Latest news with #AbbiPulling
Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Inside Netflix's F1: The Academy: Abbi Pulling and the stars ready to shatter racing's glass ceiling
When Abbi Pulling was first asked to join the cast of Netflix's F1: The Academy, she never anticipated the level of attention the series would bring to her pursuit of a Formula 1 dream. With the show landing on the streamer this week, Pulling is about to face a world of scrutiny — but, as she says, it's a 'privilege' and a responsibility. This docuseries is more than just another show about motorsport. It shines a spotlight on the F1 Academy, a women's-only racing competition, which runs as a support series to the main F1 Grand Prix. Following the success of Drive to Survive, the show gives viewers an exclusive look behind the scenes of a sport traditionally dominated by men, showcasing what it really takes to break barriers in one of the world's most demanding industries. The series goes beyond the high-speed races, offering a deeper look at the grit, determination, and passion of the women competing for a fully-funded season in the prestigious GB3 Championship, a single-seater racing series based in the UK. Pulling, 22, who races for Alpine on the show, is the star of the series as she chases the 2024 title. 'It's a huge opportunity,' she told The Standard at Wednesday's London premiere. 'I'm quite scared about what the next week will bring because people are going to either love me or hate me — so we'll see. 'But it's amazing to be here and seeing so much attention on not only women's motorsport but women's sport as a whole. It's another big thing to boost women's sport and hope it helps not just within motorsport but sport as a whole.' The series aims to provide a deep dive into the lives and careers of these rising stars. 'I'm just excited for viewers to see everyone's story and everyone's journey and what everyone has been through, gone through in 2024 and understand what it takes to be a racing car driver,' she added. 'It's such a privilege and we're all so lucky to be here and I'm so happy for the opportunity and to be racing again this year, moving onto a bigger car, a different challenge. It's really exciting and I hope people see that journey and resonate with it or relate to it in show way and the challenges that you've got to face.' Pulling's 2024 F1 Academy title journey has been nothing short of dramatic. Despite her 83-point lead over Mercedes' Doriane Pin, a change in the Abu Dhabi schedule meant Pulling still had to secure pole positions at Yas Marina to guarantee her win. The series' creation has a high-profile backing, with Reese Witherspoon's Hello Sunshine behind the production. 'I met her at the premiere in Miami,' Pulling shared. 'She's so lovely and passionate about motorsport. The whole crew were incredible and really respectful of us. It's a high-intensity environment, and having cameras in your face for both good and bad moments... it was done respectfully. I'm excited for people to see it.' And the excitement isn't just limited to Pulling. Fellow driver Amna Al Qubaisi, who shares the track with her sister Hamda, teased: "You'll see a lot of girls being competitive and very passionate about the sport. I think it's going to be more dramatic than Drive to Survive." American driver Chloe Chambers echoed that enthusiasm, saying, 'I am so excited for this to come out. I really hope people watch it, enjoy it, and want to watch more F1 Academy. That's what I'm looking forward to.' For Bianca Bustamante, the series represents the hard work and dedication of all the drivers involved. 'Everyone has worked so hard to make this a reality,' she said. F1: The Academy is available to stream on Netflix now
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
More grit than glitz in female motorsport's answer to Drive to Survive
Netflix's fly-on-the-wall documentary Formula 1: Drive to Survive has been such a success that sports have fallen over themselves to try to cash in on the back of it. The latest to allow cameras on the grid is F1: The Academy. The stage is almost the same, even if the story is not. The F1 Academy, under managing director Susie Wolff, has been established to nurture young female talent, and the series is produced by Reese Witherspoon's production company Hello Sunshine. Advertisement Unlike F1, it is not a career in itself. Drivers must be aged between 16 and 25 and are only allowed to race for two seasons, with just the winner awarded a fully-funded seat in GB3 – the next rung in the ladder before the heights of F2, or even F1. The differences between F1 Academy and Formula One are stark. There are no Monaco penthouses and only one clip of drivers cruising to a track in a luxury vehicle. It might be the pinnacle of female motorsport, but there is a long way to go for the drivers to have more than just a taste of the riches on offer. Instead, drivers live with their managers and only a few have the luxury of an entourage. The documentary will leave even those few who believe the sport is open to all convinced of the barriers. Abbi Pulling, the British driver, cannot afford to have her father fly out and watch while merchandise shoots are a necessity – as she bluntly explains, it helps her pay rent. Wolff says she wants F1 Academy