<ul><li><a href="http://en.f1-live.com/f1/en/headlines/news/detail/080423090440.shtml">http://en.f1-live.com/f1/en/headlines/news/detail/080423090440.shtml</a</li></ul>

even if they started her in a lower series. I think you are right...he must have been into the suds too much.

...while they were all in the lower fomulae. It's not hard to envision her, if she was in a good chassis, doing well. And I don't mean winning the WDC. I meaning running solidly mid-pack and scoring points occasionaly. She's gotta be better than Speed was.

drivers have done well in that series.

&lt;/duck_n_run&gt;

I think Flavio meant it in the literally.

Europe? How do you figure she has to be better than Scott Speed? Scott won two Formula Renault championships in one year and finished third in GP2 behind Nico and Heikki. Danica has only one race win in any kind of car, and it was a fuel economy run on an oval. Despite coming from a road racing background, she has generally struggled on the road and street tracks, especially in qualifying (which is of course all important in F1). This has been in spec cars, plus a (often significant) weight advantage over the rest of the field.

could use some competition in that field.

There was a time when American drivers were the cream of the crop. But that's a bygone era.

But since the "paying" ride is going the way of the dodo, that's kinda a moot point. There's not a single paying driver on the F1 grid this year.

the long haul. I think she is a good woman driver....but don't think F1 would embrace her openly.

I'm not being chauvinistic, but it's a common problem with alot of women, I think she has the skill set and technique, but not a complete package (imagine how fast&lt;slow&gt; she would be with 50lbs. of balast added?!?).
I think Catherine Legg is a better driver, of course Michele Mouton and I think Lynn St. James was better than them all!!

To wit:
1992 Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year (first woman to ever win that award)

Seven Indianapolis 500 starts in nine years, including six consecutive starts (1992 - 1997)

Qualified sixth for 1994 Indy 500 (highest qualifying position for a woman until Danica Patrick's fourth place in 2005 Indy 500)

Best finish at Indy was eleventh in 1992.

Set world record on closed-course for women reaching 225.722 mph during the 1995 Indy 500 qualification weekend.

Oldest driver in the field (53) of the 2000 Indy 500

Raced in 15 Indy Racing races including Fed-X CART Championship and Indy Racing Northern Light Series. Scored 2 Top-10 qualifying spots; 1 Top-10 finish

Held 31 international and national closed circuit speed records over a 20-year career.

Raced twice ('89, '91) in the Biggest Endurance race in the world; The 24 Hours of Le Mans (France)

The 24 Hours of Daytona (won GTO Team Drive Class in '87 &amp; '91)

Also raced (9 times) in the famous 12 Hours of Sebring Endurance race (won GTO Team driver Class in '91)

Raced in 53 SCCA Trans-Am races with 7 Top-5 finishes and raced in 62 IMSA GT races with 6 wins and 17 Top-5 and 37 Top-10 finishes.

<b>Only woman to have ever won an IMSA GT race driving solo.</b>

2 time racer at Historic Goodwood Revival

But let's not forget that Danica is still a pup. She's still got a lot of learning to do. But if you look at how she's done since she started her first Indy 500, you'd see that she's improving repidly. Each year she's raced in the IRL she's bettered her yearly stats and has moved up a place or two in the end of the year standings. Another couple of years and I bet she'll be contending for the championship. She's deffinitely got the equipment and the right team. And it seems she's got the desire. After she climbed out of the cockpit the other day, she looked like the 400lb gorilla that was on her back had just leapt off. Everybody ****s on this girl because of one thing or another, but I think she's got plenty of talent and desire to get the job done in open-wheel racing.

The way Bobby Rahal was treated at Jaguar was insane, and he was once a member of that 'fraternity'.

Seems to me, if she had a legitimate F1 ride lined up, she would more than able to secure sponsorship.

But still don't see her being offered a ride in F1.

she is young...but in F1 they are very young. Do you think she is in the same league as say, Michael Schumacher, or Kimi?? Cause that the kind of drivers she would be up against.....I am a realist.....just don't see it happening.....but if it does...you can tell me...I told you so....LOL

next month to his gf, 30yrs his jr.

I'm just saying that with the right ride/equipment, there would be companies falling over themselves to sponsor her. And yeah, I think with the right team she could do well. But again, I don't think it'll ever happen.