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| Susie Wolff - Getty Images |
Former Williams test driver Susie Wolff has defended Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone after his controversial comments about female drivers.
Ecclestone said they would "not be taken seriously" and are "not physically" able to drive a car fast.
Wolff set up Dare to be Different, an initiative which aims to increase the number of women in motorsport.
"After hearing Bernie's comments in context and speaking to him it's clear we both have the goal," she tweeted.
"Last week he agreed to come onboard with @D2BDofficial and support the next generation of girls aiming for the top, on and off the track.
"Through my years in motorsport he was supportive of my mission to make it onto the starting grid. For me, actions always speak louder than words. @D2BDofficial is about driving female talent and Bernie is with us."
In so-far unreported comments in the interview, after being challenged by interviewer Sir Martin Sorrell on his remarks, Ecclestone went on to say that he would "love" to see a woman driver in F1 and that he would even be prepared to financially contribute to making it happen.
Meanwhile, USA's Leilani Munter, who races stock cars in the ARCA Racing Series, described Ecclestone as "an embarrassment" and "just a sad, pathetic, sexist old man with pre-historic views of women".
Wolff, 33, started working with Williams in 2012, after racing for seven years in the German Touring Car Championship, before retiring last year.
She spent three years involved in test and development work and drove in four practice sessions over the 2014 and 2015 seasons - becoming the first woman to take part in a grand prix weekend for more than 20 years.