to be a 'movement not a moment', but for those in their final season of the competition there is the constant uncertainty of what the future holds. Advertisement Pulling's story is one of sacrifice, from her father working seven days a week to fund her karting career to an honest reflection that if she does not win in her final F1 Academy year – and therefore misses out on the GB3 place – that might be the end of her racing journey. Pulling, who does go on to win and is now competing in GB3, says: 'I'm a woman in a man's world trying to prove herself. That's why Mulan is my favourite movie.' British driver Abbi Pulling is one of the feature stars in the seven-part series - F1 Academy Netflix It is a harsh reality that contrasts sharply with the glitz and glamour that comes with racing in F1 teams' liveries, on the same weekends and at the same track as the flagship races. As Wolff states plainly: 'If you can't cut it in F1 Academy, there's not going to be much of a career in motorsport left for you.' Advertisement In F1, even drivers who do not make the cut after a year or two are still compensated heavily, but reaching F1 Academy does not pay the bills. Bianca Bustamante, a driver from the Philippines, boasts more than three million followers on social media, and more on Instagram than F1 driver Liam Lawson. She is mobbed at races, with endless requests for selfies, especially when in Singapore, and her McLaren aide worries how her social media posts and marketing affect her racing – her season is one of pitfalls. Philippina driver Bianca Bustamante boasts more than three million followers on social media and has more on Instagram than F1 driver Liam Lawson - Getty Images/Kate Green In a later episode Mercedes's Toto Wolff, in one of a handful of brief appearances by F1 team principals, says: 'This is not an influencer racing series. Only the best ones must survive.' In the seven-part series, only five stories are really explored – Bustamante, Pulling, Mercedes driver Doriane Pin, sisters Hamda and Amna Al Qubaisi from Dubai, and American rally driver turned track racer Lia Block. Advertisement Those tuning in expecting another version of the abrasive rivalries between drivers and team principles that are the cornerstone of Drive to Survive will find themselves disappointed. The first episode, titled Not here to make friends, is little more than words as the drivers throw each other birthday parties and take group excursions into the desert. On track there is some frustration, but usually by drivers at their own mistakes, and of course there are a few tears as well. Susie Wolff closes off the season by saying: 'I've driven a Formula One car, and fast. I know it's possible and I want to see a young woman on that grid.' Yet the question remains: is it possible? Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
More grit than glitz in female motorsport's answer to Drive to Survive
Netflix's fly-on-the-wall documentary Formula 1: Drive to Survive has been such a success that sports have fallen over themselves to try to cash in on the back of it. The latest to allow cameras on the grid is F1: The Academy. The stage is almost the same, even if the story is not. The F1 Academy, under managing director Susie Wolff, has been established to nurture young female talent, and the series is produced by Reese Witherspoon's production company Hello Sunshine. Unlike F1, it is not a career in itself. Drivers must be aged between 16 and 25 and are only allowed to race for two seasons, with just the winner awarded a fully-funded seat in GB3 – the next rung in the ladder before the heights of F2, or even F1. The differences between F1 Academy and Formula One are stark. There are no Monaco penthouses and only one clip of drivers cruising to a track in a luxury vehicle. It might be the pinnacle of female motorsport, but there is a long way to go for the drivers to have more than just a taste of the riches on offer. Instead, drivers live with their managers and only a few have the luxury of an entourage. The documentary will leave even those few who believe the sport is open to all convinced of the barriers. Abbi Pulling, the British driver, cannot afford to have her father fly out and watch while merchandise shoots are a necessity – as she bluntly explains, it helps her pay rent. Wolff says she wants F1 Academy to be a 'movement not a moment', but for those in their final season of the competition there is the constant uncertainty of what the future holds. Pulling's story is one of sacrifice, from her father working seven days a week to fund her karting career to an honest reflection that if she does not win in her final F1 Academy year – and therefore misses out on the GB3 place – that might be the end of her racing journey. Pulling, who does go on to win and is now competing in GB3, says: 'I'm a woman in a man's world trying to prove herself. That's why Mulan is my favourite movie.' It is a harsh reality that contrasts sharply with the glitz and glamour that comes with racing in F1 teams' liveries, on the same weekends and at the same track as the flagship races. As Wolff states plainly: 'If you can't cut it in F1 Academy, there's not going to be much of a career in motorsport left for you.' In F1, even drivers who do not make the cut after a year or two are still