LONDON, England - Claire Williams believes that her appointment as deputy team principal of the Williams racing team shows that Formula 1 is no longer a patriarchal.
Williams took up her new role at father Frank's team a week earlier, following the example set by Monisha Kaltenborn who is team principal at Sauber.
NEW ERA
"F1 may be perceived as being male-dominated but those perceptions are being broken down," Williams told BBC Radio 4. "Sauber has a female team principal and, now I've been put in this position, I think those traditional pre-conceptions of F1 are breaking down a bit more."
Williams, who started out as a media relations officer with the team in 2002, dismissed suggestions that her appointment to nepotism.
"We'll have to wait and see how I do in the role but I would like to think I will do a good job for the team," she said. "Williams' unique selling point is that we're renowned as a family team, so it's important we retain that family element.
"Pputting me in this role is a good thing for the team - and for the sport."
Williams took up her new role at father Frank's team a week earlier, following the example set by Monisha Kaltenborn who is team principal at Sauber.
NEW ERA
"F1 may be perceived as being male-dominated but those perceptions are being broken down," Williams told BBC Radio 4. "Sauber has a female team principal and, now I've been put in this position, I think those traditional pre-conceptions of F1 are breaking down a bit more."
Williams, who started out as a media relations officer with the team in 2002, dismissed suggestions that her appointment to nepotism.
"We'll have to wait and see how I do in the role but I would like to think I will do a good job for the team," she said. "Williams' unique selling point is that we're renowned as a family team, so it's important we retain that family element.
"Pputting me in this role is a good thing for the team - and for the sport."