Latest news with #DriveToSurvive
Yahoo
14 hours 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
Globe and Mail
2 days ago
- Business
- Globe and Mail
From The Slopes To The Streets: Perfect Moment And BWT Alpine Formula One Team Partner To Launch New Collection
DETROIT, MICHIGAN - May 29, 2025 (NEWMEDIAWIRE) - Formula 1 is one of the fastest-growing sports in the world - and that is particularly evident in the United States. Between the 2023 and 2024 seasons, the U.S. fanbase grew by 10.5%, driven by high-impact media exposure and a fresh cultural relevance. The hit Netflix docuseries Drive to Survive has been pivotal in turning F1 drivers into household names, while expanded coverage across ESPN and ABC has brought the thrill of race day to millions of American homes. As a result, the U.S. now boasts over 52 million F1 fans, making it the sport's fastest-growing market - and in some metrics, the largest TV audience globally. On a global scale, Formula 1's fanbase is climbing towards 1 billion, with growth accelerating in key markets like China, Canada, Argentina, and Saudi Arabia. With three U.S.-based races (Miami, Austin, and Las Vegas), blockbuster sponsorship deals, and strong digital engagement, F1 has firmly cemented itself as the most popular annual sporting series worldwide - blending elite competition, luxury lifestyle, and cutting-edge technology into a global cultural phenomenon. That hasn't been lost on Perfect Moment Ltd. (AMEX: PMNT), the luxury ski apparel company that has been outfitting skiers and swimmers for decades and went public on the New York Stock Exchange in February 2024, raising $8 million in gross proceeds. Perfect Moment is teaming up with BWT Alpine Formula One Team to launch a special-edition collection that Perfect Moment says fuses its refined ski lifestyle with the team's cutting-edge style and racing performance. This collaboration is a three-year deal that will have multiple capsule collections throughout the course of this partnership. Two Storied Brands Hailing From The French Alps It makes sense that Perfect Moment and BWT Alpine Formula One Team would collaborate. Both hail from the French Alps and share a passion for speed, adventure and French savoir-faire (know-how). BWT Alpine Formula One Team, formerly named Renault F1 Team, is owned by Groupe Renault and the Renault–Nissan–Mitsubishi Alliance. It was rebranded in 2021 to promote Renault's sports car brand Alpine. The Alpine F1 Team's significant transformation in recent years, has attracted a roster of high-profile investors. These include Ryan Reynolds, Rob McElhenney, Michael B. Jordan, Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, Anthony Joshua and Rory McIlroy, among others — a group that not only brings star power and global reach but also resonates deeply with new generations of fans across sport, entertainment and fashion. The team competes in the FIA Formula One World Championship with Grand Prix race winner Pierre Gasly and Formula 1 rookie Jack Doohan, under the leadership of team principal Oliver Oakes and executive advisor Flavio Briatore. The team has won the Formula One World Championship seven times, most recently at the 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix. BWT Alpine finished the 2024 season with two podium finishes and ended the year sixth place overall in the Constructor's Championship. The Perfect Moment brand was created in 1984 by Thierry Donard, the professional skier and extreme sports filmmaker, who began making apparel for his team of free-ride skiers and surfers. The designs stood out for their quality, style and performance, helping his athletes achieve what he called a perfect skin run, wave ride or otherwise that perfect moment. The designs sought to combine high-end performance with daring, bold prints and colors. Even today the brand draws on its decades-long commitment to using performance garments and statement designs in its ski, swim and lifestyle outerwear and apparel. In 2010, British-Swiss entrepreneurial couple Jane and Max Gottschalk took ownership of the brand. Under the creative direction of Jane Gottschalk, Perfect Moment underwent a new style focus, which the company says is about improving fit, performance and the use of best-in-class functional materials. 'This collaboration is an exciting milestone for Perfect Moment, blending the energy of BWT Alpine Formula One Team with our signature style and technical excellence,' says Jane Gottschalk, co-founder and creative director at Perfect Moment. 'We wanted to create something truly special for fans of both worlds - high-performance apparel that looks as good as it performs on the slopes and at the track. The French heritage of BWT Alpine Formula One Team and Perfect Moment is a natural fit, for me, it just made sense and we can't wait to launch the collection soon.' From Streets To The Slopes Perfect Moment says the collection, which will launch during the Formula 1 2025 season, will feature a curated selection of technical outerwear and lifestyle pieces including ski jackets, ski suits and performance-driven skin pants that incorporate BWT Alpine Formula One Team's bold racing colors and design. The line will also feature base layers, knitwear, limited-edition hoodies, T-shirts and accessories. The Perfect Moment x BWT Alpine Formula One Team collection captures the high-octane energy and engineering prowess of Formula 1, combining it with the sporting and technical innovation required in skiing apparel, says Perfect Moment. The company believes that collaboration with Alpine will provide it with global visibility across 24 Formula 1 races in more than 20 countries. Fans of both companies will be able to purchase the collection online at and at pop-up experiences ahead of selected race events. The launch of the collection will be accompanied by what Perfect Moment says will be a high-impact campaign that blends Formula 1 precision and mountain performance to showcase the versatility of the collection. 'We are excited to join forces with Perfect Moment for this unique collaboration and bring the worlds of Formula 1 and luxury ski wear together. The technical outerwear produced by Perfect Moment resonates with BWT Alpine Formula One Team's innovative objectives and we are looking forward to launching the collection very soon,' said the BWT Alpine Formula One Team. This post contains sponsored content. This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be investing advice.
