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Women don't have the aptitude for F1 success - Moss

Sir Stirling Moss: "I just don't think they have aptitude to win a Formula One race" © Getty Images

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• Drivers:
• Giovanna Amati
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• Lella Lombardi
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• Stirling Moss
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• Susie Wolff

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Sir Stirling Moss does not believe women have the mental aptitude to succeed in Formula One.

The last female driver to take part in a Formula One grand prix was Giovanna Amati but she failed to qualify for all the events she entered. Lella Lombardi is the only woman to score in an F1 race when she took half a point at the shortened 1975 Spanish Grand Prix.

Moss, who won 16 F1 races in his illustrious career, believes women do not have the mental attitude to compete at the highest level in Formula One.

"We've got some very strong and robust ladies, but, when your life is at risk, I think the strain of that in a competitive situation will tell when you're trying to win," he told the BBC. "The mental stress I think would be pretty difficult for a lady to deal with in a practical fashion. I just don't think they have aptitude to win a Formula One race."

Moss raced in F1 in the 1950s and early 1960s when grands prix would usually run over two hours in length and occasionally break three hours.

"The trouble is, when you're racing, it's pretty tiring," he added. "We had three-hour races in those days. You needed tremendous concentration. Now races are only one hour and 10 minutes."

Williams development driver Susie Wolff, who is hoping a young driver test later this year could open the door to a race seat, said she cringed when she heard the Moss interview.

"I completely disagree with him. It makes me cringe hearing that," she told BBC Sport.

"I don't know where to start after hearing that interview. I've got a lot of respect for Sir Stirling and what he achieved, but I think we're in a different generation.

"For Moss, it's unbelievable that a female would drive a Formula 1 car, which is fair enough. In the days they were racing, every time they stepped into a car, they were putting their life on the line. But F1 is much more technologically advanced, it's much safer than it was."

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