Over the years, Danica Patrick has been pretty vocal about her views and reflections on NASCAR. You can say she was a trailblazer for women in American motorsports, becoming a household name when she was a part of the highest form of stock car racing. Now that she has officially parted ways with Sky Sports, she’s opening up about some of the things she felt were unfair in the sport.

Former NASCAR driver opens up on the unfair nature of things in the sport for women

During a recent appearance on Dr. Gabrielle Lyon’s show, Danica Patrick was asked whether it was rare to see female trainers or other women in similar roles within NASCAR.

“Not really. There wasn’t a lot of racing. I mean, I worked out, and I trained, but I wouldn’t say there are a lot of trainers or even like coaches. It’s a weird sport.”

Lyon also asked whether the way people thought about NASCAR had historically been shaped more by male biology and perspectives. She compared it to special operations training, where there isn’t a separate category like a “female SEAL.” The training standards are designed one way and applied to everyone, rather than being gender-specific.

“It doesn’t exist,” Patrick replied. “For a 100-pounder like us to throw a 100-pound sandbag over a wall as part of our training is going to be infinitely harder than for a 200lb man to do that, right? I think there are suitable jobs for people, too.”

Having said that, she claimed she is in the best body composition and strength of her life.

From 2013 to 2017, Danica Patrick ran full-time in the Cup Series with Stewart-Haas Racing. In that time, she failed to score a single top 5. But she did manage seven finishes inside the top 10. And after stepping away from full-time racing, Patrick eventually transitioned into a broadcasting role in Formula 1. But that chapter has now come to an end as well.

Danica Patrick explains why she stepped away from her broadcasting role in Formula 1

Following her retirement as a racecar driver, Danica Patrick took up the role of a broadcaster at Sky Sports F1 in 2021. She was a common fixture during the broadcasts of the races held in the Americas. However, after 5 years of association, it was announced that Patrick won’t be returning to the Sky Sports team for the 2026 season.

This left a lot of people wondering why the association between the two broke off. After all, Patrick is one of the biggest motorsports icons in the world. Yet at the same time, she is also a divisive figure among fans, especially in her role as an F1 broadcaster.

But after some time of speculation, she broke her silence on the subject.

“I felt like I had taken in a great experience in F1 and was ready to have more time for other projects and interests.” She said. “I am building a new company. I am also new to a couple of boards with big plans, and I am very busy punishing myself by learning new sports like tennis, golf, and skiing.”

Danica Patrick claimed that working as a broadcaster at times took more work from her than being a driver when it comes to committing time on the track. But in looking back, she emphasised her learnings and grown interest in F1, which she deemed ‘very entertaining.’

Even though her time in the booth has ended, Patrick clearly still looks back on the experience as a valuable and entertaining chapter of her motorsports journey.