Scottish Sun
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
‘Just magic' – One of F1's most recognisable voices reveals Leclerc and Hamilton moments that will live with him forever
CHARLES LECLERC and Lewis Hamilton won arguably the two most iconic Formula One races of the 2024 season. Charles Leclerc made history as he won his home race at the Monaco Grand Prix with "tears" in his eyes, while Hamilton defied the odds to take the chequered flag at the British Grand Prix in his final home race with Mercedes. 3 Charles Leclerc won an emotional 2024 Monaco Grand Prix Credit: Rex 3 Lewis Hamilton then made history at the British Grand Prix later on Credit: Reuters 3 Both races were made iconic by the man behind the microphone for F1TV and Channel 4, Alex Jacques Credit: X @C4F1 Both races have already gone down in the annals of F1 history for their huge significance in the modern era of the sport. But for many fans, that experience was elevated to even greater heights by the man behind the microphone, Alex Jacques. Jacques is the lead commentator of F1TV and Channel 4, and the voice of the EA Sports F1 25 video game, while he has also featured in the Netflix series Drive To Survive. For many fans, his voice has become synonymous with formula racing, given he also spent a decade as the commentator of F2 before leaving the role to spend more time with family at the start of this year. READ MORE IN F1 HORN SIGNALLED Ferrari 'want Red Bull chief Horner to join and become Hamilton's boss' Following his work at both Monaco and Silverstone last year, fans showed their love by featuring him in numerous social media clips, often edited with emotive background music, of the races. And Jacques has not been blind to the outpouring of love fans have given him for his work. Speaking exclusively to SunSport at a launch event of the EA Sports F1 25 video game, Jacques explained his thought process in the moment and gave his thoughts on the fan reaction to it. He said: "You're trying to tell their stories and both of those examples that you used, so for Charles Leclerc, my overarching, and it links back to the previous question, so it's amazing to see all of those edits. BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK "As a commentator, you want to do justice to the moment. If you're watching the Monaco GP and you're watching Charles Leclerc, you might be an F1 fan and you might not know that backstory. "That's my job as the commentator, to tell you that this guy from Monaco, oh, it's just a rich kid winning the Monaco GP. Nothing of the sort. This guy's been through heartbreak on multiple occasions and it's his life's purpose to win that race. Lewis Hamilton sent 'flying' after hitting huge bump as Ferrari endure Monaco Grand Prix nightmare "On that last lap, I tried to distil quite a complex story into quite a short amount of time. He's such a well-supported driver that that lap has, as you say, been subject to so many edits on social media." He continued: "With Lewis Hamilton, this is a driver that we got used to winning week in, week out. Suddenly, goes through a winning drought. "That was one of the best Grand Prix of all time in the entire history of the 75 years. To see him come out on top when it could have been five drivers. "So rarely do you get a Grand Prix where five drivers could win it. For him to come out on top, top three was three British drivers at the British GP. He ends his winless drought. "If you can't do justice to those moments, that's when you have to step forward as a commentator and hopefully provide the words that match the pictures. Both of those occasions were just magic Formula One moments." Jacques' infectious love for motorsport means it was "tough" for him to step away from working on F2. What was is like working on the EA Sports F1 25 game? Alex Jacques: "It's a really long time recording the commentary for the game but it's a wonderful experience because these are the games that I played growing up, right? So maybe it wasn't the case with commentators from a previous generation but for me I used to love the F1 game coming out and then to be part of it and to get to record the lines. "So I'm very happy to spend a week of my life in a very dark room effectively reading and in fifth place and in sixth place and so on and so forth. "You also get to do loads of creative stuff as well and they'll bring in other people for you to commentate with so it's a long process but when you hear your own commentary in the game it's well worth it. Anything in particular for fans to look out for? "Yeah, there's new tracks all the time, there's new storylines all the time. One of the cool things that we got to do this year is they were introducing the cars and the characters from the F1 movie. so that's a part of the game as well and it was great to be able to, it's very weird when you're finding yourself talking about Brad