F1 BOSSES On Danica Patrick, Danica FOX News Interview

(from autosport)

Formula One would welcome a winning female driver like Danica Patrick if she could show she was as competitive as the men, team bosses said on Friday.

American Patrick last month became the first woman to win a race in the Indy Racing League (IRL) when she triumphed at Japan's Motegi Twin Ring circuit.

"I think it shows that it is possible for an extremely talented lady to be competitive in what is historically seen as a male environment," Toyota motorsport president John Howett said at the Turkish Grand Prix when asked about the 26-year-old's achievement.

"It probably opens people's eyes to the possibility of that happening."

Formula One has had several women drivers in the past but none have been rewarded on the track.

The most successful was Italian Leila Lombardi, who scored half a point when she finished sixth in the 1975 Spanish Grand Prix at the wheel of a March. Half points were awarded because the race was cut short due to a fatal accident.

The last woman to try to enter a grand prix was Italian Giovanna Amati, who failed to qualify her Brabham in 1992.

"I think it probably would be very good," Howett said of the possibility of a woman F1 driver. "We just need to see a driver with the capability that could deliver performance.

"If we could find a suitable driver we'd be delighted. We have young driver programmes but unfortunately most of those who are coming into karting at the moment and are delivering performance are male."

Honda team principal Ross Brawn agreed: "We can all see the commercial attraction, how exciting it would be to have a female driver in Formula One," he said.

"I think the key thing is that they can be competitive, because it would be a shame if purely because they were a female driver they got put in the car and couldn't compete properly. If they could compete properly, it would be great."

Patrick already has a strong resume. In 2005, she became the first woman to lead a lap of the Indy 500 and finished fourth.

Last year's Indy 500 had three women racers, more than ever before, with Patrick joined by compatriot Sarah Fisher and Venezuelan Milka Duno.

While Fisher drove a McLaren Formula One car on an exhibition lap at Indianapolis before the 2002 U.S. Grand Prix, Patrick has said she would be interested only in a serious test.

Mercedes motorsport vice-president Norbert Haug saw no reason why women should not be as successful as the men.

"It's certainly not possible in soccer to compete against each other, it's not possible in various sports, but it should be in motorsports as Indy Racing League has proven and as DTM (German Touring Cars) has shown," he said.

"We had a winner in touring cars 16 years ago with Ellen Lohr beating her team mate (1982 Formula One world champion) Keke Rosberg, which was not very pleasing for my friend Keke," added Haug.

"Hopefully Formula One will experience that in the future."



DANICA PATRICK INTERVIEW ON FOX NEWS by Jason Whitlock:

This weekend, for the first time in more than a decade, the race for the pole and one of the 33 starting spots in the Indy 500 will carry the significance it did when I was a kid growing up just a few miles from IMS.

The open-wheel-racing feud is over. Tony George won a long, bloody and almost deadly war, forcing Champ Car to surrender to the wants of George's Indy Racing League. Now it's time for Danica Patrick to save open-wheel racing.

The stage couldn't be more set. She arrived in Indy for "the month of May" having secured her first victory, a historic triumph in the Japan 300 at Motegi three weeks ago. With that in mind, I sat down with Patrick 12 days ago at Kansas Speedway and chatted up my second-favorite driver of all-time (after Tom "The Gas Man" Sneva).

Question: I suspect 20 years from now when you're done with racing and maybe decide to write a memoir, there will be stories that shock even hardcore race fans. You're a strong, plain-spoken, attractive woman competing in an environment that's really the equivalent of football.

Danica Patrick: "Are there things going on that people just have no idea and stuff people would be like, 'Holy crap, that's a lot?' (There's a pause.) People probably have no idea how hard I worked after (winning). I didn't have a chance to eat. I ate my food while somebody was doing my hair. It's been so busy and I think that's one of the things people don't realize how much work it is to answer questions and do interviews. I put a lot into it. At the end of the day after a bunch of interviews, I'm really tired emotionally. I always want to give people a good interview. I want to give them honest answers. I'm not trying to beat around the bush about stuff. I put a lot of heart and soul into my interviews. I think there are always things that go on that are like, 'Are you kidding me?' Dynamics within teams. Dynamics just at home. There are always things, interesting things, that people don't know. They're things you should keep because it kind of adds to the interest. If your life is a total open book and everybody knows everything, then there's no mystery. What is there to wonder about? Heroes, people you look up to, like little kids look up to, they see you up here, and, to some degree, that's good. Kids need heroes and they don't need to know everything. They need examples. This world lacks a lot of that because our lives are so public these days."

Question: Hmm. So winning and all that comes along with victory complicate things? Does it make winning the next race more difficult?

Danica Patrick: "One thing I've learned over the years is I seem to perform under pressure. It's weird, but good I guess. Hopefully this will be no different. But I would never sacrifice performance for an extra day of on-camera activities or an extra day of travel. I always make sure the racing comes first. That's what really matters. That's what puts me on the map. That's what gets people interested and that's what keeps people talking. It's when I do well in the car."


"This is the first time I've had teammates believe in me and try and help," Danica Patrick says. (Darrell Ingham / Getty Images)

Question: Two years ago you jumped ship from Rahal Letterman to Andretti Green. You indicated at the time that Rahal Letterman wasn't as committed to winning as you would've liked. In retrospect, you've been proven right. They're down to one car, and you've reached the victory circle thanks in large part to the fuel strategy of your team. It looks like vindication to me.

