Motor Racing news - Women drivers can succeed in Formula E, says Venturi's Wolff

While a woman has not started a Formula One grand prix since the late Italian Lella Lombardi in 1976, three have competed in Formula E since the city-based championship began in 2014.

None have had staying power, however, with only Swiss Simona de Silvestro completing a season in 2015/16 for the U.S. Andretti team and scoring four points.

Britain's Katherine Legge and Italian Michaela Cerruti lasted two and four races respectively in 2014/15 before being dropped.

"I think there’s no reason why a woman can’t be successful in Formula E," Wolff told Reuters in a telephone interview ahead of the opening race. "I definitely see that coming in the future."

British racer Jamie Chadwick, winner of the inaugural all-female W Series this year, has expressed interest and tested with the Nio team in Saudi Arabia a year ago and in Morocco last January.

Beitske Visser, the Dutch racer who was runner-up to Chadwick, was Formula E test and reserve for BMW Andretti last season.