Claire Williams questions F1's lack of female leaders: 'I don’t get it'

Former Williams Racing deputy team principal Claire Williams has raised pointed questions about the persistent lack of female leadership in Formula 1, describing the absence of women in top team roles as both baffling and disappointing.

As one of only two women to have led an F1 team – along with Monisha Kaltenborn, who previously served as team principal for Sauber – Williams’ tenure from 2013 to 2020 was a landmark in a sport historically dominated by men.

Yet, despite her trailblazing role, the 48-year-old remains perplexed and frustrated by the persistent absence of female leaders in F1’s upper echelons.

“I Don’t Get It”: Williams Questions Status Quo

Speaking recently on the F1 Beyond The Grid podcast, Williams was unequivocal about the presence of qualified women ready to take on leadership roles.

"It’s not a case of there not being women out there that can run a Formula 1 team – and jeez, if I can run a Formula 1 team, anyone can, quite honestly. I don’t get it," she said.

"When I am asked that question – and I am – I still go out and talk to students, and they ask me that: why? I have no answer, because I absolutely believe that there are women out there who are perfectly capable."

"I don’t know what it is, but I do think it’s a shame. Because, as much as there’s all this brilliant work promoting female drivers, I would love to see another female team principal."

"And I think it’s really important—you do turn on the telly and still see a sport that is very male-dominated, because the TPs, the drivers—they’re all men."

Williams’ comments reflect a broader concern about F1's optics and the lingering structural barriers that limit women from climbing to the top within teams, whether as engineers, strategists, or leaders.

Hope for the Future – but Patience Needed

Despite her criticisms, Williams acknowledged that positive momentum is building, particularly thanks to long-term grassroots efforts and programs like the Susie Wolff-led F1 Academy, which aims to nurture young female talent in racing.

"There's been a huge amount of work that's been done over the past 10-15 years in this space, and you are only going to get or see the repercussions, the reward of that hard work in a generation. It's not a work of a moment, this kind of stuff," Williams explained.

“It takes a long time in order to see change because you need to get the critical mass at the grassroots level if you're going to see change."

"And we haven't had that yet. I still don't see many five or six-year-old girls, and I've got a seven-year-old son, so I know that the girls in his cohort aren't asking their parents to go go-karting on a Saturday afternoon, whereas the boys might."

“What I am seeing, though, which is brilliant, is much more teenage girls falling in love with Formula 1."

"So therefore, whatever that generation is, the 15-16-year-old girls, you might see them stepping up into the more administrative business-type roles and therefore taking the TP roles later on."

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Claire Williams’ legacy in Formula 1 may be defined by her years at the helm of one of the sport’s most iconic teams, but her latest push is aimed at shaping a more inclusive future.

As Formula 1 evolves, the push for diversity must extend beyond the track to the boardrooms, ensuring that the next generation of leaders reflects the full spectrum of talent waiting to be unleashed.

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