I hear what you're saying but there needs to be a certain number of checks and balances. Clarkson may have this long cultivated "boorish oaf" persona but he isn't stupid. I could turn out to be wrong of course but I can assure you that if they start using "bird" to refer to a female you can bet your backside to a burrito there will be a massive backlash.
1. Put out a press release stating that the new show will feature a female racing driver figure called Speedbird a few days before the first episode/season comes out.
2. Steal 1/3 of newspaper page space in the next couple of days.
3. Joke about it in the show, reveal that it is in fact a female penguin.
4. ?
5. Profit.