Scottish racing driver Susie Wolff is to retire from her role as a Formula One practice and test driver at the end of this season, her Williams team said on Wednesday.

The 32-year-old, who joined Williams in 2012 and who is married to Mercedes boss Toto Wolff, was the first woman in over two decades to take part in a Formula One race weekend.

She participated at last year's British Grand Prix, took part in practice for the German Grand Prix as well as sessions in Spain this season and again at Silverstone.

Her hopes of becoming the first woman to actually start a Formula One race since Italian Lella Lombardi in 1976, were shattered when German driver Adrian Sutil joined Williams after Valtteri Bottas sustained an injury in qualifying for the 2015 Australian Grand Prix.

Starting her own career in karting at the age of 13, Formula One racing was the dream that never quite came true.

"I got oh so close," she said. "I wanted and fought very hard to make it onto that starting grid but the events at the start of this year and the current environment in F1 the way it is, it isn't going to happen."

Wolff's last professional outing will come at the Race of Champions in London at the end of the month.

Wolff said in a recent blog post that she held little hope of seeing her success followed by a flood of younger women taking part in motor racing.

"We have two issues: not enough young girls starting in karting at a young age and no clear role model. Sometimes you just have to see it to believe it," she explained.

Source: AFP