Button takes issue with Jorda's women driver comments

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Jenson Button has criticised comments made this weekend by former Lotus and Renault development driver Carmen Jorda.

Jorda told ESPN this weekend that female drivers should focus on Formula E rather than Formula 1, because it was "easier".

"It's a less physical car," she said after completing a demo run in a Formula E car in Mexico.

She explained that differences in downforce and power steering made the all-electric car better for women to drive.

"The challenge that we women have in Formula 2 and Formula 1 is a physical issue," she continued. "I think in Formula E, we won't have it."

"In Formula 1 and Formula 2 there is a barrier that is a physical issue," she added. "I think there is a big issue for women, and that's why there aren't any in those championships.

"Formula E has already had some women here, so why not to have more?," she said. "[It is] a very high level championship

"The car that I tested is not a super-difficult car to drive. But there are so many different things that you have to learn how to manage.

Formula E presents first physical Gen2 car in Geneva

Jorda was appointed to the FIA's Women in Motorsport Commission last year. However, former world champion Button didn't feel that her latest comments had done much to promote women drivers in motorsport.

"You’re not helping proper female racing drivers with this comment," he said on Twitter.

“Ask [NASCAR driver] Danica Patrick about being strong enough to drive a race car!" he pointed out. "She’d kick my butt in the gym and she’s probably as strong as any driver on the F1 Grid right now.

"Physical barrier is not your issue Carmen," he concluded.

British racing driver Pippa Mann was also critical of Jorda's comments.

'My eyes rolled so far back in my head I nearly passed out," the IndyCar driver said on Twitter.

"She does know that the reason IndyCar drivers are bulkier than F1 drivers is that we have to lift bigger weights because our races have no power steering at all, and that women succeed over here, right?"

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Andrew Lewin

Andrew first became a fan of Formula 1 during the time when Michael Schumacher and Damon Hill were stepping into the limelight after the era of Alain Prost, Nigel Mansell and Aryton Senna. He's been addicted ever since, and has been writing about the sport now for nearly a quarter of a century for a number of online news sites. He's also written professionally about GP2 (now Formula 2), GP3, IndyCar, World Rally Championship, MotoGP and NASCAR. In his other professional life, Andrew is a freelance writer, social media consultant, web developer/programmer, and digital specialist in the fields of accessibility, usability, IA, online communities and public sector procurement. He worked for many years in magazine production at Bauer Media, and for over a decade he was part of the digital media team at the UK government's communications department. Born and raised in Essex, Andrew currently lives and works in south-west London.