compensated heavily, but reaching F1 Academy does not pay the bills. Bianca Bustamante, a driver from the Philippines, boasts more than three million followers on social media, and more on Instagram than F1 driver Liam Lawson. She is mobbed at races, with endless requests for selfies, especially when in Singapore, and her McLaren aide worries how her social media posts and marketing affect her racing – her season is one of pitfalls. In a later episode Mercedes's Toto Wolff, in one of a handful of brief appearances by F1 team principals, says: 'This is not an influencer racing series. Only the best ones must survive.' In the seven-part series, only five stories are really explored – Bustamante, Pulling, Mercedes driver Doriane Pin, sisters Hamda and Amna Al Qubaisi from Dubai, and American rally driver turned track racer Lia Block. Those tuning in expecting another version of the abrasive rivalries between drivers and team principles that are the cornerstone of Drive to Survive will find themselves disappointed. The first episode, titled Not here to make friends, is little more than words as the drivers throw each other birthday parties and take group excursions into the desert. On track there is some frustration, but usually by drivers at their own mistakes, and of course there are a few tears as well. Susie Wolff closes off the season by saying: 'I've driven a Formula One car, and fast. I know it's possible and I want to see a young woman on that grid.' Yet the question remains: is it possible?
The Review Geek
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Review Geek
F1: The Academy Season 1 Review – The next generation of female racers?
Season 1 Episode Guide No Friends On Track The One to Beat No More Mrs. Nice Guy Target On My Back Feel The Heat The Hardest Race Of My Life End of the Road F1: The Academy is Netflix's latest docu-series, taking inspiration from Drive to Survive but instead shining a spotlight on the trailblazing women in motorsport. With Formula 1 such a fiercely competitive environment, F1: The Academy is an intriguing addition, clearly aimed at boosting female interest and participation in racing, with the overall aim being to get women on the starting grid in Formula 1. Fronted by Director Susie Wolff, this seven-part series aims to get more eyeballs on the women at the front of the pack — and what better platform to do that than the world's biggest streaming service. The show follows the 2024 race season's ups and downs, shining a light on various racers and their unique stories. Of the group, the standout is undoubtedly Abbi Pulling, whose performances and on-track composure suggest a bright future in the sport. Other drivers featured are more of a mixed bag, including Bianca Bustamante. She's given a significant amount of screen time across the season, and it's hard to tell whether that's because she makes compelling TV — courtesy of several crashes, missing the grid box by a country mile, and stalling the car — or if it's due to the massive media push surrounding her. With over 1.5 million followers, she certainly has the visibility, but her mid-table finish doesn't quite match the narrative. Despite that, The Academy does a solid job of highlighting actual racing talent, with an important caveat: every driver uses the exact same machinery. Given that Formula 1 performance often comes down to funding and car development, this level playing field helps focus on pure skill — and that's a refreshing change. It's worth tempering your expectations though, because the season is filled with mistakes, wobbles, and mental stumbles — but that's part of the appeal. It's about the process: how these women handle high-pressure environments, setbacks, and expectations. The cars themselves are comparable to Formula 4 in terms of performance, so while the racing is fast, it's not quite F1 levels of intensity. If this show proves anything, it's that the road to Formula 1 is paved with blood, sweat, tears — and more than a few missed opportunities. Each episode focuses on different drivers, weaving in the usual Drive to Survive elements: slow-mo race footage, manufactured rivalries, and high-stakes editing. It's a formula that still works, but the real strength here lies in the behind-the-scenes material. These quieter moments off the track are where the series finds its soul. We learn about the drivers' backgrounds, motivations, and the challenges they've overcome. One episode highlights Bianca Bustamante's relationship with social media — though it noticeably avoids addressing some of the controversy surrounding her, including past dishonesty about being homeless, which feels like a missed opportunity for more transparency. The final episode neatly wraps things up with the last race of the season, offering a satisfying conclusion while teasing the possibility of future seasons to follow. It also answers the big question: which, if any, of these drivers make it to the next stage of their journey? In the end, F1: The Academy is clearly designed as a gateway — a platform to inspire the next generation of female racers and show that motorsport isn't just a man's game. In that respect, it succeeds. While not perfect, it's an important and engaging watch that brings much-needed visibility to a side of the sport too often overlooked.