Danica Patrick: "There were a couple of strong people within Rahal Letterman. Unfortunately, we just didn't have the leadership that we needed, the funds we needed to go forward as a team and be really competitive. There were definitely various reasons for leaving. One of the great strengths of Andretti Green is just the team, everything is about the team. There are just so many engineers. People like Kyle Moyer (general manager of Andretti Green) who have been around for so long. These are people that just (want to win). I'm not saying they (Rahal Letterman) didn't want to win. But I'm saying Andretti Green really, really wants to win and will do everything to get there."

Question: What's the best thing about being a member of Andretti Green?

Danica Patrick: "Teammates probably. Just having help from your teammates, support, having a couple of friends out there. I don't think we give each double wide car with the space everywhere. But we give each other the space to drive. And we respect each other. And we always come to the end of the year and it's all about the team winning races and the team winning championships. It's nice. I never felt like I had that kind of relationship before with teammates anywhere — from go-karting on. This is the first time I've had teammates believe in me and try and help.

Question: Do you think you would've won in Japan if you were still with Rahal Letterman?

Danica Patrick: Umm (long pause, four seconds). Well, I think that's obviously a difficult question. But I will say we were in a position in 2005 (at Motegi). We were faster in '05. I legitimately had a couple of chances to win. We were on the pole quite a few times. Our race car suffered but we were on track to do something very similar in '05. I ended up finishing fourth (at Motegi). There was a caution that came out at the end. I was just turning my fuel back up to go pass as many cars as possible and people were going to start running out of fuel. But again there was a caution. Could've happened in '05, but do I think if I was with Rahal Letterman this year, then I think Ryan Hunter-Reay is a good driver and I think if they would've had, you know, they, you know, he didn't, he didn't win. So."

Question: How do you feel about the people saying your victory was won in the pits and not on the track?

Danica Patrick: "Totally expected. Totally expected. The people who don't believe I can drive two weeks ago, don't believe I can drive now. I really don't think that is going to change much. Either people believed in my results and me and what I did or they didn't. I don't think that win changed a lot. The bottom line is winning does matter, and it does matter more to some people. So those people probably were slightly convinced. I can't convince everybody."

Question: How about with your peers, the competitors and peers you deal with on pit road, how have they responded to your victory?

Danica Patrick: "Glad. The response from the people in pit lane and other drivers, owners and everything has been so very positive. And I'm so grateful for that. We as owners and drivers know each other on such a different level than the fans know us really. We know how we act with each other on the track and off the track and who's nice and who's not. We see each other so much. We really get to know each other on a different level."

Question: Have you heard from Bobby Rahal? Has he congratulated you?

Danica Patrick: "I haven't seen Bob. But I just came from my motor home and my husband, Paul, walked in and said, 'Everybody is really happy for you, Danica.' He said, 'Bobby Rahal gave me a big hug.' I said, 'That's really rice.' It's not like we don't like each other. We just don't talk anymore really. We say, 'Hi,' in passing. It's obviously not the relationship you have when he's your owner. I think that was very nice to have happened."

Question: Are you surprised Bobby Rahal hasn't personally congratulated you? You guys have a pretty long history.

Danica Patrick: "In saying that, yeah, maybe. Then again, after Graham (Rahal) won I didn't call Bob. I don't think there's any point in saying anything negative. We are what we are as friends because of what has happened."

Question: Who is the coolest person you've heard from since winning the Japan 300?

Danica Patrick: "Hillary Clinton . . . I don't really want to say exactly what she was asking about, but she sent me . . . "

Question: A letter asking for a campaign contribution?

Danica Patrick: "No, she was not asking for campaign money. I'm not picking and choosing a side in the campaign world. But she sent me a very nice letter. She just recognizes the moment. She recognizes that she's in a similar boat. And I stop and think about that. Did I ever think I would be alive when a female would be president? I don't know. I really don't know. I always thought it would be possible. To be in the moment of it, it's a big deal."

 

She has a shot at F1, remote, but even I do not think she at this time would do exceptional on a road course. But the kid has desire, so you never know and I certainly do not share your opinion of Ms Legge. So far, Dainica's better.

 

Obviously, I have never been concerned what anybody here thinks. Too many amatuers. ;}

I believe that Danica Patrick has race driver talent, and she has time to learn more. I believe without any doubt that she could do OK in F1, but probably not in the top 8 consistently. If she were to go into F1, she is the ONLY American race driver that can bring American interest in that sport. Neither Andretti did it, Cheever didn't do it, Hill or Guerney didn't do it. Marco won't do it, neither would anyone named Rahal. But an attractive woman that has real PROVEN skill, will make F1 an common word to the next generation of race fan. What would be wrong with that??

I am all for Danica Patrick and I hope she smashes the ego of every male on and off the track. Go Danica!!!

And I also believe that Felipe Massa has improved in one year more than any driver in any series I have seen in my lifetime. That is impressive, he has the ability to be WDC, whether he controls himself and does it is another issue. Go Felipe!

 

Is this some sort of genetic thing, to always be wrong??

There is NO debate in IRL about her skill, she has the other drivers respect, and as for F1, she would be the one and only reason Americans would embrace that sport. She just outqualified all of AGR teammates for the 500, are you in some sort of coma or just a MCP?? She is the real thing!

I disagree with you about the F1 managers taking notice of Danica, they have, she will get the chance, and she will do well.

I am all for anyone that makes F1 a regular event in the USA, and I am all for Danica's success.

 

Michael, I have never taken the popular position unless I really believed it. It is so easy to go with a proven winner. I prefer to go for reality. Stats are all I care about, and both canica and Felipe have the stats to back my comments.