Jodie Kidd claims ‘men are better than women in certain things’ and says ‘we have to get over’ the idea of equality

Jodie Kidd has claimed that ‘men are better than women at certain things’ and that ‘we need to get over the idea that the sexes are ‘completely equal’.

The supermodel, 45, gave her thoughts on equality while discussing motorsport Who we are now podcast with Richard Hammond and his daughter Izzy.

The trio were discussing Formula 1 when Richard asked 23-year-old Izzy: ‘What is it about racing that appeals to you as a young girl? The drivers are all men who show off…’

This prompted Jodie to intervene, as she said, “I think we really need to get over this whole thing about us being completely equal.”

‘Men are better than women at certain things.’

The supermodel, 45, former racing driver, gave her views on equality as she discussed the lack of women in motorsport (pictured at the 2004 FIA GT Meeting)

Stunned by her comments, Richard, 54, quickly said: “Jodie Kidd said that not me!” as Jodie joked: ‘Am I going to get cancelled?’

Still, she doubled down on her comments as she continued, “It’s just a fact of life.

“Every now and then you’ll get a great, crazy woman, and I promise you that soon there will be a woman competing in F1.”

In response, Izzy reasoned, “I think it’s all about accessibility. As long as everyone has the same access to it, it’s fine if the guys are better at it.

“There almost has to be a way to not look at them as men and women, they’re just drivers.

“It doesn’t matter if it’s a man or a woman as long as they have the same access to it, which, as you said, I don’t think is the case right now.”

Jodie went on to note that motorsport wasn’t the only male-dominated industry, adding: ‘I think traditionally men might prefer that field.

“Maybe some women will come along.”

Jodie made the comments on the Who We Are Now podcast with Richard Hammond and his daughter Izzy – who appeared surprised by the comments

Jodie started racing in 2003 when she was asked by a friend to enter the Gumball Rally and soon after started her racing career after setting the fastest lap on Top Gear at the time.

No woman has qualified to race for F1 since 1992, and only one woman has ever lifted the trophy: Desiré Wilson in 1980.

Despite the lack of female racers, in 2023 Forbes reported that women make up 13 percent of people working for Mercedes and 6 percent for Red Bull – two of F1’s leading teams.

Speaking about her own racing experience, Jodie said: ‘I wasn’t going to be the best driver in the world. But I had to get respect and I had to earn that respect.’

Richard said: ‘It was twice as hard to earn it.’

Jodie replied: ‘Three times harder! That’s where I just go completely into something, completely immerse myself.

“Thank God for a guy named Rob Wilson, who trained me all the way, and I never liked doing anything unless I got good at it.

‘The first time I was on the Top Gear circuit and Perry McCarthy was the Stig, he said, ‘You’ve got talent, you can do this.’

“If people like that hadn’t said you can do this, I would have backed off and gone, you know what, I’m going to try to do something where I’m going to get a certain amount of respect.

‘But I’ve also played golf, at a very high level, I’ve played a lot of male-dominated sports. But I was going to fly the flag for the girls. That’s why I was quietly training very hard.’

Who We Are Now featuring Izzy and Richard Hammond is now available on Global Player.

Speaking about her own racing experience, Jodie said: ‘I wasn’t going to be the best driver in the world. But I had to get respect and I had to earn that respect’ (pictured in 2006)