It’s been a long time since a woman drove in Formula 1. This season marks the 45th consecutive time that no female driver has competed in a Grand Prix. Danica Patrick, a former IndyCar and NASCAR driver, thinks he knows why, as Bernie Ecclestone quipped.
Lella Lombardi was the last woman to compete in a Grand Prix in 1976. There hasn’t been a female Formula 1 driver since then. Patrick thinks this is because women are less accepted and welcomed in European motorsport than in the United States. This is partly due to negative feedback from people like Ecclestone, which makes women feel less welcome in the sport.
“I always felt like Europe wasn’t too far off when we look at gender dynamics. I felt more welcome in the States. I felt like people were happy to be there, it wasn’t there. Maybe. That’s part of the reason why you don’t see the ladies coming and going on a ladder.” Formula 1,” The American said in Motorsport.com.
Ecclestone’s sexist statement after Patrick’s debut
Patrick is not particularly pleased with the comment Ecclestone gave after her good results in her first year in IndyCar. Then he said about her: “A woman should wear white like all other household appliances.” According to her, such statements are very depressing and women should be welcomed into sports. “Saying nice things can make people feel welcome.”
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