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[racechick]

In a very bad way I think this could reflect badly one women reaching F1. I would imagine a lot of the older generation tutting and shaking there heads with a "Woman drivers" type of comment.

Only a bigoted, narrow-minded, uneducated and behind-the-times person would think this. And yes, as you say, it tends to be the older generation that fall foul of such odious prejudices.

That's a pretty stupid call.

Education somehow has a bearing on this how? Narrow-minded maybe, but that's rather subjective. "Behind-the-times" - yes, clearly everyone needs to jump on the popularity band-wagon. Let's no longer think, let's just do what the times dictate.

I'm not of the older generation, far from it, but people of the older generation do have a point here. Why stop at F1? Let's lead the way and be really hip, women in men's rugby! Recruit women into infantry battalions, we need to show 'em ol' farts how far thinking we really are!

You're saying the previouis poster made a stupid call and you compare women driving an F1 car to women playing men's Rugby. Pleeeease!!

[Hammer278]

Firstly, no one even knows if it was the fault of the driver, or it was equipment failure, or a horrible set of circumstances leading to the accident.

Maybe we should've stopped men competing in F1 because the greatest of them all (Senna) died all those years back? The arguments going on here don't even make sense when we haven't had access to the full information yet!

I say sh*t happens...just like all those guys who got hurt/died in the history of F1, this lady knew the risks and took it. Unfortunately for her, she's suffered the consequences but no one put a gun to her head and asked her to get in the car. The same way, no one should put a gun to any other woman's head and keep them away from racing cars, that'd be incredibly stupid. If the team wants a woman driving for them, and the woman wants to drive for them - it's called free will! People talking dictatorship in this thread is absolutely nuts!

With all due respect.

[ShoutingNow]

In a very bad way I think this could reflect badly one women reaching F1. I would imagine a lot of the older generation tutting and shaking there heads with a "Woman drivers" type of comment.

Only a bigoted, narrow-minded, uneducated and behind-the-times person would think this. And yes, as you say, it tends to be the older generation that fall foul of such odious prejudices.

That's a pretty stupid call.

Education somehow has a bearing on this how? Narrow-minded maybe, but that's rather subjective. "Behind-the-times" - yes, clearly everyone needs to jump on the popularity band-wagon. Let's no longer think, let's just do what the times dictate.

I'm not of the older generation, far from it, but people of the older generation do have a point here. Why stop at F1? Let's lead the way and be really hip, women in men's rugby! Recruit women into infantry battalions, we need to show 'em ol' farts how far thinking we really are!

You're saying the previouis poster made a stupid call and you compare women driving an F1 car to women playing men's Rugby. Pleeeease!!

I think you missed the point there, it's a bit of a parallel argument. He made a wide sweeping generalisation. Anyhow, debating the validity of analogies is fruitless.

[ShoutingNow]

Firstly, no one even knows if it was the fault of the driver, or it was equipment failure, or a horrible set of circumstances leading to the accident.

Maybe we should've stopped men competing in F1 because the greatest of them all (Senna) died all those years back? The arguments going on here don't even make sense when we haven't had access to the full information yet!

I say sh*t happens...just like all those guys who got hurt/died in the history of F1, this lady knew the risks and took it. Unfortunately for her, she's suffered the consequences but no one put a gun to her head and asked her to get in the car. The same way, no one should put a gun to any other woman's head and keep them away from racing cars, that'd be incredibly stupid. If the team wants a woman driving for them, and the woman wants to drive for them - it's called free will! People talking dictatorship in this thread is absolutely nuts!

With all due respect.

You didn't quote me directly, but I'm assuming you're responding to me? I apologise if you weren't.

Yes, stopping men competing in F1...because that clearly makes sense?

I didn't say it was her fault, and agreed...no one knows the exact cause or whose fault it is. But if you read what I wrote, that's not what I was going about. I wasn't dictating, I was calling on something with my opinion. OF course, it's just that, my opinion much like anyone else's here, whatever we say is not going to have any bearing on what actually happens right?

This need not go into some pointless argument about free-will and forcing people to drive. I called it as I saw it, fatalities involving women are more problematic, and this is not just Formula 1, this is with anything. And inevitably, as a consequence of this, this situation would be handled differently than if it were a man. I do not want to see ridiculous safety rules compounded upon more ridiculous safety rules because people are more worried about political correctness.

[Hammer278]

I hadn't actually read your post, but the general gist of this thread seemed inaccurate with people talking about 'women drivers this women drivers that'. I guess it includes your post as well, but I agree with your point of view that this accident shouldn't result in another knee jerk reaction for the FIA to introduce another raft of regulatory crap. It's motor-sports, the element of unpredictability will always be there, so making this a bigger deal just because it was a female doesn't make sense to me.

[ShoutingNow]

I hadn't actually read your post, but the general gist of this thread seemed inaccurate with people talking about 'women drivers this women drivers that'. I guess it includes your post as well, but I agree with your point of view that this accident shouldn't result in another knee jerk reaction for the FIA to introduce another raft of regulatory crap. It's motor-sports, the element of unpredictability will always be there, so making this a bigger deal just because it was a female doesn't make sense to me.