Associated Press
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Associated Press
Female drivers from F1 Academy hoping to reach a new audience with Netflix series
LONDON (AP) — Abbi Pulling never thought so many people would want to watch her chase her Formula 1 dream. Following on from 'Drive To Survive,' which sparked a boom in F1's audience through its mix of on-track action and behind-the-scenes insight, 'F1: The Academy' debuts on Netflix on Wednesday. It's set to bring unprecedented attention to a women's-only racing series. The documentary is 'a huge opportunity,' said Pulling, a 22-year-old British driver whose run to the 2024 title forms the backbone of the series. The series follows F1 Academy, a competition which can make or break careers and runs as a support series to F1 Grand Prix races. 'It's definitely changed my life and helped my career progress,' Pulling told The Associated Press. 'Little 8-year-old me that started karting definitely would never have imagined how it's all exploded and become so big.' A culture shift in auto racing Operating a women-only racing series has been controversial among some F1 fans. Mocking, even abusive, social media comments are part of the scenery for the series and its drivers. For the drivers, it offers funding and an opportunity to build a brand. Pulling, who's shown sharing a house with her manager, says she couldn't have afforded to keep racing if not for F1 Academy, or to continue for 2025 if not for winning the title. There are also subtle ways the atmosphere in F1 Academy is different. 'No friends on track' is the title of the opening episode of the docuseries, but the drivers are a close-knit group off the circuit. To an audience accustomed to the F1 feuds of 'Drive To Survive,' seeing drivers consoling each other after mistakes and organizing birthday parties is a little different. 'As a woman, it's like you go in there, you have your own safe space,' said Bianca Bustamante, a driver from the Philippines. F1 Academy is part of a wider culture shift in auto racing. In 2018, F1 abolished the role of 'grid girls' — models paid to stand in front of drivers' cars — and while auto racing remains male-dominated, teams increasingly employ more women in engineering and strategy roles. 'Five, 10 years ago ... the motorsport world, community, was very, very different,' Bustamante told AP. 'The only time girls were ever on the grid was if they were grid girls, or umbrella girls, or podium girls. All these things that we don't see nowadays because of the representation.' Aiming to make history No female driver has started an F1 world championship race for 49 years, or even entered qualifying since 1992, and the last woman to take part in an official F1 session was Susie Wolff in British Grand Prix practice in 2015. Wolff is now the managing director of F1 Academy. 'I've lived it. I know how tough it is,' Wolff told the AP. 'It's my job to set something up which gives young female drivers opportunity for the future, and from start to end I think we've made a huge amount of progress so far in a very short space of time.' F1 Academy uses modified Formula 4 cars, meaning that even the series' best drivers have multiple more steps to reach the F1 grid. While it may take years to develop a female driver through F1's ultra-competitive feeder series, Wolff says that's not the only goal. Helping a driver launch a sustainable long-term racing career in any series is a win for F1 Academy, Wolff argues, and so is encouraging more girls to start out in go-kart events or join the increasing numbers of female engineers in F1. 'It's much more welcoming now, compared to how it was when I started back in 2001,' says Alice Powell, who mentors girls in karting series, alongside being Pulling's manager and a development driver in the Formula E all-electric series. She says she's seeing more girls starting out at the grassroots in Britain, and they're having more success too. 'Female drivers are much more accepted. There are a lot more female drivers in the karting paddock, which is really nice to see. A lot more female mechanics are getting involved and helping the younger drivers as well.' The journey, not the destination It's not always easy to follow what F1 Academy winners do next. The unprecedented attention on F1 Academy compared to other development series means that moving up means leaving the spotlight — at least for now. Pulling's reward for winning the title was a fully-funded seat in the British-based GB3 series this year. That costs far more than Pulling could have paid and gives her a much faster car, but has a fraction of F1 Academy's audience. Bustamante, who uses her social media influencer skills to keep her career moving, has also raised the funds to join Pulling in GB3, while other ex-F1 Academy drivers like 2023 champion Marta Garcia have moved into sportscar racing. Drivers get a maximum two years in F1 Academy, with their costs heavily subsidized by F1. The vast costs of auto racing — which only increase as the cars get more expensive and powerful — mean that failure in F1 Academy could easily end a career. 'I don't shy away from the harsh realities of sport,' Wolff said. 'So failure will become part of the journey for many drivers who are not racing at the front.' ___ AP auto racing:
