Latest news with #femaleDrivers
Fox News
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Fox News
Uber Soft Launches "Female Preference"
Uber is soft launching a female preference program and I have one question… I'm Tomi Lahren, find out next. Ride-share company Uber will roll out a pilot program next month in the select cities of LA, San Francisco, and Detroit that will allow female drivers and riders to request female drivers and passengers. Now this doesn't guarantee that preference will be granted and will be based on preference availability, etc but I kinda like the idea. Lyft has a similar option that has already been available for years. In theory, it's great, females can ride with other females which- admittedly- does make a lot of us gals feel safer and more at ease. BUT, there's one caveat to the whole concept that gives me a GIANT cause for pause. Though not explicitly outlined in the pilot's policy, I have a feeling Uber will be basing their 'female' designation not on biology, but chosen identity. In that case, the whole point is meaningless. Would I feel safer and more comfortable with a driver who is male but 'identifies' as a female? ABSOLUTELY NOT! I fear this will be yet another win for…the patriarchy! I'm Tomi Lahren and you can watch my show 'Tomi Lahren is Fearless' at Learn more about your ad choices. Visit
The Independent
7 days ago
- Automotive
- The Independent
The new rule to protect women when using Taxi app
Uber is rolling out new features in the US that allow customers and drivers to opt for women -only rides. The updates enable riders to set a preference for female drivers and drivers to accept only female customers. These features will be piloted over the next five weeks in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Detroit. The company stated the initiative responds to requests from women riders and drivers for more control over their trips. Uber previously experimented with similar features in Saudi Arabia in 2019, which have since expanded to 40 countries.
CTV News
08-07-2025
- Automotive
- CTV News
Ottawa's Erika Hoffmann making history
Ottawa racecar driver Erika Hoffmann has become the first Canadian to earn a seat with the Porsche Mobil 1 Female Driver Program. CTV's Dylan Dyson reports.
ABC News
20-06-2025
- Automotive
- ABC News
Teens Shriya Lohia and Aashi Hanspal make a mark in Indian motorsports
Aashi Hanspal wasn't always interested in engines and racetracks. "I was always into dance, art, craft and Barbie," the 18-year-old says. "So this is very different for me." She didn't even like racing the first time she tried it. "When I started getting the hang of it, I loved the speed. I thought to myself that this is something I may just end up doing," she said. Seventeen-year-old Shriya Lohia's entry into motorsport wasn't exactly planned either. "I tried multiple sports since I was a young girl, but nothing stuck with me the way motorsport did," she said. Lohia was 16 when she became India's youngest and first female Formula 4 driver in 2023. Now two years later, she's racing towards a future that once felt out of reach. Hanspal and Lohia are among the country's few teenage female drivers competing at both national and international levels. In 2020, Hanspal was the only Indian girl selected for the FIA (Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile) Girls on Track — Rising Stars shootout in France. Two years later, Lohia was the sole Indian representative, among 14 girls chosen. Only 1.5 per cent of licensed motorsport drivers around the world are women, and the FIA Girls on Track program aims to identify and support young women in racing, so that can change. The global talent program is a not-for-profit initiative, spearheaded by former Formula 1 development driver Susie Wolff. Both racers say the motorsport ecosystem in India is changing to be more inclusive, but that they don't think it's happening fast enough. "With the introduction of Formula 4, Formula E in Hyderabad, and the Indian Racing League, things are getting better," Lohia said. "But we're still far behind Europe. Any progress is progress, though." The bigger change, they say, needs to happen off the track, in attitudes. "There are still families who won't let their daughters pursue something like this," Lohia said. "But my parents never thought that way. They pushed me to chase my dream." Racing may look like speed and swagger from the outside, but both women speak about the pressure that builds before the lights go out (lights going out, instead of green, is the terminology used in this type of racing). "You have to be very calm and composed," Hanspal said. "But when you set a benchmark for yourself, and others do too, you do get pressurised. "You can say you're calm, but when you're going to race 20 other guys and you're the only girl, it gets to you." Lohia describes race days as a tunnel of focus. "Maybe the pre-race moments are nerve-racking, but once I'm on track, it's just focusing on the next lap, the next corner, the car in front of you," she said. Still, the emotional weight builds over time. "I used to never cry," Hanspal admits. "Then before my last race, I'd start sobbing. Either you go numb to everything, or it all pours out." The physical toll can be tough too. In late 2023, Hanspal had a major crash during a race. Her suspension failed at high speed, sending her car crashing into a metal wall. "I broke my hand. It was right before a corner, the fastest part of the straight," she said. "It took a while to come back from that." With female participation in Indian motorsport scarce, the women feel it. "I would always travel with my dad. I didn't have any kind of female figure around