A quiet revolution

SINGAPORE — No bras are being burnt in the male-dominated world of Formula 1, but the likes of Williams deputy team principal Claire Williams, Sauber Chief Executive Officer and team principal Monisha Kaltenborn, and Williams F1 development driver Susie Wolff are nevertheless blazing a trail for women in motor sports’ biggest and richest race.

Tongue-in-cheek questions about parking, marriage and making babies are par for the course for these women, and British racing legend Stirling Moss even told BBC Radio 5 recently that he was not surprised there are no women drivers in F1 as they do not have the mental strength to cope with the demands of the sport.

But former DTM series driver Wolff remains undeterred as she maintains her focus on earning a place on the F1 drivers’ starting grid.

Wolff, who is married to Mercedes F1 Executive Director Toto Wolff, and Williams were guests at the inaugural Women in Motorsport event held at the UBS Business University this week, and the 30-year-old Scot was candid about the hurdles that she faces in her quest to become an F1 driver.

“The toughest thing is having to cope with constant criticism and stereotype that women aren’t good enough to race at F1 level,” said Wolff, who added that Moss had called her to apologise and wish her luck.

“At the end of the day, I’m not there to prove a point … I’m there as Susie Wolff, the F1 driver,” she told TODAY. “When I have my helmet on, you can’t tell if I’m male or female, what matters is how fast I can go.

“(But the reality is) you have to constantly change, constantly earn their respect. (Still) I don’t like to complain too much, because it’s self-inflicted! I chose this, it was always my goal and dream to be in F1.”

Likewise, Williams is familiar with the pressures that women face in F1. Actually, the 37-year-old gets a double dose of the very public scrutiny that comes with the sport as she is also the daughter of Frank Williams, the outfit’s founder and team principal.

Although she wanted to be a wife and mother when she was younger, Williams opted to embrace the family heritage after graduating from university in 1999 with a degree in politics. She joined the Silverstone Grand Prix circuit as a press officer before starting a 13-year-career at Williams first as a communications officer before her promotion to deputy team principal in March this year.

She confesses to be “terrible at reversing a car” but she is no pushover.

Tasked with recapturing the team’s glory days of the ’80s and ’90s, when the likes of Nigel Mansell, Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost helped the team to win seven world titles and nine constructors’ championships, Williams said: “F1 is a very addictive sport ... I love it.

“I love Williams and I want to do my bit to see Williams back to where I love our team to be. I’m a firm believer that if you’re good at your job, then gender doesn’t come into it.

“I certainly wasn’t appointed because I’m a girl. I was appointed, so I’ve been told, because I was the best person for the job.”

Amber Lounge founder Sonia Irvine’s world of glamour, glitz and celebrities would also not be possible in Monaco, Singapore, Abu Dhabi and Austin in the United States if not for the hard work of her 14-strong team of women who work in production, public relations, sales, marketing and design. Priced at S$900 and S$1,200 for individuals (Saturday, Sunday), and between S$8,000 and S$26,600 for a table of eight, F1’s most sought-after party celebrates its 10th anniversary this year.

She told TODAY: “What do people say about me? That I’m hard — I expect perfection, I expect it not only in other people but myself. Women are more focused, make less mistakes, and they try harder.

“If you look at Sauber, more and more females are coming up. You have to be focused, look at the skills you have and make them work best for you, and be super professional.”