Aston Martin driver ambassador Jessica Hawkins pushed back hard against the idea that women lack the physical strength for Formula 1, citing her 2023 test in the AMR21 as proof. The only limiting factor? Neck fatigue—a universal challenge for any driver jumping into a modern F1 car without recent high-downforce prep, not a gender issue.
The bigger roadblock sits lower on the ladder. F2 and F3 cars lack power steering, making them brutally heavy to steer—a barrier Hawkins suggests might need rethinking if the junior series are supposed to be the proving ground for F1. She dismissed brake-pressure concerns outright, noting her current GT machinery demands more leg strength than the F1 car ever did.
The debate around physical standards in junior formulas isn't going away, especially as F1 Academy graduates eye the next rung up.
Read the full story at Motorsport.com
