Is motorsport mixed-gender? Some updated answers

A key feature of modern debates is their tendency to create factions, typically two main ones: for or against. You might have noticed that this binary approach clashes with the essence of sports. Think about it: being "for" or "against" something feels more like a political debate than a sporting one. In sports, factors closer to science and mathematics dominate: how often have we said that the laptime doesn’t lie, or that world championships won speak for themselves, or that a car crashing into a wall at 300 km/h without slowing in the runoff zone is a problem? These are arguments backed by numbers, facts, and formulas. Everything else is just chit chat. Let’s delve into some of the statements made by the former driver, which are largely based on her personal experience over 30 years ago—an era of different cars, tracks, and, let’s face it, a motorsport world that was vastly different from today.

Amati’s views: tradition and misconceptions
“I believe there are sports,” argues Amati, “that cannot be adapted to women, which anthropologically were created for men. There’s a centuries-old tradition,” she added, “and the fact that the first car was invented in the late 1800s by Karl Benz, a man.” Unsurprisingly, the Italian newspaper highlights how anti-feminist such statements can appear, as it becomes clear that Amati is not discussing motorsport itself but her personal opinions and worldview. These, however, have little to do with the real-world motorsport landscape, which has evolved considerably over the past three decades since her time. Amati’s use of the word “anthropological” might seem like an attempt to lend her argument a scientific veneer, but it lacks substance.

 

Even if we were discussing cultural norms rather than science, the notion that a sport’s origins determine its future is flawed. Was motorsport initially male-dominated simply because, at the time, women were relegated to subservient roles in society that prevented them from seeing car racing as an exciting, adrenaline-filled way to combat boredom? If we adhered to that logic, countless activities would remain exclusive to men. But that’s not the point. We don’t care who invented the car—which, like the airplane, is the result of collective innovation and not solely Karl Benz’s work. What matters is that in 2025, claiming that motorsport is not a mixed-gender discipline is simply incorrect. There are numbers—and reality itself—to refute such statements. Amati further adds: “Let’s face it: there are certain qualities like courage, adrenaline, and strength that not all women possess.” It’s here that the weakness of her arguments becomes even more evident. Let’s return to the numbers and scientific certainties.

 

Gender equality? No, thanks. The change starts from the roots
As of 2025, the number of women participating in motorsport has undoubtedly grown compared to Amati’s era, but these numbers—still quite low—aren’t the sole basis of the argument. What has changed significantly is the surrounding context, image, and interest the sport has generated over the years. In a short time, we’ve moved from umbrella-girls (nothing wrong with them, but it’s part of the change we’re discussing) to women drivers regularly competing in various FIA championships. While this transformation is still in its early stages, it’s worth acknowledging.
When discussing female drivers, two considerations—both technical/sporting rather than cultural—are key. If we think of motorsport as a pyramid with F1 at its apex, we must consider the pyramid’s base. You’re likely aware of the vast number of boys starting their racing journeys in go-karting. It probably won’t surprise you to learn that only a tiny fraction of that massive base makes it to the top due to numerous factors. Now consider that within that base, only a small percentage consists of girls. The math is simple: the lower the number of girls entering the sport at the grassroots level, the fewer will climb the ranks to F1. Clearly, there is greater access to karting for girls today, but we are still far from a scenario where female drivers are a common sight at the top. This is one of the main reasons why there are no women in F1 yet: too few are entering the sport at the grassroots level.

 

 

Women-Only Racing: the case of the F1 Academy
Let’s address women-only categories like the F1 Academy, often criticized and dismissed by Amati as “putting all the ducks in the same cage”. An industry professional might point out that a championship exclusively for women, featuring F4 cars with modest performance and driven by young women averaging 20–25 years of age, is not the way to bring women to F1. We’ve discussed this before: you can’t create an F1 driver overnight just because F1 marketing wants a woman on the grid.
However, championships like these, while not directly producing F1 drivers, are changing perceptions of motorsport. Seeing these women compete and knowing about these championships might inspire more young girls to take up karting—perhaps even asking their parents to bring them to the track with a go-kart. This could increase the base from which future F1-caliber drivers might emerge. Susie Wolff, for instance, understands this well. Through her collaboration with the Champions of the Future Academy, she actively promotes karting. For the upcoming 2025 edition of the COTFA six-round championship, 30% of entrants in the Mini, OK-N Junior, and Senior categories are female—a record percentage for an international karting championship. These numbers hint at a potential rise in the flow of women drivers into various FIA and non-FIA racing categories, demonstrating how high-level management in F1 (Wolff is a household name, whether Susie or Toto) is focusing its efforts on karting.

 

Progress is slow, but steady
Finally, let’s address a point where Amati’s arguments aren’t entirely outdated: driving these cars requires significant physical strength. There’s some truth here. In fact, this is perhaps the real—albeit often unspoken—reason why women aren’t in F1 yet. The absence of power steering in F3 (V6 - 3.4 litre single turbo engine - 380 HP) and F2 (V6 - 3.4 litre single turbo engine - 620 HP) cars makes them far more physically demanding to drive, especially for women. Amati’s reflection on this issue, based on her personal and dated experience, holds some merit. However, in a world that is evolving and envisioning new scenarios, motorsport is one of the most inherently gender-equal disciplines. Modern F1 cars, with their array of driver-assist systems and race management technologies, render such physical differences increasingly irrelevant. Reducing the debate to a mere clash of opinions steeped in stereotypes does little to advance modern sport—something it should and could well do without.