Pitt's character in the game. but yeah and a lot of fun. "There's always something new, they're always coming up with new things for the game as well. The accuracy of the tracks this year is ridiculously good and you're like, hold on, I've been there, there is a hot dog stand at that point, how have they got that in the game? So yeah, loads of fun stuff like that to enjoy." However, "he has no complaints" about stepping back to spend more time with his family after becoming a father for the first time just before this season's Imola Grand Prix, although he jokes it has led to his favourite drink being a "strong black coffee, given how sleep deprived I am". He said: "It's been a strange one because I got the job in F2 first and then got opportunities in F1. F2 has always felt a little bit like the home team, if you like. "F1 is the big international call-up, if you want to put it in a football metaphor. It was tough saying goodbye because very rarely you have to leave that paddock behind. "The nice thing about whether you're telling the story of George Russell or Lando Norris or Charles Leclerc, these are all drivers that I've known from when they were very young because of commentating on F3 and F2 and watching their journey all the way through. But eventually it's time. "Eventually, you just cannot commentate on everything as much as I would love to. It was sad to say goodbye, but I have the best job in the world, so I have no complaints. "I think to get 10 years commentating on any championship in any sport is a privilege and I thoroughly enjoyed it... Thoughts on 2026 possibly being last year at Imola? Alex Jacques: "I'm not entirely sure what the situation is for Imola, but I will say that it is a historic place to go racing. "It's very, very fortunate. Anytime you're covering motor racing in Italy, you're having a great week of your life. Right? "That's the nature of it. It's obviously the circuit closest to Ferrari's factory, and also you've got the Racing Bulls factory close around there. "But it's the nature of gravel traps, narrow circuit, tight walls, thrilling undulations. Those are the things that drivers, not just at Imola, but those are the things across the calendar that the drivers respond to. "It's important to have that balance between the old school tracks that we love and to have the amazing locations that we go to around the world. "And we'll see. But I certainly adore going to that racetrack every time we do." "Eventually, my wife was like, it would be nice if we could hang out at some point rather than you travel the world all the time. "I got that F2 job when I was 25, so eventually you have to make more time for the people that support you when you're away for ages and have to do the day-to-day moments. "So, yeah, very, very fortunate to be the dad of a lovely baby girl and I have a very supportive wife and it's nice to have a bit more of a balance even though there's still a fair bit of travel involved." Despite his new responsibilities away from the track, Jacques does still make time to keep an eye on F1's feeder series and earmarked Irish racer Alex Dunne as one star to keep an eye on, even before he scored a maiden pole position at Monaco last weekend. Jacques said: "I've been impressed with Alex Dunne, Irish driver, making that step up. There are some drivers that I think you take them from a F3 car, you put them with a little bit more power, a little bit more grip, and they seem to come alive. "He seems to fall in that category. So, he's an exciting prospect. but there are loads of really, really talented drivers. You've got to be consistent. Thoughts on Ipswich Town's season? Alex Jacques: "Was there a season this year? I don't know. You skipped over. "Well, it's worth saying that we are having this chat underneath Tottenham's stadium. And the one thing I would say about Ipswich's season is that, okay, it didn't go to plan. "And I think there was an expectation around the club that we would be more competitive than we turned out to be. But we got some away days at grounds that we hadn't visited before. "We got away days at, you know, and the combination of being able, I watched Ipswich win their first Premier League game in 22 years with my dad upstairs at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. That's a memory I'll treasure for the rest of my life. "What Kieran McKenna gave Ipswich Town fans was not only amazing football in League One, in the Championship, but also when we got to the Premier League, away days and experiences that other clubs take for granted. And Ipswich hadn't had for two decades. "Hadn't had a trip to Old Trafford. That was amazing. Taking the lead there. You've got to see it as glass half full. "Okay. Lost a lot of points from winning positions this year. But hold on, last year we gained 30 points from losing positions. So you've got to take the rough with the smooth. "Did