More than “just a driver”: A study of professional women racecar drivers' agency in motorsport

Hitting the barriers – Women in Formula 1 and W series racing

“…F1 is therefore classified as a unisex sport (Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile [online], 2013). There is a distinct lack of research into the intersection of sex and gender and F1 racing, although there has been some important work by Kochanek et al (2020) focusing on gender in The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR). Although the foundations of F1 and NASCAR differ greatly,4 they are both hugely popular, male-dominated motorsports where male gatekeeping remains prevalent.…”

“…It is apparent that attitudes of those directly involved in the industry are beginning to shift. Yet, they are hampered by persisting historical attitudes and reliance on women to ‘do better’ (Kochanek et al, 2020: 8) so that they can ‘cut it at the front’ and play with the boys in spite of the discrimination they face. What ties together the attitudes expressed earlier is assumed physical/mental inferiority and sexualisation.…”

“…It has been strongly argued that self-sexualisation is essential for women drivers who want to enter the world of motorsports as ‘mainstream discourse designates athleticism and femininity as incompatible’ (Kochanek et al, 2020: 6). It is also suggested that self-sexualisation is required to attract prospective sponsors (Wanneberg, 2011: 276).…”

“…Consequently, women athletes are caught in a ‘balancing act’ between presenting themselves as authentically feminine, heterosexually appealing women yet also serious race car drivers (Krane, 2001: 122). Kochanek et al (2020: 5) noted how one of their research participants was advised not to have the colour pink on her car so that she would be taken more seriously. Problematically, when women present themselves as feminine athletes, they also open themselves up to ‘disenfranchisement’ as they may be seen first and foremost as sexual objects, leading to their athletic careers being ‘trivialised’ (Krane, 2001: 122).…”

“…Wolff highlights in a blog post a cyclical problem which dominates conversation surrounding women’s sports: because there are not enough young girls karting and taking it all the way to professional driving in F1, there are no role models, and because there are no role models, there is little inspiration for young girls to continue the karting, and so ad infinitum (Wolff, 2015). Kochanek et al (2020: 5) found that women drivers typically gained entry into the sport through their fathers. Although some women drivers had access to the sport through female family members, women drivers often placed greater emphasis on their fathers as enabling their entry, evidencing the influence of gatekeeping in automotive racing.…”