Dr Helmut Marko doubts women are up to the job of racing in F1.

Currently, a full grid of female drivers is preparing to race in the inaugural 'W Series'.

Red Bull's Marko doubts any of them will make it to F1.

"Wheel to wheel fighting at 300kph means you must have some brutality," he told Kleine Zeitung newspaper.

"I don't know if that is in the female nature."

Marko also said women are not strong enough for 4G-plus cornering forces.

"Why doesn't Serena Williams play against Novak Djokovic?" he asked rhetorically.

According to Red Bull designer Adrian Newey, Marko is simply a typically "straightforward" Austrian communicator.

But F1 is clearly still a male-dominated industry, with a report in the Independent newspaper finding that the gender pay gap within F1 teams is wider than the UK national average.

"One of the biggest gulfs in pay was at Williams where the average hourly wage for women was 25 per cent lower than that of their male colleagues," wrote F1 business journalist Christian Sylt.


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9 F1 Fan comments on “Marko: F1 racing not in 'female nature'

    • Simon Saivil

      Formula e will grow in spite of AND because of Marko. He attracts equally supporters and detractors of the sport. Straitjacketing him into conformity on politically correct issues such as gender equality and feminism is a little too self-serving. We may just as well mandate speed limits of 55 MPH on the track, something Americans are so fond of. He should be entitled to his views. If he's wrong it's his problem, not yours.

      Reply
      • Tony Kestian

        Tiochy, aren't we? In a 1 1/2 line sentence I suggested that "If" Dr. Marko represented F1 Leaders .. Your response took 7 lines to cover gender equality, feminism, and American Speed limits, which BTW are not set at 55 mph. WOW. You did not address F1 leadership. Care to try again?

        Reply
  1. Judith P

    I am female and agree with Dr Marko, although for different reasons. Women, generally, have an entirely different mental attitude, we are less inclined to take unnecessary risks and are not as fiercely competitive, in the main. I know some women are different but, as a gender, we are not driven by the same motivations as men. Neither approach is inherently superior, of course, just different!

    Reply
    • Tony Kestian

      General comments about any gender are necessary but do not address capability to drive F1 cars. Dr. Marko talked about women "generally." I would suggest that "generally" men can't drive F1 cars either. Dr. Marko highlights 4G loads at 300kph. The world's women fighter pilots may already be laughing at Dr. Marko's lack of a global view.

      Reply
    • keefy

      How nice to hear this from someone who is femaie! I am usually told I am sexist and out of touch when I say the same as you have just said. Bravo! and thank you.

      Reply
  2. David Gladwin

    Attitudes have changed as have the vehicles - at one time there were fiercely competitive women rally drivers (my wife was in her Alfa Romeo) but they seem to a dying tribe. Perhaps all the fun has gone out of motor sport.

    Reply
    • Tony Kestian

      I believe it is an issue of supportive organizations. Dr. Marko could be supportive of growing women's participating in motorsports., This would increase the audience, the number of races at the RedBull Ring, the size of the grids, and the number of drivers he could manage. Look at drag racing. John Force has three daughters who all raced in Top Fuel and Funny Car. They were also all series champions (236 events (100+ rounds) per year) versus male competitors. These ladies demonstrated mastery of 10,000 Hp cars with no power steering at acceleration levels above 6G and speeds above 375 kph. I am absolutely sure drag racing promoters, tracks and audiences appreciate their talent. BTW Monster Energy Drinks understand the draw.

      Reply

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