Formula One: The Women Who Do Work Part 2

If women racing seems a little far fetched, why don't we see more women on the teams themselves?  I have compiled a 'short list' of the women who currently work in positions on the teams (I understand that we have missed some and if you know of some, let me know) and it has come up pretty scarce. 

Without even having to look, the name that comes to mind atop the list is Monisha Kaltenborn.  She's been with Sauber for a little over 10 years and has sucessfully made her way up the coporate ladder to CEO of Sauber Motorsport AG. 





Kaltenborn at press conference.


• Monisha Kaltenborn - CEO Sauber Motorsport AG (first female Managing Director in Formula One)
• Marianne Hinson - Director of the Lotus team’s aerodynamics department.
• Kayleigh Messer - Motorsport engineer for the Renault F1 team.
• Lisa Lilley - Technology manager for Ferrari Shell Global Solutions.
• Tina Vajanszki - Tyre technician at Bridgestone

Women are found sporadically throughout the pits and with the teams but the numbers are low.  It's certainly not the issue of a woman not being able to assert herself into an environment and prove herself worthy if the job.
There just doesn't seem to be the number of applicants. 

“Within McLaren Racing at the moment, I think we probably have no more than 2 percent of our engineers are female.” and adding, “I haven’t done the analysis of what percentage of applicants are women, but it probably isn’t greatly skewed. I think that we probably have only 2 percent of the applicants are women.” - Martin Whitmarsh.

In April of 2010, the International Automobile Federation created a commission to support and encourage women to take part in all areas of motor sport, the Women & Motor Sport Commission (WMC).

"The WMC aims to put in place strategies and policies that will promote education and training, and put into practice actions and events that will strengthen the participation of women in all areas of motor sport. The Commission will work with the FIA’s sporting and non-sporting commissions, ASNs and other key international federations on joint sporting projects. The WMC will also take an active role in international forums and conferences devoted to the place of women in sport, and the advances that can be made."

And still, doesn't look to be anymore women on the teams than before.  Formula One is the most machismo sport there is.  It is not that women cannot qualify to fit in amongst the men on the team but feel more uncomfortable doing so.  Being a minority in the 'crowd' is uncomfortable anywhere, let alone with in a male dominated sport.  Don't get me wrong, I am sure that all the women on the teams are well accepted but there are some things and times that it would just feel uncomfortable.

“Engineering is slightly machismo, motor engineering is more machismo, racing cars even more machismo.” - Martin Whitmarsh