1997 Formula 1 champion Jacques Villeneuve says the lack of female drivers on the current grid is fundamentally a numbers game.
Speaking on Sky Sports F1 in Azerbaijan alongside three-time W Series champion Jamie Chadwick, who became the first woman in over a decade to test a Williams F1 car this week, Villeneuve pointed to the small talent pool as a major issue for women in motorsport.
“It’s tough because there aren’t many women, or enough women trying,” Villeneuve said. “The talent pool is small, so that makes it very difficult. For 1000 men, maybe you have one woman trying, and then that complicates matters.”
Chadwick argued that another issue is the lack of available seats in F1, but added that she was encouraged that her test proved it was physically possible for a woman to race in the machinery.
“We were talking about Formula 3 champions, Formula 2 champions, all struggling to get seats. It’s not just women who are struggling to get seats. Everyone is struggling to get seats.
Jamie Chadwick, Williams
Photo by: Williams
“For me, what doing that test has really solidified is that women can be capable and will be capable in the future. But, as Jacques said as well, we just need more getting into it, and eventually, we’re going to see a female Formula 3 champion, a female Formula 2 champion, and ultimately, on [the F1] grid fully on merit.
“So as much as I would have loved to have said, ‘Yeah, I’d easily be fine.’ I wouldn’t, just because of the level that they operate at. But to physically drive the car and get in, it was very tough on my neck, but possible. So, that’s positive.”
The 28-year-old British driver, who serves as a Williams ambassador, completed 32 laps of the Portimao circuit in the Grove outfit’s 2025 FW47 machinery.
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