Patrick baffled by boss

Danica Patrick is upset at Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone and confused by his comments likening women to “domestic appliances.”

Patrick received a telephone call from Ecclestone last week during which he congratulated the Indy Racing League rookie for her performance at the Indianapolis 500, but also reiterated remarks he had made during an interview at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where the U.S. Grand Prix was being held.

Among the comments Ecclestone made in the interview and to Patrick was that “women should be all dressed in white like all other domestic appliances.”

“I just didn’t make sense of it,” Patrick said during an IRL teleconference this week. “I was surprised, I guess, somebody would say that to me. And the days after, when it actually came out in the press, people were asking me ‘What do you think of that?’ … I was like, ‘You know what he told me? He said that on the phone.’ “

Patrick said some of Ecclestone’s comments were positive and complimentary, which made the exchange more perplexing.

“I can’t believe that he would say it to me over the phone, not to my face, but directly to me,” she said. “I was a bit confused. … So I don’t really know what to think about it.

“I don’t know if he was talking about someone else or the majority or what, I’m not really sure. Or, maybe that’s his real feeling.

“If that’s the case, then, you know, (it) doesn’t really matter because I’m racing in the Indy Racing League.”

Last month, Patrick became the first woman to lead a lap at the Indianapolis 500. She finished fourth, the best finish by a female in the 89-year history of the race.

Formula One

The president of Formula One’s governing body thinks Michelin should compensate fans who bought tickets for the U.S. Grand Prix fiasco.

“My personal view is that Michelin should offer to compensate the fans on a fair basis,” Max Mosley said Wednesday in a FIA statement. “Anyone who had a ticket this year would be entitled to the same ticket free of charge next year.”

FIA has already accused the seven teams using Michelin tires of damaging the sport’s image by pulling out of last Sunday’s grand prix at Indianapolis.

Michelin provides seven of the 10 F1 teams with tires. Only six cars – using Bridgestone tires – started the race after 14 drivers left the track following the warmup lap.

French company Michelin unsuccessfully asked FIA to ease its rule prohibiting teams from changing tires after qualifying.

FIA also refused to consider installing a curve that Michelin said would slow speeds and make the track safer for its tires. Michelin then advised its teams not to compete.

NASCAR

Driver Shane Hmiel, suspended indefinitely by NASCAR on June 3 after failing a second substance abuse test, won’t return before 2007.

Hmiel, son of longtime crew chief and team official Steve Hmiel, was suspended through 2006.