Ada Peluang bagi Wanita di Formula 1
Chance for Women in Formula 1
Editor : Ismail Gani
Translator : Dhelia Gani
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SUSIE Wolff berharap dia telah menapakkan jejak untuk membuktikan wanita layak mengikuti Formula Satu di masa mendatang.
Dalam perannya sebagai pengemudi pengembangan Williams, Wolff menyelesaikan lintasan 100 kilometer di Sirkuit Internasional Silverstone dengan mobil dari tim tersebut tahun lalu.
Meskipun mimpinya terwujud, Wolff bersikeras hal itu bukanlah ´balapan sesungguhnya´ atau sekadar untuk publikasi, tentu saja tidak lantaran suaminya, Toto, adalah direktur eksekutif dan pemegang saham utama di Williams.
Wanita asal Skotlandia, 29 tahun, ini tidak ragu dibebani tanggung jawab berdasarkan prestasi, dan setidaknya menjadi cara mengusir ingatan pada Maria de Villota pada Juli.
Sebagai pembalap uji sekaligus cadangan untuk Marussia, De Villota terlibat kecelakaan saat melakukan tes jalur lurus di Duxford Aerodrome, Juli, sehingga harus kehilangan mata kanannya bahkan nyawanya nyaris melayang.
Wolff mengakui dampak negatif insiden semcam itu tekait wanita di motorsport, yang berupaya mencapai keinginan menjadi pengemudi bagi Williams.
"Setelah apa yang terjadi pada Maria, itu penting bagi saya untuk membuktikan pada semua orang bahwa perempuan memiliki kesempatan di Formula Satu dan dapat mengendalikan mobilnya dengan baik," kata Wolff seperti dikutip Daily Mail.
"Setelah kecelakaan itu banyak wanita bertanya kepada saya, apakah Anda merasa ada tempat bagi wanita di Formula One?"
"Banyak orang hanya teringat pada kisah pengemudi wanita F1 yang mengalami kecelakaan tragis, kehilangan mata dan nyaris tewas. Itu penting bagi saya untuk membuktikan dan menyelesaikan pekerjaan dengan baik."
"Saya tidak sedikit pun ragu, Williams tentu tidak memberi kesempatan jika saya tidak mampu atau siap melakukannya."
"Mereka adalah salah satu tim teratas dan menetapkan standar tertentu sebelum membiarkan siapa pun mendekati mobil mereka."
Setelah mengikuti tujuh musim di DTM bersama Mercedes dan berikutnya Formula Renault dan Formula Tiga, Wolff kagumi pengalamannya dengan
mobil F1.
"Saya suka mengemudikan mobil dan saya harap telah berbuat cukup untuk mendukung tim, saya bisa berbuat lebih banyak, lebih banyak tes dan pekerjaan aerodinamis musim depan.
"Saya harap berada di jalur benar untuk meraih kesempatan. Tanpa ragu untuk ngebut lagi."
SUSIE Wolff is hoping she has taken a step towards proving there is a place for women in Formula One in the future.
In her role as Williams development driver, Wolff solidly completed 100 kilometres of Silverstone´s International Circuit in one of the team´s cars from last year.
Although realising a dream, Wolff is adamant it was ´no show run´ or a publicity stunt, and certainly not because her husband Toto is an executive director and major shareholder at Williams.
The 29-year-old Scot has no doubt the drive was handed to her on merit, and at least went some way towards banishing the memory of what happened to Maria de Villota in July.
As test and reserve driver for Marussia, De Villota was involved in a freak accident while conducting a straight-line aero test at Duxford Aerodrome in July which saw her lose her right eye and almost her life.
Wolff recognises the negative impact such an incident had with regard to women in motorsport, which only strengthened her own resolve to get behind the wheel for Williams.
´After what happened earlier in the year with Maria, it was important for me to go out for both of us and show everybody that women do have a place in Formula One and can drive the cars successfully,´ Wolff said.
´After her accident a lot of media asked me, "Do you feel that´s it now for women in Formula One?" But a lot of the media were not motorsport based.
´Many just saw a story about a woman driver in F1 who had a bad accident, lost her eye and nearly died. So it was important for me to go out there and do a good solid job.
´I have no doubt in my head Williams would never have let me near the car if they didn´t feel I was capable of it or ready for it.
´They are one of the top teams on the grid and they expect a certain standard before they let anyone near one of their cars.´
After seven seasons in DTM with Mercedes following spells in karting, Formula Renault and Formula Three, Wolff was unsurprisingly bowled over by her experience of an F1 car.
´I loved driving the car and I hope I have done enough to show the team I can be of assistance, that I can do more, more tests and aerodynamic work next season.
´I hope I´m on a path for much more opportunities to come. Without a doubt I want to drive the car again.´
