“It can be distracting”: When Danica Patrick addressed her multi-faceted role as ‘American auto-racing driver, model and advertising spokeswoman’

Former NASCAR and IndyCar driver Danica Patrick once reflected on her Wikipedia bio that defines her as a race car driver and a model. Patrick remains one of the most successful female drivers in the history of American motorsports.

Being the most prominent female figure in American motorsports, one-time IndyCar race winner Danica Patrick’s career extended beyond her achievements behind the wheel. Her marketability and status as a role model meant she was often seen as a trailblazer, paving the way for other women in a male-dominated sport. However, the attention and commercial aspects of her career sometimes took a toll.

In an interview with Car and Driver in 2012, Patrick was asked about her Wikipedia bio, which listed her as an “American auto-racing driver, model and advertising spokeswoman.” When questioned whether this was the career path she envisioned, Patrick admitted that her primary focus had always been her performance on the track. She responded:

"No, I thought about accomplishing things on the track and what that would be like. But I didn’t put a lot of thought into what the other side was all about—the endorsements, the commercials, being told I’m a role model."

Patrick also added:

"So, yeah, it has taken some adjustment, and it can be distracting, especially when there are surges of attention. But I’m really fortunate. I have a great balance between being recognizable and still being able to cruise around without people bothering me. I’m lucky."

Danica Patrick remains the only female driver to have led both the Daytona 500 and the Indianapolis 500 race in history. Furthermore, her victory at the 2008 Indy Japan 300 remains the only IndyCar Series win by a woman.

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F1 analyst and former Aston Martin engineer counters Danica Patrick's claims about women in motorsports

Danica Patrick had stolen the spotlight back in 2023 when she made a controversial statement about women in professional racing. Patrick, often deemed to be a trailblazer and an iconic figure for females pursuing a career in motorsports, had claimed that the sport is too masculine for a female mind.

When answering a question posed by a little girl aspiring to be a driver, Patrick had stated during Sky F1's special segment "F1 Juniors":

"I think that the nature of the sport is masculine. It’s aggressive. The mindset that it takes to be really good is something that’s not normal in a feminine mind, a female mind."

However, Bernie Collins, an analyst for Sky F1 and a former engineer for Formula 1 outfit Aston Martin, recently countered the claim. Speaking to PlanetF1 in a recent interview, Collins claimed:

"I believe it’s 100 per cent possible we will get a female F1 driver. The question is, can we significantly raise the female proportion of karting because you don’t want to put anyone in a car that’s not good enough. Get it to 10% and you’ve got the chance to get the one that’s good enough to make it to F1."

Since Danica Patrick's retirement from the sport in 2018, no female driver has competed full-time in either the top flight of IndyCar, NASCAR Cup Series or Formula 1.