Former rally driver Michèle Mouton, who is now at the helm of the FIA’s commission for women in motorsport, says "women want to compete on an equal level" with men.
Mouton’s statement comes in the wake of F1 commercial supremo Bernie Ecclestone’s recent proposal to set up an all-female racing series in a bid to facilitate women's access to the top echelon of motorsport.
Although several female racers, including Williams test driver Susie Wolff, immediately slammed the plan, it has received endorsement from Lotus development driver Carmen Jorda.
While Mouton thinks the idea should be open to discussion, she draws upon her long and storied racing career to make a case for gender equality in motorsport. A two-time Pikes Peak International Hill Climb winner, Mouton claimed four rally wins in the 1980s and finished runner-up to Walter Röhrl in 1982.
"The idea of an all-women competition is not something we would dismiss without proper debate and research," she told The Associated Press.
"But from my own experience as a competitor, I truly believe women want to compete on an equal level with their male counterparts. They have proved through the decades that it is possible, even if only a few.
"Motorsport is just one of three sports, including sailing and horse-riding, where men and women compete alongside one another with the same rules and classifications.
"This level playing field provides a real indicator of performance and pushes athletes to be the best in the world, regardless of gender.
"We have to continue promoting the fact that motorsport is open to all, with the same prospects and potential to succeed."
Click here for a more lighthearted look at some of the scenes from the Malaysian Grand Prix
Keep up to date with all the F1 news via Facebook and Twitter
