Bodog Beat

Danica Patrick takes a lot of heat for being a female driver in the testosterone-fueled IndyCar Series. (AP Images)

But at least her path was cleared by pioneers like Janet Guthrie and Lyn St. James. Imagine the uproar Patrick will cause if she ever makes the switch to compete in Formula One.

Patrick wouldn’t be the first woman in F1, either. Lella Lombardi raced 17 times in the mid-1970s, finishing sixth at the 1975 Spanish Grand Prix. Four other women have crossed the F1 gender line; the most recent was Giovanna Amati in 1992, although she failed to qualify in three tries before being replaced at Brabham by Damon Hill.

Honda plans to bring Patrick in for a full test of the “Earth Dreams” car in November, once the 2008 F1 season is over. This is one of Patrick’s goals in life, and she seems to get what she wants. Get all your Formula 1 odds in the Bodog Sportsbook now.