Bernie Ecclestone floats idea of Female Formula 1 World Championship

Susie Wolff, Williams test driver

Kuala Lumpur, March 30 (IANS)

Formula 1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone has put forward the idea of creating a women's world championship to run alongside the existing event on race weekends. Ecclestone made several suggestions on Sunday during the Malaysia Grand Prix about how the sport's "show" could be improved, including the return of double points for the final three rounds of the series.

Ecclestone said his idea of a women's world championship is a plausible way of enhancing the presence of women drivers in motorsport.

Only two females have ever started a Grand Prix with the most recent, Italy's Lella Lombardi, making the last of her 12 appearances in 1976. Susie Wolff serves as Williams' team's test driver.

"I thought it would be a good idea to give them a showcase. For some reason, women are not coming through - and not because we don't want them. Of course we do, because they would attract a lot of attention and publicity and probably a lot of sponsors," Ecclestone was quoted as saying by skysports.com on Monday.

"We have to start somewhere so I suggested to the teams that we have a separate championship and maybe that way, we will be able to bring someone through to F1."

However, Ecclestone said his idea was only a concept and no concrete decision has been taken regarding it.

"They could race before the main event, or perhaps on the Saturday qualifying day so that they had their own interest. It is only a thought at the moment, but I think it would be super for F1 and the whole Grand Prix weekend."