Latest news with #FormulaOne
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Automotive
- 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. 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?
Perth Now
an hour ago
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Brad Pitt's new film has ‘reinvigorated' his love for acting
Brad Pitt's new film has 'reinvigorated' his love for acting. The 61-year-old star will be back on the big screen in 'F1' when it gets its cinema release on 28 June and he's said it reignited his passion for movie-making. In an interview with GQ, he said: 'Man, I've been doing this for a while and was wondering: Do I have more stories to tell? Do I have anything to add to this? Is there still any excitement I can find from this? '('F1') just reinvigorated the whole thing again for me.' 'F1' is a sports drama directed by Joseph Kosinski and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, Lewis Hamilton and Brad. He plays as Sonny Hayes, a former Formula One driver who returns to the sport to mentor a young prodigy, played by Damson Idris. The cast also includes Kerry Condon, Tobias Menzies, and Javier Bardem. Filming for 'F1' took place at various Grand Prix events, including the British Grand Prix at Silverstone, to capture authentic racing scenes. The production involved collaboration with all ten Formula One teams and their drivers, aiming to provide a realistic portrayal of the sport. In addition to 'F1', Brad has been working on 'Heart of the Beast', an action-adventure film directed by David Ayer. Filming occurred in Queenstown, New Zealand, with Pitt portraying a former Navy SEAL stranded in the Alaskan wilderness. The film also stars J.K. Simmons and Anna Lambe. During the production of 'Heart of the Beast', Brad spent nearly three months in New Zealand. Reflecting on his personal life in his GQ chat, Brad also acknowledged the persistent media scrutiny he has faced over the years. But he expressed contentment with his current circumstances, saying his life now feels 'warm and secure' as he's being grounded by a solid group of loved ones. The New York City premiere of 'F1' is set for 16 June 2025, followed by the London premiere at Leicester Square on 23 June 2025. Its release aligns with the 2025 Austrian Grand Prix.
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Furious F1 star in 'heated argument' with fan at Monaco Grand Prix moments before TV interview
Formula One rookie Isack Hadjar appeared to have an angry altercation with a fan just moments before a live interview during the Monaco Grand Prix. The Racing Bulls driver went on to claim sixth place in Monte Carlo on Sunday as McLaren's Lando Norris stormed to victory. But it has emerged that, a day earlier, Hadjar got involved in a confrontation as he was conducting his media duties following qualifying. The 20-year-old was leaving the media pen and heading towards the Sky Sports television crew for a live interview when he was asked for a photograph by a male bystander. However, things turned ugly when the fan made a disrespectful comment towards Hadjar, leading to a confrontation that left the rookie driver visibly upset. As the Sky cameras began their broadcast, Hadjar was still obviously affected by an incident which left the French-Algerian staring into the distance with a scowl on his face. The unpleasant encounter didn't spoil Hadjar's weekend, however, as he went on to achieve his best result of the season. After the race, Hadjar took the opportunity to praise his team-mate Liam Lawson who finished eighth. 'It was a perfect weekend for me,' he said. 'Liam helped me massively, it was great team work and also he helped me, but he also got points so I'm really happy for him.' Hadjar will now look to build on his good run of form at this weekend's Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona.
West Australian
3 hours ago
- Automotive
- West Australian
WA young gun Noah Lisle out to be next Daniel Ricciardo, Formula One star
The West Australian exclusive WA young gun Noah Lisle out to be next Daniel Ricciardo, Formula One star
TimesLIVE
5 hours ago
- Automotive
- TimesLIVE
Could Formula One rule change challenge McLaren's reign in Spain?
McLaren's Formula One rivals hope stricter front wing tests could help to close the gap to the runaway leaders in Spain this weekend. Even if title-chasing team mates Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris are confident little will change, others remain unconvinced. F1 teams were told in January that the front flex tests would be implemented from June 1 after rear wings came under increased scrutiny when the season started in March. Teams have had to redesign their front wings to make them stiffer, which will affect the aerodynamics. 'I think Barcelona is on the calendar of everybody in the paddock with the new regulation for the front wing,' said Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur, whose team are fourth overall and a point behind Red Bull, in Monaco last weekend. 'We are working on it for ages now and this can be a game-changer for everybody because we don't know the impact on every single team of the new regulation.' Champions McLaren, winners of six of eight races so far and a mighty 172 points clear of Mercedes in the constructors' standings, say the circuit itself could have a bigger effect with high-speed corners not naturally suiting their car. Rivals will be watching closely either way. 'What we don't know is how it will affect others. It's a significant change,' said Red Bull boss Christian Horner, whose champion Max Verstappen is chasing a fourth successive Spanish victory. 'There will be some effect. Of course the teams have anticipated that, so it may well be neutral or maybe it will have some effect on tyre degradation ... it certainly doesn't make life easier.' Barcelona is high-downforce and overtaking is not easy, though fans can hope for a better race than Monaco's no-overtaking procession.
