Toto Wolff Once Rightly Opposed a Separate Series for Helping Women in F1

The Mercedes team principal, who is in charge of leading one of the best Formula 1 teams, has rightfully opposed a separate series for assisting women in the sport. An all-female series, in the opinion of the man who himself competed in Formula One, could hurt women’s chances of succeeding at the highest level of motorsports.

A London-based startup had plans to launch the first women’s series back in 2017. The idea included a proposal for six races with female drivers, and the winner would receive a test drive in Formula 1. The programme stood in stark contrast to the apex of motorsports, which is utterly dominated by men.

However, the person who has led his team to constructor’s title for eight years in a row is concerned that the plan’s outcome could not be as intended. According to Wolff, “An all-women championship is giving up on the mission of eventually making girls compete on a high level and against the boys in Formula One,” said Wolff. “It is undermining what girls are able to achieve.”

“When a sport comes down to physical power, then it definitely needs to be split between men and women, but motor racing is a little bit like horse riding where we fight with the same tools. I believe that motor racing is a sport where women can take on men,” he added.

READ MORE: Mercedes Boss Toto Wolff Narrates the Unfair Tale of How His Millionaire Wife Susie Was Denied a Shot at Racing

Susie Wolff, who originally intended to obtain a Williams seat, is now driven to raise the girls from an early age in order to secure them a place in the motorsports industry.

Toto Wolff’s life partner Susie Wolff believes women need to be nurtured at an early age

A woman hasn’t driven in Formula One since 1976. At the Austrian Grand Prix, a lady from Italy named Lella Lombardi was the last to compete. Since then, getting into Formula 1 has presented significant challenges for women. In order to give you proof, the W series competition had to finish its season early owing to a shortage of funding.

Susie Wolff stated the W series was a brilliant effort and would have helped the female drivers to enter the top echelons of motorsports. Moreover, if women can be nurtured at a young age, then it can be a little easier for them to enter formula 1. In a conversation with the Performance People podcast, she said, “I think it’s about getting a talent early enough and nurturing it because it’s so competitive. You have to be the best of the best.” 

Adding further, she said, “Formula 1 is the pinnacle of the sport, so you have to be on the level. That means getting a young girl at karting level and nurturing her and guiding her all the way up through the ranks so she’s ready to compete in Formula 1. I think W Series is great in that it creates opportunity, it gets girls racing, but we have to be realistic that in order to make it to Formula 1, you need to race against men.”

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There haven’t been any female Formula 1 drivers for a very long time, despite celebrities like Jamie Chadwick being linked with the sport. Do you think the sports will soon welcome its next female driver?