FIA commission scorns Bernie Ecclestone's plan for women-only championship

The commission's president Michele Mouton, herself a former rally driver, said in a statement: The idea of an all-women competition is not something we would dismiss without proper debate and research.

"But from my own experience as a competitor, I truly believe women want to compete on an equal level with their male counterparts. They have proved through the decades that it is possible, even if only a few.”

She went on to add: "Motorsport is just one of three sports, including sailing and horse riding, where men and women compete alongside one another with the same rules and classifications. This level playing field provides a real indicator of performance and pushes athletes to be the best in the world, regardless of gender.

"We have to continue promoting the fact that motorsport is open to all, with the same prospects and potential to succeed.”

Ecclestone had argued earlier in the week that a women-only championship would be a showcase for their talents, attracting attention, publicity and sponsorship.

And Mouton's private response, reported by the Associated Press, was much more blunt. She wrote in an email: “Maybe when he sees the F1 audience decreasing he thinks about solutions and about women only for the show! I am annoyed and very disappointed!”