Gene Haas Says Danica Patrick Is Under Consideration As Formula 1 Driver In 2017

Before anyone gets on the "she hasn't won anything" bandwagon.....will it put more eyeballs in front of the tv? If the answer is yes then it is a good decision for F1.

Agreed. Think of the advertising clout a sponsor will get by backing the first woman in F1 for over 20 years?

It won't happen unless she can bring a significant amount of sponsor money with her. Six primary reasons come to mind:
1) F1 drivers are the best of the best - - - while she has always been a good, but not great driver
2) F1 is significantly more demanding than her current race resume. Constant 4G+ loads, extreme cockpit heat, plus the average F1 driver loses 9 lbs during each race
3) The Indy series, where she had he most success, favors a light weight driver with only the car having a spec weight limit, in Formula 1, the car + driver have a spec weight limit
4) She has publicly stated that she likes and performs better on oval tracks - - - there are no ovals in F1
5) F1 races are held in the rain (unless is is too heavy and deemed unsafe), she has little to no experience here
6) Haas Racing will be the first US team in F1 since Eagle back in the late 1960's - - - you want to put your best drivers in since each point you win pays back significantly at the end of the season. Unless Danica's sponsorship money outweighs the potential year end payout, she is no-go.

Instead of a primary diver, it would be smart to make her a backup/test driver while using her as a press representative. Not dissimilar to what Williams did with Susie Wolff.

Use her to lure in the sponsors and let the other driver shoot for the win?

A good strategy if she can bring in enough sponsorship money, but not a good one if she can't. Total payout isn't based on 1 driver, it based on team points. A few points more at the end of the season will be $10M+ more money to work with the next year. If Haas believes the 1st season or two will be learning sessions with few wins, the Danica route may also make sense. Of course it is a big "if" that sponsors will fork over more money to see a woman in the seat then to see better drivers in the seat. F1 is also a sport for younger drivers. Entering her 1st F1 race at 34 will be a big disadvantage given how physically and mentally demanding F1 is.

I think Susie Wolff has better chances of being a full time F1 driver before Danica. The problem with Danica is that she is US marketing machine but not worldwide, F1 is worldwide marketing machine but not so much in the US.

There are far better female drivers that would make a better candidate for F1 than Ms. Patrick.

If Haas chooses Patrick, it is nothing more than a ploy to try to tempt American viewers. I doubt Haas would want to sully their cars with cheesy GoDaddy sponsorship.