I'm not going to lie: I like Danica Patrick.
She's the all-around package: attractive, successful, smart and skilled. She has accomplished much with very little and against great odds.
Her maiden IndyCar victory at Motegi this year was truly amazing. At only 26 years old. she's on the rise in IndyCar, and with the reemergence of ChampCar and IndyCar joined at the hip, she's going to have her hands full very soon.
However, try as one might, it's impossible to deny one's dreams. Danica dreams of moving beyond IndyCar to the pinnacle of motor sports: Formula One. Who can blame her?
To be the best, a racer must suffer the trials, tribulations, and circus atmosphere of triple-digit corner-apexing speeds, physical stresses virtually unheard of in any other sport, and truly international competition and acclaim, all packed within the confines of the most advanced, fastest and expensive open-wheel race cars in the world.
We like you in IndyCar, Danica, but you're needed elsewhere.
The last American to grace the grids of Formula One was Scott Speed. The California native enjoyed little of the experience behind the wheel of his Scuderia Toro Rosso, a team admittedly created simply to reward the winner of the Red Bull Driver's Search program.
As unfortunate as his exit from the sport was, it was even more unfortunate in that it fueled the fires of the international community that Americans simply weren't cut out for the sport.
Further fueling that fire was the fact that since an American wasn't participating in the sport, its popularity began waning with the American audience.
Combine that with the (then-) awful state of open-wheel racing between the competing IRL and ChampCar leagues, and it's quite easy to see why Formula One was reluctant in signing a new contract with Indianapolis Motor Speedway hotshot Tony George.
Disappointment was had by all, and the future seemed dire for open-wheel racing—Formula One in particular—in the United States.
Then comes 2008 and the tides of change. Rumors abound of Tony George's IRL making nice with ChampCar and finally merging. Then comes fresh rumors of Tony George working to secure title sponsors for a 2009 United States Grand Prix, just in time to celebrate the Indianapolis Motor Speedway's centennial birthday.
After making the IRL/ChampCar merger official, Tony has gained a little more credibility, and many believe that if anyone can bring Formula One back Stateside, it's him.
With a united open-wheel scene and a return to IMS in 2009 in the works, it would seem that, despite a dire situation, things are looking to be on the upshot. The only way in which to make this situation any better would be if there was an American driver to rally behind.
Honda F1's Jenson Button, when previously interviewed by men's lifestyle magazine FHM had joked, "a girl with big boobs would never be comfortable in the car, and the mechanics wouldn't concentrate. Can you imagine strapping her in? You wouldn't want to be on the circuit with them, would you?"
Funny you should say that, Jenson. Danica Patrick just called. She said she wants your ride.
Yesterday, Honda CEO Nick Fry admitted to Austrian newspaper Kronen Zeitung that Danica will indeed test for the car company's Formula One team. The test, using the year's best configuration of the Formula One car, will occur at either Barcelona or Jerez in Spain in November. Both of these are popular testing grounds for the Formula One teams.
The last woman to attempt entry into the height of motorsports: Italy's Giovanna Amati. She lasted all of three qualifying sessions for Brabham in 1992 before being ousted in favor of Damon Hill.
comments (15) write a comment »
write a new comment
2 months ago
Would be an interesting prospect ... I havent got anything against it ... She is HOT though ha ha ... I would ;)
Good luck to her I say ... But not Jensens seat ... She can have Reubens chair !
from 2 months ago
I think Bernie would have a f@#king seizure if she made the attempt, though I think it would be great for the sport particularly in the United States. And yes, she is most certainly very attractive. That particular point can't be ignored as it makes her more marketable, which would be the only redeeming quality to Bernie's circus of beautiful people (in Bernie's mind anyways).
And while I do hope for her entry into F1 at some point in the near future... I don't want her taking Jensen's seat. He's a solid driver who just needs a better ride.
from 2 months ago
I agree with you completely ... Lets face it Jensen is top dog anyway and with Reubens retirement looming then it could make sense but I imagine it would be a long way away yet ... Watch this space no doubt !
2 months ago
I would love to see Formula One open to women. (Although many might object to this) women are good drivers, and allowing them to race at the top of motor racing would be excellent. I would welcome it as it would be more in our equal society we live in.
from 2 months ago
I'm going to ever-so-slightly disagree. If Danica makes it (and I have every confidence that if any female can do it, it'll be her), I don't want it to be because F1 is trying to become more politically correct. It should be either because she drove her ass off and impressed the right people, or they bring her in because she has a pretty face to be turned into a marketing tool. Those are typically the only two ways of getting one's foot in the paddock. It shouldn't change now. Remember: F1 is the best of the best. We tune in to watch the best go head-to-head, nothing less. In short, I'm hoping she makes it on her own merit.
