Photo Credit: Fred Dufour/AFP
F1 legend, Stirling Moss, bashed women racers during a recent interview with BBC Radio 5. The Formula One legend is a winner of 16 Grand Prix back in the 1950s and 1960s.
“I think women certainly have the strength, I don’t know if they have got the mental aptitude to race hard, wheel-to-wheel. I just feel they, as one would expect in a fight, I really don’t think that a woman is equipped to come in and compete against men. The trouble is, when you’re racing, it’s pretty tiring. We had three-hour races in those days. You needed tremendous concentration. Now races are only one hour and 10 minutes…. We’ve got some very strong and robust ladies, but, when your life is at risk, I think the strain of that in a competitive situation will tell when you’re trying to win…. The mental stress I think would be pretty difficult for a lady to deal with in a practical fashion. I just don’t think they have aptitude to win a Formula One race.”,” stated Stirling Moss during the interview.
What do you think about his statements during this interview? Do you agree? Disagree? Do you think what Stirling Moss stated was inappropriate?
One racer has come forward and responded publicly to Mr. Stirling Moss’s remarks.
“I’ve got a lot of respect for Sir Stirling and what he achieved, but I think we’re in a different generation. For Moss, it’s unbelievable that a female would drive a Formula 1 car, which is fair enough. In the days they were racing, every time they stepped into a car, they were putting their life on the line. But F1 is much more technologically advanced, it’s much safer than it was,” stated Susie Wolff.
Susie Wolff is a training driver for Williams F1 team. She is a rising star in the sport with the goal of racing professionally in the near future.
“I don’t want to prove how good women can be against men. I race because it’s my passion,” explained Wolff.
Sources:
USA Today
Scotsman News
