Female F1 driver ´wouldn´t be taken seriously´ – Ecclestone

Formula One chief Bernie Ecclestone believes a female driver competing at the elite level of motorsport “wouldn’t be taken seriously”.

Ecclestone, 85, has his doubts over a female racing in F1 anytime soon.

Only two female drivers have ever taken part in an F1 race, the last being Lella Lombardi in 1976.

In recent times, Susie Wolff took part in a practice session at the German Grand Prix in 2014 for Williams, but has since retired from motorsport.

When Ecclestone was quizzed by TSN about another female driver competing in F1, he said: “I doubt it.

“Because if there was somebody that was capable they wouldn’t be taken serious anyway. So they would never have a car that’s capable of competing.”

He added: “There was a girl that was driving in GP3 for a whole season. So it’s not something that hasn’t happened.”