2 months ago
Jensen's quote is applicable if he's talking about Milka Duno... But not Danica.
Just a simple observation, having see both up close this past weekend.
And Milka hides it well.
Otherwise I've said it before... Marco Andretti is the American who needs to be driving in F1. After this past weekend, I've seen his attitude up close, and I think he'd be a good fit.
from 2 months ago
If I recall correctly that quote pertained directly to Danica.
http://news.scotsman.com/latestnews/F1-driver-told-to-Button.2672991.jp
from 2 months ago
Hate to double-post, but forgot: I'd be more apt to want to see Marco if Nelson Piquet, Jr. wasn't having such an abortion of a season. It just makes me want to see FRESH blood as opposed to someone with a famous name (even though they might have the talent, the name doesn't help)...
2 months ago
I wish Danica Patrick the best, and she is clearly a talented driver, but I don't think she is ready for F1. How many drivers have done well in IRL or CART and upon entering F1 fallen flat on their faces and then out of favor? Juan Pablo Montoya jumps to mind as one of the most successful of those who "graduated" into F1. He drove for Williams and McLaren, and usually out drove Ralf Schumacher. He made good runs at the championship twice despite not driving a Ferrari. However, when paired with Kimi Raikkonen he was beaten by his teammate 19 out of 29 times and failed to start or finish in 13 races (Furthermore, while teammates, Kimi won 7 races to Juan's 3). It is unfair to call Montoya's career a failure, but when he left McLaren he was considered a fairly undesirable driver. Considering this is one of the better sets of results achieved by a former "American" driver, I just don't see someone like Danica being good enough if she continues to perform at her current level. If Juan couldn't cut it as a CART champion, Indy 500 winner, and now a relatively successful NASCAR transplant, how well will someone with 9 top 5 finishes and only one win out of three and a half Indy seasons fair? Forgetting the name of the person behind those numbers, you should not expect that person to make it into F1, and you wouldn't expect them to do well.
I wish her the best with her F1 test, but I think she has not reached the level of an F1 driver just yet.
2 months ago
Sorry Rob,
Autosport is reporting that the statement wa taken out of context and Honda "officially" do not have any plans to test Danica.
That being said even if it was to happen all it will be is a PR photo-op. While Danica is relatively talented(She is a better racecar driver than me) she is not an exceptional driver.
She has a grand total of 1 professional race victory. One in over 8 years.
That is one victory in a mid-level series.
One Victory a competitor depleted race(The better racers were in Long beach that weekend).
a victory in which the leader let her pass to save fuel(Conspiracy theories abound in that one)
A victory in a series where the rules give her a huge weight advantage.
One victory while driving for one of the Top teams in the series.
One Victory in an Oval race. Her road course record is even more dismal.
I can rattle off a dozen name of IRL drivers who are better racers than Danica and would be much more competative if F-1.
2 months ago
Hey be weary of what your saying about Danica...Just one week before her win at the Twin Motangi race, Jimmy Johnson won the NASCAR Sprint Cup race in phoenix and nobody complained then because of him being a dude or a champion. So what the problem with danica saying fuel and and then visiting victory lane.
I think that we will see more from her in the future and even though she's in a better cars, she much better than the likes of Sarah Fisher or Mika Duno
But all in all she is not going to be a formula one driver. One problem may be that she's a woman, but another issue is that she is american. There are a lot of options in terms of racing in the US when your American born.
2 months ago
Rob, thank you for this wonerful article that prompted me to write one more on the same lines.
Best Wishes.......
2 months ago
What the hell has Button accomplished ... what a waste of a seat.
about 1 month ago
Ah L-J Button may of only won one race in his f1 career ill give you that , but the fact that he can even get out of bed on race weekend and get in the car shows the true nature of this man , he is a spirited fighter , most would curl up in a ball and cry with embarrasment , not jenson , even now he is striving to push honda forward no matter what it takes out of him . he didnt have to sign a new deal , he could of ended up at mclaren instead of heikki but he stayed which shows his intent and will . everyone has their view , i dont view him as a waste of a seat . honda probably wont be up the top end of the field again until jenson is nearing retirement , so it shows his loyalty too and you dont get that much in any sport any more .
As for Danica Patrick i think she deserves the right to gain a race seat in f1 , it will be a learning curve no matter what , if it goes belly up then they know they tried and it failed , but she has to have a chance because she may be .... off a shovel in a f1 car . she is sexy tho ....yes very .and it will be an interesting time .
26 days ago
Rob, is she gonna be a F1 test driver or was it all media hype that she was gonna test for Honda? Looks like there was so much news saying she would test for Williams one day, and the other day for Honda. Where is she, by the way?
write a new comment