Danica Patrick Reveals Her Challenge For Formula 1

Danica Patrick attends the 2018 ESPYs.
Danica Patrick attends the 2018 ESPYs.

Danica Patrick broke numerous barriers during her time in auto racing. She became the first female driver in NASCAR history and the the first female to ever lead during the Indianapolis 500, despite facing tremendous adversity and pushback simply for being a woman.

One of the most stark examples came in 2005 when Patrick was racing in IndyCar. At the time, Formula 1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone told reporters that “women should be dressed in white like all the other domestic appliances.”

Although she might be officially retired from professional racing, Patrick is now calling upon Formula 1 to create a more inviting environment for women. She cited Ecclestone’s comments as an example of what leadership in F1 shouldn’t do if they seriously want to open the sport to female drivers.

“I can remember some negative things that Bernie Ecclestone said about me, so maybe say nice things!” Patrick told RACER when asked how female drivers can get more opportunity in Formula 1. “Make people feel welcome!”

Patrick, 39, never raced in F1, despite rampant speculation throughout her days of competing. She did race at some of the sport’s lower levels at the beginning of her career, but explained that she found it more difficult to be accepted as a woman abroad than she did in the United States.

“I can definitely speak to this in terms of domestic in the States and in England — I definitely didn’t feel like I was as welcome in England as a girl,” Patrick said. “So I always felt like England and Europe were more behind in their social structures and their hierarchy of who does what and gender dynamics. I don’t know, for me that?s how it felt.”

Patrick did acknowledge that her experience in England was over two decades ago, so she hopes that the culture is more willing to accept a female driver in the current day.

“What changes that? The people in charge have to change their attitude,” Patrick told Racer, per NESN. “It’s like a cultural thing, it’s like a cultural norm. You can see it in the States all over the place — all kind of different cultural things really getting pushed through and lots of narratives and a lot of drama around it. There’s a lot of initiative here to make things not normal, normal.

“… I don’t know if that’s normal. I haven’t lived there in a long time, so I would imagine that it’s better than it used to be, of course. I was there in 1998-2001, so over 20 years ago. I’m sure it’s different now, but I know the States progress so even if the world is progressing at the same rate, when I experienced it at the same time we were in different spots.”

Danica Patrick will get a chance to be around a Formula 1 race this weekend as the 20 drivers travel to Austin, Texas for the United States Grand Prix. She’ll join theSky Sports F1 team for the Circuit of the Americas race, starting with qualifying on Saturday night.

The post Danica Patrick Reveals Her Challenge For Formula 1 appeared first on The Spun.

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