This one almost went unnoticed in the middle of the Formula 1 summer break. But it is important news: For the first time since 2005 when Katherine Legge tested a Formula 1 car, earlier this month, the Lotus Renault GP team handed one of its R29 cars to a woman to test drive at the Paul Ricard track in France.
Maria de Villota drove nearly 200 miles at the circuit in the first week of August. On the other hand, how serious is Lotus Renault? De Villota is 31 years old, which by today’s F1 standards is almost end-of-career for the drivers. De Villota, daughter of a former F1 driver, has raced in Formula Palmer Audi and the World Touring Car championship, among other series.