Claire Williams seeks to bring about positive change in the Formula One paddock

Claire Williams

Claire Williams seeks to bring about positive change in the F1 paddock

'They maybe give me a rougher time because I am a woman'

Sam Hall

Monday 2 March 2020 13:04

Williams deputy team principal Claire Williams speaks out about being a woman in the male dominated workplace that is the Formula 1 paddock, saying that things need to change.

Speaking with the PA news agency, Williams said that she feels judged not just for being a woman, but also for being a mother.

"As soon as you are not successful, some people put that down to the fact I am a woman," said Williams. "They maybe give me a rougher time because I am a woman.

Article continues under video

"I have actually had someone say to me that a lot of people in the Formula One paddock think that the team started doing badly when I fell pregnant and had a baby. How dare they.

"There are nine other team principals in F1 and I am sure the majority of them have children.

"Would you ever level that criticism at them? Am I not allowed a child because I am a woman running a Formula 1 team? It is a disgraceful attitude and a very 19th century attitude.

"I work seven days a week, pretty much all-year round, and if I didn’t bring Nate to a handful of races then I would rarely see him. But I am criticised for that as well. You cannot win.

"Woe betide me if I walk down the paddock holding my child. I actually have to hide the fact that I am a mother who is trying to run a Formula One team.

"The fact that Williams are not doing well at the moment is not because I have a child."

Williams added that she wants to use her position as a woman in the Formula One paddock to bring about positive change.

"I want to use the fact that I am a woman in this male-dominated world," continued the Williams boss.

"I would love to walk down the paddock this year having taken the team to a better place, not just to show all those people that they were wrong, but also to show that a woman can take a huge amount of criticism, still hold her head up high and keep fighting.

"To prove that I can be a woman, I can be a wife, I can be a mother and still run a Formula 1 team in a successful way.

"In turn, hopefully it will send a very powerful message to those who are having a rough time or struggling.

"There are so many fundamental changes that need to take place within society as to how we address women in the workplace because it is so far behind the times."