn’t get used to the newer Williams before the qualifying round was over. Yet, in her career, she has had 23 wins, 16 second places, 42 third places, 17 lap records and 28 fastest laps, all in major international events.
 
Amanda Whitaker is largely credited as Britain’s most accomplished female driver. She started racing karts aged 15 and by her second year in karting, had finished in the top 3 in 4 major championships.
 
At the end of 1991, shortly after her 17th birthday, Amanda followed in the footsteps of her father Ronnie and made the move into single seaters. She raced her dad’s old 1979 Formula Ford and finished in the top 4 out of 4 major Formula Ford 1600 championships, with 3 wins in her first championship. Since then, she has had over 50 race wins and multiple circuit lap records. More than 10 years after achieving them, she still holds 4 Monoposto lap records!
 
Today, she is a performance driving instructor and has appeared in TV advertisements as a precision driver.
 
American Danica Patrick has the distinction of driving, and winning, both an IndyCar race and the Formula Ford Festival. The latter was the highest-ever finish by either a woman or an American in the event.
 
She began go-karting in 1992, and went on to win several national championships. She later moved to Europe and raced in several developmental open-wheel series, including Formula Ford and Formula Vauxhall.
 
Danica’s IndyCar win at Twin Ring Motegi in the Indy Japan 300 that came in her 50th career race, was an emotional finish for Danica. “Finally!” she told The Associated Press after winning her first race in the IndyCar series, “This is a long time coming.”
 
Of course, these women don’t drive. They fly.

For more details on formula ford festival

Visit http://www.britishformulaford.com