on race weekends," Lohia said. "It didn't hit me until I had to change into racing gear, the guys just do it anywhere. But I couldn't. That's when it strikes you — I'm the only girl here." Hanspal shares similar experiences. "I've always heard: you have to beat the boys or be like the boys," she said. "People may mean well, but it gets in your head." Both say they've had supportive male peers; but infrastructure, especially in India, has not caught up. "Abroad it's a little more accommodating, but here, they're not even expecting female drivers," Lohia said. Racing in India isn't just emotionally demanding, it's expensive. And female racers often have to prove the sport is worth investing in. "Sponsorships are very tough," Hanspal said. "Racing is seen as a leisure sport, not a real career like cricket. My dad is funding me right now, and we're always looking for support, but it's not easy." Lohia has also seen her family's lifestyle shift entirely to support her dreams. "My parents made so many sacrifices. They adjusted everything for me. That's the kind of support you need in this sport." Both also credit their schools with helping them stay on top of academics. "My teachers would change their schedules to teach me one chapter at a time," Hanspal said. "I could never be more grateful." Both women look up to current and past Formula 1 stars, and their ambitions match. Lohia names Michael Schumacher as her all-time favourite, along with India's Formula 2 driver Kush Maini. "He's been a huge inspiration. I've met him a few times — just an amazing driver and person," she said. Among female racers, she looks up to Jamie Chadwick and Sophia Flörsch. Her ultimate goal though, is the pinnacle of Formula 1, and what's considered one of the most difficult tracks on the planet. "I'd love to race in Monaco one day. There's just something about it that makes you feel like you've made it," Lohia said. Hanspal's idols are Charles Leclerc, Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton. "Max is ruthless — he sees a gap and just takes it. That's what I want to learn from," she said. And for girls watching them now, the teenage driver has just one message. "Even if you don't like it at first, give it a proper chance. That's what I did. And look at me now." Srishtee Ramchandani is a journalist and storyteller exploring how sport intersects with identity, youth, and culture. She also runs Cric-Connect, a platform offering fresh perspectives on the game of cricket. Srishtee is part of ABC International Development's Women in News and Sport Initiative, funded by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade through the Team Up program.
BBC News
20-06-2025
- Automotive
- BBC News
F1 'ripe for change' as Blyton track hosts girls' race training
Young female drivers claim "boys don't respect us" when competing to become future F1 stars. Blyton Park in Lincolnshire hosted the More Than Equal training camp where an elite cohort of female drivers tested Ginetta G40 14, has been racing since she was six, she said: "If you can't handle a girl being in front of you, this isn't the sport for you. Go play football or something." Tom Stanton boss of More Than Equal said: "We've been searching the globe for the drivers that have the right things, and we think we've got those things in the women here, so watch this space." More Than Equal finds young drivers with high potential and enrols them in a fully funded driver development programme designed for female drivers founded by former F1 world champion David Coulthard. A woman has not scored points in the F1 World Championship since Lella Lombardi in 1975 but More Than Equal are "committed to changing this". Ivonn, who lives in Austria, comes from a background in racing and said her dad encouraged her when she was young to pursue it as a said: "It's a difficult industry as often boys don't respect you and you have to earn their respect." Her advice for girls looking to start is "to just do it" she added, "there's nothing stopping you and if boys give you a hard time, just give them a harder time next time." Skye wants to be the first female F1 champion and her mum Emma said the family are "fully supportive of Skye's lifestyle choice." Due to the industry being male dominated she believes: "People don't like girls being fast, it's getting better but things still happens a lot." She said: "Boys will still put her in the barrier rather than finishing behind her."They would rather they didn't finish and the girl didn't finish then finish behind the girl and get told they've just been beaten by a girl." Katrina, 15, from Hong Kong, currently races in the Ginetta Junior series and has won the Asian karting championships, she has recently recovered from a broken shoulder. She explained: "I was really proud of myself as it made me realise I can beat the boys and nothing is impossible even if you are in a male dominated sport." "I remember there was a time when two or three drivers ganged up on me just to purposely push me off and their teams would gather, plan and talk about it."Katrina said she had to tell herself not to let it knock her confidence or be afraid to push them back. Tom Stanton believes women have struggled to reach F1 because they face funding challenges when "massively outnumbered by talented males".He said: "Our programme is unapologetically female focused, it's age and stage appropriate and we're trying to unmask the challenges we see, as for female drivers we have to do things differently." "There's no reason why we wouldn't have future champions here today, the sport is absolutely ripe for this change and we want to bring it." Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.
