Women drivers in motorsport..

[SchUMine]

Turkish Rally Driver; Burcu Cetinkaya is doing Fiesta Sporting Trophy International this year.

http://fiestasportingtrophy.com/2008season.asp

[COD]

The NHRA has always had a good share of female drivers, some of which will be/are big names (Shirley Muldowney, Ashley Force, Melanie Troxel, Angelle Sampey etc.). I for one have never understood the reason behind it, but quality entertainment is always guaranteed and that's a winner in my book.

So women car drive straight, but are in trouble when they need to negotiate turns?

[Azumanga Davo]

So women car drive straight, but are in trouble when they need to negotiate turns?

I bet you think it's all point and shoot. I beg to differ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2-d5yePIno

I know that the car featured is not Melanie nor Hillary Will, but trust me, they have had their share of keeping things under control for the win...

[BDunnell]

Very interesting topic.

I can actually only think of one woman to ever truly compete on the same level (Michelle Mouton) as male counterparts.

Well, Louise Aitken-Walker was more than a match for her team-mates in the 16-valve Group A Peugeot 205 GTi. She was absolutely brilliant in the forests on the 1987 RAC Rally, getting that car well into the top 10, far ahead of her team-mate Kalle Grundel and indeed in front of all the other front-drive cars, before retiring with accident damage.

But going back further, there are many more female competitors one might mention. Desire Wilson, for instance — there are those who believe she could have gone really well in the F1 world championship (of course, she did really well in the British F1 series) if she had been given more of a chance. She won some major sportscar races with Alain de Cadenet, who rates her as the best team-mate he ever had, and she's tremendously quick and aggressive in the Goodwood Revival today. Before her, we shouldn't forget Pat Moss and Anne Hall in rallying, both of whom were more than a match for the men of the day, and there were others in numerous formulae, such as Christabel Carlisle who was very quick on track in Minis. I discount the female racers at Brooklands before WW2, because they competed in women-only events there called things like the 'Ladies' Bracelet Handicap'.

It's interesting that the women who are generally considered to have been the best in motorsport were all in their prime 20 years ago or more. As for why few have come along since then, and none in rallying which used to see such excellent female competitors, I really couldn't say.