Tatiana Calderon determined to show she can make it in man's world of Formula One
The first woman driver at Macau Grand Prix since 1983 has proved she can mix it with the boys
Tatiana Calderon is talking about the challenges of being a female racing driver as teammate Lucas Auer strips to his underpants over her shoulder - it's clear she's long been accepted as one of the boys.
But it's been difficult for the Colombian, only the second woman to compete at the Macau Grand Prix, after Cathy Muller in 1983.
It's been very tough, no boy likes to be beaten by a girl and they make it tough for you
"It's been very tough, no boy likes to be beaten by a girl and they make it tough for you," says the 21-year-old from Bogota.
"Slowly you earn their respect and they start to treat you like any other driver. With the results I've had that's started to happen - I'm really happy to be the only one because that represents a big challenge.
"It's amazing that no one else has ever competed in such a long time. It's really special to be representing my gender and my country in such a big event. It's a really special place and an honour to be here."
Calderon just finished her second season in the Formula Three European Championship, finishing 15th after a difficult first half was followed by seven top-10 finishes in the second. Her best result was fifth at Belgium's Spa-Francorchamps.
Her teammates in Macau this week for Mucke Motorsport - Felix Rosenqvist and Auer - have made six previous visits to Macau, while Calderon got her first taste on Thursday. She starts today's race from 16th on the grid.
"It was an amazing feeling, the first few laps you're like, 'Wow is this real?'. It's like a roller coaster, up and down, to one side with the cambers."
Being a woman makes it tougher still, she admits.
"I think you definitely have to work harder - even physically. A Formula Three car without power steering is very difficult.
"Our nature is to be not as strong as a man so you have to work harder than them in that area and also to earn respect from your team and others, to prove that you're not just there to compete but there to win.
"That takes a bit of time if you're a girl and not a boy."
Calderon is clear about her long-term goal: to compete in Formula One.
Scotland's Susie Wolff has driven for Williams in practice sessions this season, though the sceptics will say her marriage to Toto Wolff, head of the Mercedes team and a shareholder in Williams, might have helped.
The last woman to race in a grand prix was Italian Lella Lombardi in 1976.
The absence of role models doesn't encourage young women drivers and Calderon has everything an F1 marketer could dream of in that regard: intelligence, eloquence in multiple languages and good looks. It all counts for nothing if she doesn't have the talent.
"First I want to do well here in Macau. I think a top 10 would be really good for my first time and I know it's very tough, but I want to be the first female driver to get to F1 in a very long time. We have Susie as a test driver but she hasn't raced and that's my goal."
Calderon's role model was compatriot Juan Pablo Montoya, whose success in F1 sparked a boom in karting in Colombia. She'd love to have a similar impact on young girls.
"I tried a lot of sports before that but one day I went to a go-kart track with my sister and did a run of 10 minutes and loved it. I was going every weekend, every day after school. I quit all other sports and just focused on racing because it was my passion.
"We [women] have a lack of preparation and opportunities probably, and we just need to make people believe that we can do it and get a chance.
"We haven't had many chances and I want to prove I'm doing all the learning in Formula Three and hopefully I will get the chance to show what I can do.
"I think they are searching for a girl to go to Formula One - and I am preparing as much as I can to be the one."