we get promoted a little bit too early? Clearly on the evidence, yeah, we probably did. But have we bought? well? "I think so. I think we've got a great squad for the Championship next year. Take nothing for granted with like, oh, bounce back immediately. You have to win so many games. "We've seen this with Burnley. Seen this with Leeds. You've got to win an awful lot of games. I think the club is a little bit exhausted. "It will catch its breath over the summer. I think when you go from League One, when Kieran McKenna took over at Ipswich Town, Ipswich Town were below Accrington Stanley in the table. "I don't think anyone could be moaning about the fact that it didn't go to plan in the Premier League. I'll take whatever timeline this is and he can stay for as long as he likes. "We need to build a statue of him for what he did. Not all seasons are going to go to plan, but I still enjoyed all the away days in the Premier League I was able to get to. "And I've got full confidence that if he's still behind the wheel next year and he hasn't been poached by a Premier League club, we'll bounce straight back. " "But ultimately, I think all the drivers that eventually make it to F1, there are defining days in F3, in F2, where you watch what they do. "Thinking about Kimi Antonelli, the new Mercedes driver, at Silverstone last year, one second a lap faster than everyone else in the field. And that includes three F1 drivers who also graduated with him. "That is the type of performance that if you put in in F2, you can make a name for yourself. And everyone's watching, everyone's watching in the F1 paddock. "So, great start for Alex Dunne, lots of talented names in that championship this year, but you need to see a standout performance, whether it be an overtaking performance through the field. Get yourself on the radar. A standout head-bind drive is the best way to do it." However, Jacques' position on the "ludicrous" three-way 2025 F1 title race is far less clear as the 36-year-old can't pick between McLaren duo Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris or reigning world champion Max Verstappen, but is certain it is "the best type of season" with the field being so close. He added: "I really loved it because you've got three drivers at totally different stages of their careers. You've also got Lando Norris, [who] came in as the pre-season favourite. "Can he deal with the expectation on his shoulders? And Oscar Piastri, exceeding expectations for where he is. You've got the McLaren drivers trying to win their first championships. "You've got Max trying to make history and emulate the great Michael Schumacher. And he'd only be two behind the all-time record if he gets five with a lot of his career still to go. It's a wonderful dynamic. The qualifying sessions have been so tight. "We've not had a gap between first and second. that's been over a tenth. That is ludicrous. We used to have gaps between first and second of a second back in the early 90s. F1 is ultra-competitive, we're having a great season." EA SPORTS has launched their new F1 25 game, with the iconic Edition out now and the Standard Edition launching May 30th. Available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, and PC. Quickfire questions: Alex Jacques Build your dream driver: Racecraft: Fernando Alonso Qualifying Pace: Charles Leclerc Talent: Max Verstappen Awareness: Lewis Hamilton all day Defence: Fernando Alonso Tyre management: Ooh, tyre management. Probably be one of the McLaren boys at the moment because they seem to have that on lock, don't they? Yeah, we'll give Lando tyre management. Quickfire round: Favourite drink: Favourite drink? Wow, I didn't expect that. Probably a strong black coffee, given how sleep deprived I am on the boat. Favourite food or snack during comms: You've got to have a bag of Haribo to get you through, especially if you're doing an overnight one. Guilty pleasure: Guilty pleasure. Yeah, watching Ipswich Town win this year because it's not been a regular occurrence. Favourite racetrack: Monza. Favourite car: Favourite car? Of all cars. F1 or... F1 or what? The 1998 McLaren. That's the first season I watch, so that's always my favourite F1 car. Favourite driver of all time: Favourite driver of all time? Similar answer. Mikka Hakkinen, champion the first year that he won and my childhood hero. And yeah, still get starstruck by him in the paddock. He's a lovely chap.
3 days ago
- Automotive
Female drivers from F1 Academy hoping to reach a new audience with Netflix series
LONDON -- 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." 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.' 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.' 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.'
San Francisco Chronicle
3 days ago
- Automotive
- San Francisco Chronicle
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.'
