Susie Wolff will gain further experience in a Williams’ Formula 1 car this week when she takes part in testing at Silverstone raceway.
The Scot joined Williams as a development driver in April 2012 in a bid to become the first woman on the F1 grid in almost four decades. She now takes advantage of the opportunity that in-season testing has been allowed at Silverstone from Wednesday to Friday to allay safety fears after serious driver concerns about delaminating and exploding tyres at the British Grand Prix a few weeks ago.
Ms. Wolff’s husband Toto was an executive and shareholder with Williams but has since left for Mercedes. Susie Wolff, who started racing at the age of eight after her parents introduced her and her brother to go-karts, is being heralded as the best chance for a woman to break into the F1 ranks since the 1970s.
Italy’s Lella Lombardi was the last woman to race in Formula 1, finishing sixth at the 1975 Spanish GP. The first woman to race in the formula was another Italian, Maria Teresa de Filippis, debuting in 1958 and taking part in five races.