Throughout all of Formula 1’s 75-year history, only two women have actually started a Grand Prix, while three more have entered — but did not qualify for — a race. For many skeptics, that’s enough evidence to claim women aren’t cut out for the sport.

Thankfully, not everyone is quite as skeptical — including former Formula 1 driver David Coulthard, who is expecting big things from the all-female F1 Academy series.

David Coulthard on F1 Academy’s key to success

Additional reporting by Thomas Maher

Earlier this month, former racer David Coulthard spoke to The Daily Mail to argue that women are in fact cut out for Formula 1.

When asked if he believed women had a shot in F1 in the future, Coulthard responded, “Of course it will happen. Without question.

“It’s utter bulls*** that women don’t have the strength to do it. Anyone who doesn’t train doesn’t have what it takes to perform in motor racing — whether you’re a man or a woman.”

This flies in the face of what other pundits have claimed, most notably Danica Patrick. The former IndyCar and NASCAR racer has been a frequent addition to the Sky Sports F1 crew during American rounds of the championship, and it’s Patrick’s belief that the “masculine” and “aggressive” nature of motorsport discounts women from succeeding.

“You have to, you know, handle the car – not only just the car because that’s skill, but the mindset that it takes to be really good is something that’s not normal in a feminine mind, a female mind,” she continued.

Per Coulthard in the Daily Mail, anyone can compete in F1 so long as they truly dedicate themselves to the physical training necessary to handle a high-powered machine.

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In recent years, Coulthard has become a strong advocate for the presence of women in motorsport, even serving as one of the key founders for W Series, the all-female racing category that preceded F1 Academy.

Speaking to media, including PlanetF1.com, at a Red Bull test run in Galway, Ireland in November of 2024, Coulthard admitted that W Series failed for one key reason: It didn’t have official backing from Formula 1.

“W Series failed because Formula 1 didn’t own it,” he said.

“I was involved in W Series, and, you know, it cost me several million pounds that I invested from my companies to help women in motorsport. And I sleep OK with that because it has moved women in motorsport forward.

“Jamie Chadwick races in America. Alice Powell is part of heading up the Alpine Academy, helping Abbi Pulling. Naomi Schiff is now a full-time professional broadcaster out of the back of being in W Series. So we’ve achieved the goal.”

Coulthard went on to reference his late sister Lynsay, herself a racer.

“I did that because my younger sister raced; she never got the same chance that I did,” he explained.

“I always regretted that she didn’t get the same support, and I wanted to be involved in something that makes sure that female talent is recognized and supported.”

W Series was an ambitious attempt at getting women into the motorsport scene founded by Catherine Bond-Muir in 2019, and while the aims of the series were noble, persistent financial problems paired with a lack of buy-in from Formula 1 prevented it from truly taking off.

“F1 Academy is owned by Formula 1, and the thing that we tried to do with W [Series] was to get the [F1] teams to take [W Series] teams, and it wasn’t allowed,” Coulthard said.

“F1 Academy is allowed to have teams and that will, for the greater good, move that forward. And it’s obviously a great thing for women in motorsport.”

There are ample benefits in that F1 ownership, as it creates a direct incentive for the sport and its teams to invest in young female talent. It also means F1 Academy can easily slot into F1’s weekend schedule and take advantage of the associated freight and travel logistics, as well as sponsorships.

When, exactly, will we see a woman race in Formula 1? That’s a more challenging question to answer — but there are plenty of people like DC who fully expect it’ll happen.

Read next: Coulthard calls ‘utter bull****’ as Patrick’s controversial female driver take resurfaces