F1 chief Ecclestone doubts female drivers will get race chance soon

Bernie Ecclestone explains the challenges female F1 drivers face

Susie Wolff at the Monte Blanco Circuit in Spain. She is focused on achieving her dream of becoming the first women on the grid in more than three decades.But Bernie Ecclestone expresses doubts about female drivers getting a chance.

Formula One chief Bernie Ecclestone has doubts over whether a female driver will soon be given a chance to prove herself in a Grand Prix.

"The big problem with a woman, even if she's good enough, is having the opportunity to show that," Ecclestone told Australian newspaper The Age in a Saturday interview.

"Because a team won't take a woman driver unless they bring them massive sponsorship," he added. "So you could have a very, very good woman driver and she would not get what she deserves.

"Susie Wolff [Williams F1 development driver] is good, but will she ever be in a position to show how good she is? I doubt it."

Earlier in the year, Sauber made Simona De Silvestro an affiliated driver to train for her super license and prepare to drive for the team in the 2015 Formula One season.

De Silvestro is eventually aiming to become the first female driver to qualify for a race since Italian Lella Lombardi, who qualified for 12 Grand Prix in 1975 and 1976.