Sir Stirling Moss angers women: 'They don't have aptitude to win a Formula One race' Sir Stirling Moss pictured at Albert Park in Melbourne. Picture: Graham Crouch Source: Herald Sun Susie Wolff disagrees with Sir Stirling's comments. SIR Stirling Moss has infuriated female drivers by claiming they are not mentally tough enough to compete in Formula One. He accepts they can cope with the physical demands of handling a Formula One car, but believes the stress of a high-speed race is too much for them. Sir Stirling, 83, who won 16 grand prix in the Fifties and Sixties, said: "I think they have the strength, but I don't know if they've got the mental aptitude to race hard, wheel to wheel. The trouble is, when you're racing, it's pretty tiring. We had three-hour races in those days. You needed tremendous concentration. Now races are only one hour and ten minutes. We've got some very strong and robust ladies, but, when your life is at risk, I think the strain of that in a competitive situation will tell when you're trying to win. The mental stress, I think, would be pretty difficult for a lady to deal with in a practical fashion. I just don't think they have aptitude to win a Formula One race. Only five female drivers have raced in a grand prix, the last in 1992. But Sir Stirling's comments were attacked by Formula One test driver Susie Wolff, 30, who said: "I completely disagree with him. It makes me cringe hearing that. I've got a lot of respect for Sir Stirling and what he achieved, but I think we're in a different generation. For Sir Stirling, it's unbelievable that a female would drive a Formula One car, which is fair enough. In the days they were racing, every time they stepped into a car, they were putting their life on the line. But F1 is much more technologically advanced - it's much safer than it was. The Scottish racing driver added: "When Sir Stirling was asked about me he said, "She's going to have a really tough time ahead of her." He's allowed to have his opinions, but I disagree with him. That perception, that stereotype, is there and it maybe always will be there. It's not up to me alone to change it. The most successful female Formula One driver was Italian Lella Lombardi, who competed in 12 races in the 1970s and became the only woman to finish on the championship scoreboard when she earned half a point by coming sixth at the 1975 Spanish Grand Prix.