Wolff: ‘Being female helps’

Williams reserve driver Susie Wolff has revealed that her gender has helped open doors throughout her career.

The Scottish racer believes that the lack of women currently in racing has made it easier for her to progress, but says that she needs to prove her worth on the track.

She told AUTOSPORT: “I make no apology for having used gender as a USP in my career. Why should a woman deny her femininity just to conform with the expectations of the racing world?

“I'm a woman, I drive racing cars and if there's an advantage in terms of finding sponsorship or support, then I will make the most of it.

“That's what racing is all about: finding competitive advantage and exploiting it. That can open new doors for me and other female racers, which is great. But then we have to stand or fall based on our ability.”

Wolff admitted that she is trying to help females get involved in the racing, and hopes to set up a scheme to provide support when she retires.

No female driver has competed in F1 since 1992, and Wolff thinks that girls need to know that it is a viable career path.

“I feel I have a responsibility to pass on the lessons I have learned, to help young women avoid some of my mistakes and to provide inspiration for them to chase the same dream,” she said.

“Female participation in F1 is changing mindsets in a positive way. The more little girls and young women who start racing, the more opportunities they will have at the top level.

“We need to make sure girls know motorsport is an option for them. When I feel the time is right, I want to dedicate my energies to a project that can attract young women to the sport and help open doors for them. But it's early days yet.

“We all have a duty to nurture our sport. It has given us so much and we have to put something back to help it evolve in a positive way. In the long term, a more diverse sport will be even richer, healthier and more competitive than it is today.

“We need to encourage participation and make opportunities happen for the young drivers and engineers who are the future of motorsport - and that includes the women who make up 50 per cent of the population. “

✅ Check out more posts with related topics: