We’re at a crossroads in the world of motorsport. Formula One – and by association, other racing series – has exploded in popularity. Particularly, and notably, among women. So, we’re sitting here, poised at the head of a pivot, waiting to see if we will convert this moment into meaningful, lasting change, or revert back, to the ways it’s always been.
There have been concerted efforts to draw women into the slipstream of single-seater racing’s ascendance over the years. And yet, progress in the last decade has been incremental at best. Women’s participation in motorsport racing has still never risen above 5% of the pool, and the W Series went into administration less than a year after its third season. However, the time now feels kairotic, with enough conditions coming together to catalyse change.
We’re not in Claire Williams’ era anymore. As we try to drill the posts in for long term change, there are a few key pillars to secure. The first is more visible role models (ELLE).
I think a ‘Thank You’ is due before I even begin to get started with this piece. Thank you to everyone involved- firstly and most importantly the incredible women I’ve spoken to who allowed me to share their stories, the FIA Girls on Track team and to everyone else killing it behind the scenes. Thank you.
Over the past couple of months I had the opportunity to speak to many women in motorsports. Ranging from mechanics to journalists to drivers to event organisers and so on. Anyone and everyone who’s in any way connected to the sport. I had a clear aim going into these interviews in giving these women a voice and a platform to be seen. Here’s what they had to say…
Esmeé Rosman- Circuit Manager
The Dutch has made a very impressive career for herself at the young age of 25. But she’s not finished just yet and still wishes to climb further up the motorsports ladder. However , her journey thus far has been nothing short of impressive.
(IMAGE- Esmeé Rosman)
I started all of my interviews asking each woman when and how they got into the typically ‘male’ sport.
Me- ‘Where does your love for motorsports come from?’
Esmeé- ‘My father is a big motorsports lover…it did not take long for me to inherit the passion…the apple really does not fall far from the tree because just like my dad I picked up go-karting as well’
(IMAGE- Esmeé & her dad)
Esmeé- ‘Visiting these events I have always said that I would be working at them one day as well’
Like many Esmeé didn’t start her working life out in sports. Upon completing highschool she chose a study in sales and afterwards worked in varying ‘office’ jobs. But this wasn’t what she was really passionate about and knew she had to seek out her dream job.
In February 2020, Karting Genk were looking for a front of office employee and by May the job was hers- giving her an entry into the field she so desperately wanted.
Esmeé- ‘I knew this was the job for me…there was no one more suited for this job’
In early 2021 a position became available for an events manager- which she undoubtedly secured. And by November of the same year she applied for an even higher role.
Esmeé-‘I went to my boss and asked him the same question as I did a year ago, only now I wanted to become the new events organiser and circuit manager. And he agreed’
Amongst other responsibilities she’s in charge of two professional karting series. Her favourite memory is having over 200 members at just one event- a record for the series.
One of the question that stayed the same amongst everyone I spoke to was ‘Have you faced any challenges during your career that perhaps your male colleagues wouldn’t ?’ However, Esmeé’s response (positively) shocked me.
Esmeé- ‘If I do not succeed at something I always look at myself first and where I can improve, I do not necessarily blame that on my gender’
Not only was I made aware of how incredibly driven she is but I also learnt a lot about the type of person I myself wish to be.
Although Esmeé hadn’t started out in motorsports with any prior connections or ‘ways in’ she has very successfully made a name for herself in the Netherlands.
‘I knew I would end up where I was supposed to end up’
-Esmeé Rosman
Contact info –
@Esmeerosman- Instagram
@carreracupbenelux- Instagram
Nicola Drew- PhD researcher (Department of Sociology at UOY)
Before joining the UOY sociology department to complete her PHD, Nicola previously wrote for motorcycle and motorsports publications. To name one, GRIP Motorcycle Magazine. When talking to Nicola I felt the best approach I could take was to just ask the questions I was genuinely interested in knowing the answers to. And to allow her to share her own experiences – as for one she is far more experienced than me.
Honestly, I just wanted to pick her brain and take it all in. Everything she said motivated something inside of me to push myself more and hopefully those reading will feel just as inspired by one of Uni of York’s own as I did.
Who better to tell Nicola’s story than Nicola herself.
Me- ‘How did you get into motorsports?
Nicola- ‘I’d been a fan of the British Superbike competition for many years before deciding to research it. I ride a sports motorcycle myself and having taken part in lower-level track and race day events, I know how difficult it is and I’ve always been in awe of those who can compete at a higher level. I enjoy writing and I was offered the opportunity 5 years ago to do some journalism pieces for the brilliant Lester Forbes at Motorsport Radio. At the same time, I was developing the idea for a PhD which focused on British motorcycle racing from a sociological perspective. I applied to the University of York and was successful in achieving a departmental scholarship, for which I am very grateful, and the rest, as they say, is history.’
Me- ‘Have you ever felt “intimidated” by the fact that it is such a male dominated sport? Or rather that you don’t belong within it?’
Nicola- ‘Definitely, and in different situations. I think it’s obvious that motorsport continues to be male-dominated, and the lack of experience by women in the paddock can leave them believing that their involvement is in some way less authentic. I’d say that I felt it the least when I was conducting interviews with racers – it’s their story and so generally the only pressure was to ensure that I asked the right questions and represented their position accurately. However, I felt it more when my own performance was under scrutiny – for example when being coached on track days by world level riders – now that is hugely intimidating! I think imposter syndrome is common, even for the traditional male motorsport demographic but there is definitely an added layer for women, fed in part by their historical lack of representation in the sport.’
Me- ‘How did you deal with those challenges?’
Nicola- ‘My way of dealing with challenges is to feel the fear and do it anyway! If you don’t, you won’t grow as a person,and you certainly won’t grow your career. Although motorsport has been male dominated since its inception, women have always been “on the scene” – and I’m really inspired by women such as Marjorie Cottle and Beatrice Shilling, who as racers and engineers in the 1920s and 1930’s probably faced a lot more barriers than we do now.’
(IMAGE- Miss Cottle with her Raleigh and smile.jpg)
The world of motorsports is very much for the rich and wealthy with the rare exceptions. I asked Nicola how she felt in terms of the sports inclusivity and she highlighted very well how the sport IS changing but still very much remains for those with affluence. However, as she points out there are many initiatives wishing to change that. And hopefully will.
The ‘performance gap’- where support doesn’t match up to women’s interests- doesn’t just apply to motorsports. Women (and other minorities) struggle to get investment, full stop. As of 2011, the investment into female sport stands at a shocking 0.5%. However thanks to initiatives, as Nicola mentioned, we are seeing a greater influx of minorities within motorsports.
Me- ‘Obviously, everything going on in the F1 world with Christian Horner at the minute has massively hindered progression for women… Would you say that there’s still a long way to go for motorsports as a whole to be more inclusive? Not just for women but for every other minority as well.’
Nicola- ‘I do think that motorsport is taking more steps to be inclusive. If we are talking about competing, then I would argue that anyone putting in a lap time half a second faster than the current series champion would secure a place in a team no matter what their race, gender identity, sexuality or disability status! I think the real barriers which exist are getting to that stage. Motorsport is extremely expensive, and the vast majority of competitors are self-funded – even at a national level.This has been increasingly evidenced, and initial findings from, for example, the 2021 Hamilton Commission, which investigated the lack of young, black people in motorsport (which) suggested that social privilege definitely plays a significant role in accessing motorsport as a career. Initiatives such as Driven by Diversity, which seeks to educate individuals on the value of inclusion in motorsport, More Than Equal which aims to produce the first ever female F1 champion and True Heroes Racing which supports the inclusion of disabled and injured ex-service people on the British Superbike grid amongst others, are a good sign of progress in this area, and give me hope for the future.’
Me- ‘It’s been said multiple times that the growing interest in the sport amongst younger girls is simply due to the “good-looking men”. There’s this narrative that women cannot like a sport for the sport itself and rather there must be another reason’
Nicola- ‘Yeah, I think that’s a harmful opinion and, in some ways, may be a way of denigrating women’s enjoyment of a sport which has traditionally been seen as something which largely only men should enjoy and be involved in.’
After asking a few questions on motorsports as a whole I wanted to learn more about her career as a sociologist and why motorcycle racing was the area she wanted to pursue her research in.
Me-‘Your research takes a sociological approach to motorcycle racing. What is the main focus of your research?’
Nicola- ‘My research concentrates on the experiences of being an elite motorcycle racer. Sportspeople at the top of their game are under immense pressure to get results –for both themselves and their teams and corporate sponsors. There’s a relevant motorsport adage here:“win on Sunday, sell on Monday”. I’m interested in how competitors negotiate all of this whilst having to navigate circuits on machines that don’t balance themselves, which are capable of speeds of around 200 miles per hour and whilst the riders are literally inches away from others trying to do exactly the same thing! This is what I think makes motorcycle racing very special and a unique context for sociological inquiry. I’m particularly interested in the degree of agency riders have. Who or what gets to decide their performance? What part does the media and corporations play in the perception of riders and the production of the spectacle of motorsport?’
Me- ‘What made you decide that motorsports was what you wanted to explore and dedicate your time to? From my understanding sociology is such a broad subject and there’s so many things that could be researched, so why motorsports?’
Nicola- ‘Believe it or not, there is hardly any sociological research which focuses on motorsport, and certainly not in the area of motorcycle racing. This is surprising really when you think that many of the traditional areas that sociology as a discipline considers (such as the media, the impact of global capitalism on society and spaces where large numbers of people come together to experience something) are present in motorsport. This then makes it a wonderful context in which to complete a PhD as it’s pretty original! I’d also like to think that any would-be PhD researchers in sociology might be inspired by just what you can actually research in sociology – it’s a dynamic, fascinating field.’
I then asked what her biggest achievement was and what she went on to say had me very jealous but equally amazed to say the least.
Nicola- ‘I’d say nominating three times motorcycle racing world champion Ron Haslam for an honorary degree from the University of Derby, and then providing a speech at his graduation in summer 2023 is a definite highlight. Ron is an absolute legend of the sport, and I’ve also been lucky enough to ride pillion with him at Donington Park circuit. It was the craziest thing I’ve ever experienced in my life, especially as every time we got back to the start-finish line, he’d pull a massive wheelie!’
(IMAGE- Nicola Drew, ‘Nicola and Ros Haslam Race school’, 2019)
After seeing that Nicola rides her own Suzuki GSX-R750 (which firstly is VERY cool) and given her involvement in the motorcycling cosmos, I wondered if her interests stopped at just bikes.
Nicola- ‘I totally respect sidecar and car racing, and I know people who compete in both, but my interests firmly lie in two-wheeled motorsport. There is something about the skill in balancing and riding an incredibly powerful machine at high speeds, which for me makes motorcycle racing the ultimate motorsport.’
(IMAGE- Nicola Drew, and her GSX-R750)
Finally, to end this interview I asked if she had any advice for those looking to follow in her footsteps? Either getting into motorsports journalism or as a sports sociologist/researcher.
Nicola- ‘Whether going into motorsport journalism or academia, the first thing I’d advise is maintaining your integrity. Reputation is very important in the world of work anyway; University research quite rightly demands it, and the paddock is a small place. My second piece of advice is to be nice to people and network! It’s surprising how many opportunities have arisen for me because I said yes to something like an event or a dinner invitation. And finally, be persistent. Motorsport is a highly competitive field to work in and you will experience knockbacks. But if you push through, you’ll get there. Good luck!’
To find out more about Nicola’s incredible research and to find links to her articles visit- https://www.york.ac.uk/sociology/our-staff/students/nicola-drew/
Jessica Hook – Design Engineer
In my brief conversation with Jessica, who currently works as a design engineer at Hendrick Motorsports and as the chief of staff for Nascar’s garage 56 project, she spoke about how women need to see other women modelling behaviours. In terms of opening doors and reaching their hands out behind them to pull others along.
(IMAGE- Hendrick motorsports, Jessica Hook)
Jessica has a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of North Carolina and has been in her field ever since. Jessica takes part in the testing and production of the race cars as well as their design. By looking at past race stats it’s her responsibility to make changes that either change a car’s performance or safety whilst also cutting costs when necessary.
But when asked why she decided motorsports in particular was the type of engineering she wanted to go into she said-
Jessica- ‘It was seeing Leena Gade in Audi’s Truth in 24 II: Every Second Counts documentary. I knew I wanted to be in motorsport, but it was a very fuzzy image. To see Leena Gade on that pit perch being the race engineer, it put everything into focus’
The one thing that personally stood out to me most was something Jessica had heard at a motorsports conference that she credits to changing her outlook on the importance of female representation within the sport. Hence the title of this article.
Jessica- ‘I once went to a women in motorsports conference, And there was this quote I heard, which has stuck with me ever since: “You can’t be what you can’t see”.’
Not only is this incredibly true but also has pushed women like herself to be greater role models for a younger generation of (in this case) female engineers.
Contact info available on –
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-hook
Catie Munnings- Red Bull Athlete and Rally Drive
And finally, the 25 year old red bull athlete who needs no introduction- Catie Munnings.
(IMAGE- catiemunnings.com)
Despite spending her life immersed in motorsports she grew up wanting to be a vet. Although Catie made reference to her fathers time as a rally driver and how she grew up surrounded by the sport.
Catie- ‘My dad had been a rally driver and I grew up in a motorsport entertainment company that was based at the family farm’
Catie is now an inspiration to many but who is this role model’s role model?
Catie- ‘Until I met Susie (Wolff) , I had no idea what was possible…she believes in what I believe in, she knows we need to get to the point where nobody is calling us “female” drivers. It inspires something in me. Even at 16, I thought: “This woman is amazing.” And it was so important to have that.’
Me– ‘Are people surprised when you tell them what you do?’
Catie- ‘I think they are surprised I’m a girl, but also I get told all the time I don’t look like I would be a racing driver, I’m not sure what that looks like though! I take it as a compliment though, I’ve always been the kind of person to be fuelled by people thinking that I couldn’t be successful in any situation in life, and it motivates me to show that I can.’
Although Catie has faced her fair share of challenges, which I will get onto in a moment, she says how the support around her has kept her going. And how having people believe in you is the biggest motivator.
Catie- ‘I always felt quite confident because they (her parents) always reassured me that I was talented and I deserve to be there regardless of my gender’
Me- ‘Even though you have this incredible support system to hold you up, are there challenges you have still faced that you would ‘blame’ on gender ?’
Catie- ‘People always say to me it must be easier to get sponsorship because you’re a girl, but I’ve never found that. We all know that motorsport is one of the most expensive sports and very inaccessible. At the same time, opportunities have been provided for women at the top level with new championships in the last couple of years, it’s great for us, but I think the main purpose of this is to show young girls watching it’s possible … so in the future we have a much higher chance of finding a champion from the bigger pool of girls entering.’
To end this article, some advice from Catie…
‘Have fun with it, we are so lucky we can do the sports we love and make sure you carry that fun with you through the whole journey because that’s what it’s all about!’
-Catie Munnings
Contact Info-
catie@catiemunnings.co
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