Feature
‘Leading the way to change’ – How the growth of female fans and F1 ACADEMY are encouraging women to explore opportunities in motorsport
Piece written by Zoe Williams, a student at Oxford University following the British Grand Prix.
Earlier this month, I was lucky enough to attend the British Grand Prix at Silverstone with my Dad - a weekend which will happily stay in my fondest memories for a very long time to come. Anyone who has seen a Grand Prix live will know that the atmosphere is like no other. The energy and passion from fans of drivers all across the grid is infectious, even if you aren’t the most die-hard fan yourself. However, I myself do not fall into this category!
Whilst I only came into the sport relatively recently, I have been absolutely hooked ever since. Each weekend, Dad and I will sit down to watch the full coverage, regardless of whatever else may be going on and if I’m away at university I will often facetime home to watch with him. Formula 1 is certainly nothing short of a cornerstone of our relationship, but just as equally it is a weekly adrenaline-fuelled bonanza where there is always plenty of drama both on and off the track and I simply adore it all.
However, my pathway into Formula 1 isn’t exactly unique either. After speaking to several women at Silverstone about how they got into the sport, it is evident that many credit their families for fuelling their love of racing and helping them to broaden their understanding.
‘For as long as I can remember my dad has sat down and put the F1 on over the weekend and we all had to be quiet for it,” reflects Holly, aged 23. “I always asked him how he found it entertaining just watching cars go round in circles for hours (…) I started researching and asking questions and watching more and more until I was hooked. Now it’s so special to me it’s something me and my dad talk about and discuss, we sit down on the weekends and watch together, and both tell anyone else to be quiet’.
Natalie, aged 25, adds: “I became involved in Motorsport via my dad, and I think that's a way a lot of girls do but I hope not forever. He's a mechanic, as are all his friends, and as a kid he used to take me to races. We'd watch Formula 1 at home on the weekend and then as I grew up, I understood it more and could enjoy it more. The man would literally spend hours explaining the engineering and technical details and I honestly find it fascinating.”
However, many have discovered motorsport by themselves, and there are many varied and significant reasons behind the recent increase in the female fanbase. TikTok and Drive To Survive are often attributed with having contributed to this change, with 43% of UK viewers tuning into Drive To Survive being women.
As the number of female fans of F1 has risen to 40%, this is reflected in the faces of those watching trackside. In 2019, women made up 20% of Grand Prix attendees and in the space of four years, that has grown to almost a third.
“During the pandemic I came across quite a few videos on TikTok actually,” explains Diana, aged 28, who attended her first Grand Prix that weekend. “So over time I kept up with some aspects of the sport from a distance (…) I started to watch more videos and races online as well as the cliche move and started watching Drive to Survive on Netflix. Formula 1 brought me so much joy in a sad time in my life and I’m so grateful I fell in love with the sport.”
In tandem with the growth of the female fanbase has been the increased representation of women in a wide variety of roles within motorsport, both on and off the track. Although historically a male-dominated environment, the visibility of female role models has become more prevalent in recent years.
Through this, many more girls have connected with the sport, as they witness their achievements and look to pursue their own aspirations as a result.
“Certainly, the presence of women in motorsport has become more representative than in previous years,” says Ana, aged 25. “There are undoubtedly many more women out there who can be seen as role models in motorsport.”
“I think since I first started watching F1 it has become more inclusive for women,” adds Holly. “I think it’s still a very male dominant sport but even being at Silverstone yesterday seeing how many young girls were there and having the best time was so nice to see. It’s really nice having female presenters and experts with Sky Sports and other broadcasters.”
“In commentating, the addition of Bernie Collins over the last year or so is game changing. In my opinion she brings such a unique insight that we just don't have,” reflects Natalie.
Alongside showcasing role models in the industry, F1 ACADEMY continues to make significant strides in championing women in the world of motorsport. Off-track, their DISCOVER YOUR DRIVE programme is encouraging and supporting young girls into karting by helping to open up opportunities early on.
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As of this year, F1 ACADEMY races on Grand Prix weekends in front of fans as an F1 support series, alongside securing the support of all 10 Formula 1 teams — who each sponsor and support an F1 ACADEMY driver. Now with the spotlight shined on the series, fans are optimistic about the positive impact that they’ve already seen beginning to be made.
“So much growth has occurred in the last year or so,” explains Diana. “Susie Wolff being the Managing Director of F1 ACADEMY was such a great choice. Her being such a well-known woman and having so much experience in the sport, I don’t think there could be a better director.
“Even last year when F1 ACADEMY started I saw the growth over the year and how so many more teams became involved. So many more women are now involved in motorsport than just two years ago. It is beautiful to see the support that is being given by so many teams. It is really leading the way to change to have more women included in motorsport.”
Ana adds: “I am a fan of F1 ACADEMY, and I am convinced this is just the beginning. The start is always the hardest because confidence is initially low, but people are already beginning to believe that women can succeed in motorsport, so it is definitely possible.
“I believe we've reached a time when people are ready to accept that change is good and that there are no tasks or sports, exclusive to one gender, whether male or female. Although, I am convinced that the involvement of F1 teams in mentoring certain girls has also contributed significantly to building people's confidence in their abilities.”
F1 ACADEMY’s work is also important in showcasing and celebrating women behind the scenes. Outside of the engineering and strategy positions, which are increasingly becoming more gender balanced, there are plenty of other unspoken roles which women hold and aspire to hold. The motorsport industry is challenging to break into as it is, so it's important that women are inspired by the variety of pathways they could take to embark on their own careers.
“I'd love to work in policy, rules and regulations - that kind of thing!” Natalie says. “Opportunities are rare, I pretty much stalk LinkedIn and connect with anyone I can to try and network (…) I also keep an eye on team’s careers pages and follow and connect with the team recruiters on LinkedIn as there's almost always someone at the team making sure everything is in line with the rules.”
“I do photography and would love to be a photographer for F1,” remarks Holly. “I took some pictures at Silverstone and have tried sending them to people but no luck so far. I’m hoping to travel to more races to get more photos and build up a portfolio.”
The F1 ACADEMY DISCOVER YOUR DRIVE programme is invaluable in the work it is doing off track in order to provide opportunities to the female drivers and team members of tomorrow, and having the races on Grand Prix weekends as an F1 support series has hugely increased the series’ publicity and has provided a wealth of new female role models in the motorsport world.
F1 ACADEMY’s mission is clear: to change perceptions and inspire the next generation of girls whilst expanding access across the industry. It is evident that they have the support and respect of many existing female fans (myself included!) and we are all excited to see it progress and flourish.