Susie Wolff has mentioned the expansion and momentum of F1 Academy in its first three seasons, but additionally insisted that she is just not one to sit down on it and appears to proceed progressing.
“I believe the momentum we have had, the assist we have had from inside this paddock, the good racing we see on observe and the flexibility we have needed to actually rework the careers of younger girls who’re making an attempt to make it in racing has been one thing which has undoubtedly given me a number of delight. However I am not one to sit down nonetheless,” Wolff defined throughout an interview on the F1 Academy YouTube channel.
The all-female racing sequence has seen substantial modifications since its inaugural season in 2023. Initially, it was not broadcast stay, aside from the season finale. Wolff rapidly labored to alter this.
“After I took on the function and arrived at a few races final 12 months, to which I drove into an empty race observe, it made me realise that if we’re going to disrupt and have an effect with F1 Academy, we have to be seen,” she informed Motorsport.com in 2024.
Wolff launched a collaboration with Method 1. All 10 groups assist a driver and the races are held throughout F1 grand prix weekends, permitting them to be broadcast stay. Wild card entries have been integrated in 2024, giving aspiring drivers from exterior of the sequence the chance to be granted a seat for a particular weekend.
Reverse grids have been additionally launched in 2025 to encourage extra thrilling racing throughout the weekend.
“Nicely, I believe one of many clear benefits is certainly having a lot assist from F1,” Wolff continued within the F1 Academy interview. “We have undoubtedly been given the flexibility to be daring, to be disruptive with their full assist behind us and that is actually allowed us to get a number of assist in a brief house of time.
Nina Gademan, PREMA Racing, Lia Block, ART Grand Prix
Picture by: Joe Portlock / LAT Photographs by way of Getty Photographs
“And I believe the game has recognised that it has an enormous feminine fan base and we have to guarantee that we respect and converse to that fan base and guarantee that we additionally attain new audiences and thru F1 Academy we are able to disrupt, we are able to do issues in another way.”
Taking inspiration from the Netflix docuseries Drive to Survive, which boosted the recognition of F1 in america, F1: The Academy was launched on the identical streaming platform in Might 2025.
“The Netflix docuseries was very precious for us as a result of generally in life it’s important to see it to consider it, and there’s this outdated preconception that males love vehicles and racing is for boys, not for ladies,” Wolff added.
“So to change on a sequence and see a younger lady zipping up a Ferrari race go well with and leaping in what seems to be like a miniature Ferrari Method 1 automobile, that picture alone simply challenges the perceptions of what belongs within the sport. And for it to be on a platform like Netflix and attain a complete new viewers was tremendous highly effective for us.”
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