It's inarguable that motorsport has been a traditionally male-dominated arena. That's changing quickly, however, as more and more women today are discovering passions and careers in racing.
Formula 1, for example, has launched the F1 Academy, an all-female driver category designed to further women in motorsport. But despite this and other welcome developments, why is it apparent that women are still underrepresented in motorsport?
One Belgian analyst and avid racing fan, Candice Bouzendorff, aimed to find that out, leading a survey that has revealed public opinion on women behind the wheel. The results showed that 17.9 percent of respondents don’t know any female race car drivers, while 29.6 percent are unsure if there are women who work in motorsport at all. Meanwhile, 28.5 percent of respondents approved of separate, gender-based motorsport categories.
When asked about segregating men and women in racing, respondents provided varied opinions. Some doubted female driving abilities, saying they are generally inferior drivers, while others believed women lack interest in the sport.
The reasons given included physiological differences between genders and the highly physical demands of F1, suggesting women can't reach the same level of physical ability as men. Perhaps those reasons are why 82.1 percent of participants favoured women competing in their own championships.
On the other side of the fence, some respondents were of the opposite opinion, believing men and women should compete together in the same races. Those participants said there's no reason for men to outperform women (or women to beat men) and that talent is genderless. They stated that men and women are equally capable, going further by saying a single competition would go a long way towards legitimizing women in motorsport.
The history is clearly there, as women in the past have proved time and again that they belong on the highest stages of motorsport. Pioneers like Maria Teresa de Filippi, who broke the proverbial barrier as the first female F1 driver, come to mind. Leila Lombardi also raced in an impressive 17 F1 World Championship Grand Prix. It's inevitable that many more will follow their footsteps as championing women in motorsport becomes a more ubiquitous concept around the world.