Unfortunately things that shouldn't happen do, and it will certainly be a bigger deal because it is a female. When was the last time a female driver was in an F1 race, 1992 or something I think? It will be big alright.

It's too early to talk about failures and errors since we don't know the full details of what happened, but if it turns out it was due to driver error, I think it may be a blessing that this happened in a testing place at a relatively lower speed than have something like this happen out during a grand prix for the televised world to see.

[racechick]

It has happened in a race for a televisied audience to see. Sadly many times. Its a racing driver, that its woman should have no bearing on the situation. Her inexperience and health and safety at the track may need questioning, but her gender, no.

[ShoutingNow]

It has happened in a race for a televisied audience to see. Sadly many times. Its a racing driver, that its woman should have no bearing on the situation. Her inexperience and health and safety at the track may need questioning, but her gender, no.

Oh yes, how many female drivers in F1 have we seen lately being killed or involved in near fatal crashes? Bar the one that just happened during testing? Zero.

Like I said before, what something is currently, and what something should be are two different aspects. You're saying that because she's a woman it should have no bearing on the situation, agreed. Unfortunately that's not realistic, it will definitely have a bearing and if one does die, it will take off all over the news. From there the consequences that will follow should be obvious to anyone who's been watching F1 for at least the last 15 years.

Pretending like it's not different or idolising idealistic situations is of the least consequence and has no bearing on the reality of the situation and I know plenty of you here are probably agreeing silently anyway.

[What's Burning?]

I believe I read something when her announcement with Marussia as a test driver was floated around that it was her boyfriend, an investor in the team that makes for the connection between her and the F1 assignment.

[bud]

I believe I read something when her announcement with Marussia as a test driver was floated around that it was her boyfriend, an investor in the team that makes for the connection between her and the F1 assignment.

Sounds like the Williams driver to me.

[vaptin]

It has happened in a race for a televisied audience to see. Sadly many times. Its a racing driver, that its woman should have no bearing on the situation. Her inexperience and health and safety at the track may need questioning, but her gender, no.

Oh yes, how many female drivers in F1 have we seen lately being killed or involved in near fatal crashes? Bar the one that just happened during testing? Zero.

Like I said before, what something is currently, and what something should be are two different aspects. You're saying that because she's a woman it should have no bearing on the situation, agreed. Unfortunately that's not realistic, it will definitely have a bearing and if one does die, it will take off all over the news. From there the consequences that will follow should be obvious to anyone who's been watching F1 for at least the last 15 years.

Pretending like it's not different or idolising idealistic situations is of the least consequence and has no bearing on the reality of the situation and I know plenty of you here are probably agreeing silently anyway.

Your using a strawman argument though, we don't know the reaction will be like that.

I agree there is institutionalised sexism society that results in increased sympathy towards Women victims, but F1 is clearly a luxury/privileged pursuit (or as Hammer put it "no one put a gun to her head"), so I don't see an over protective feeling toward the dangers of f1 resulting from this, as she knew the dangers when she stepped into the car, and F1 driving doesn't elect the mass sympathy or romantic notions from the general public that say, being a princess does; so I expect the public reaction to be one of individual danger and choice, not nasty F1 against the feeble women.

[racechick]

She's a racing driver, she knew the risks same as all the other racing drivers.

[Big Azza]

I've been shying away from this thread for fear of making a silly remark. But firstly, it distresses me to hear this has happened to De Villota. I was only just thinking about her the other day...

I can't wish her a speedy recovery, because she won't recover, fully. So what I hope for her is that she can take a leaf out of Zanardi's book and live life to the fullest in the aftermath. Hopefully she will still be associated with the sport she loves...

Now I'm not sure whether I've misunderstood you ShoutingNow, but I think you are suggesting that women should not be allowed to drive in F1? Forgive me if I am completely wrong, however, it should be mentioned that no one can point the finger at women being incompetent when it comes to open wheel racing.

All you need to say in response is: 2008 Indy Japan 300. Danica Patrick became the first woman to win a race at the top level of American racing. Yeah she might not be as successful at it then men will, but if women come into the sport with a natural disadvantage and still want to take it to the men, well then I tip my hat to them.

The person who comes to mind who I think is inspirational is Susan Polgar, who is basically recognised as a Male Chess Grandmaster, because she chooses to compete with men.

It may be that racing could evolve in future to have a men and women's category. That is not designed to be derogatory toward women - however most sports have a seperate division for women, recognising the different physical capabilities. Such an approach would hopefully get more women into motor racing, even to the extent of being run as one of the support races to a main grand prix.

But traditionally, women have ALWAYS competed in motorsports with men. So that is a tradition that is unlikely to change.

Now I certainly hope I haven't said anything silly. Sorry I couldn't have broken it up with more smileys, I can't seem to find a place to use them anymore...

[NocturnalTendencies]

Catching up on this story, I've perused comments online by pardon my French machismo f***s attesting her accident due to a "female driver".

That really pisses me off as this apparent ECU anomaly has been proven to happen to inexperienced Male drivers in the past.

Hope she recovers as best as can be.

[CookinFlat6]

I think the fact that its a female driver has clouded the real issue here

Lack of testing

if she or any male test driver had more time to get to grips with these cars I doubt this would have happened