Introduction to the F1 Academy
It’s night, but the dazzling lights sparkling above Qatar’s Formula 1 racetrack shine down on Abbi Pulling as she completes her final lap to secure victory in the 2024 F1 Academy Drivers’ Championship.
Because of her high point total, the British racing driver only needs to place second in this race to win the championship.
Pulling has been racing for what seems like her whole life. She’s already made waves in the public eye by accomplishing great feats by the age of 21, including becoming one of the first women to drive an F1 car in Saudi Arabia and the first woman to win a British F4 race.
On her last lap, Pulling can smell the win coming. It will taste all the sweeter after experiencing losses and financial setbacks in 2021, when she had a promising British F4 season but had to drop out when her father, who was fully backing her season, ran out of cash.
Pulling catches glimpses of her team beyond the barrier, cheering her on. The urge to hug them is strong, but finishing the race is her mission.
Donning a gold helmet and her usual black-and-pink racing suit, she crosses the finish line. Camera flashes light up the dark sky as she exits her car and climbs atop it, trying to soak everything in with her arms by her side.
Crossing the line in second, Abbi Pulling secures first place overall and celebrates after her F1 Academy race on Nov. 30, 2024 in Lusail City, Qatar. (Joe Portlock / Getty Images)
A Step in the Right Direction with the F1 Academy
The F1 Academy was created in 2023 to get more women involved in all levels of motorsport. Under the leadership of its managing director, former racer Susie Wolff, the racing series aims to train female drivers to further their motorsport careers with hopes of getting onto the F1 racetrack.
“It has always been a man’s world, but we’re breaking that down now,” Wolff tells TODAY.com. “We’re showing young women (that) we’re creating role models, we’re inspiring the next generation, it’s no longer a man’s world.”
Since its inception, the average female participation during an F1 Grand Prix has jumped from 3-5% to 25%, and there was a 265% increase in female karting cadets who qualified for the British Indoor Karting Championship in 2023 compared to 2022, according to the F1 Academy’s website.
From left to right: Lia Block (United States), Emely de Heus (Netherlands), Maya Weug (Netherlands) and Chloe Chambers (United States) ahead of F1 Academy Round 5 on Sept. 19, 2024, in Singapore. (Pauline Ballet/Formula 1 / Getty Images)
Why Aren’t Women on the F1 Grid?
Wolff says that 42% of the F1 fan base is female. Despite making up almost half the fans, she believes the largest barrier preventing women from making it to Formula 1 is the lack of female role models in the sport.
“There are no women racing at the highest level that can inspire others,” Wolff tells TODAY.com. “And sometimes in life, you have to see it to believe it.”
This lack of female representation compounds the second problem: participation, which Wolff says there isn’t enough of.
“The talent pool of women in the sport is so small, it’s never gone above 5%, which means we don’t have enough competing for the best to rise to the top,” she says.
Female drivers of the F1 Academy on March 7, 2025, in Shanghai, China. (Hugo Hu/Formula 1 / Getty Images)
The Future of the F1 Academy, with the Help of a Docuseries
Wolff calls the F1 Academy a “once in a lifetime chance” to create change in the sport, and she has “big ambitions” for its future.
“I want to continue to be bold, to disrupt and to show the next generation, and all those who are fans of the sport, that the sport you love is a place where women cannot just be involved but also thrive,” she says.
Last May, the F1 Academy and Witherspoon’s production company Hello Sunshine announced they would be creating a Netflix docuseries that followed the 2024 championship.
Reese Witherspoon on Jan. 28, 2025, in NYC. (Taylor Hill / FilmMagic)
After placing second in the F1 Academy Round 6 that secured her win in the 2024 F1 Academy Drivers’ Championship, Abbi Pulling celebrates on the podium at Lusail International Circuit on Nov. 30, 2024 in Lusail City, Qatar. (Bryn Lennon – Formula 1 / Formula 1 via Getty Images)
Conclusion
The F1 Academy is a significant step towards increasing female participation in motorsports. With the help of the docuseries, it aims to inspire and empower women to pursue careers in the sport. As Wolff says, “I want to continue to be bold, to disrupt and to show the next generation, and all those who are fans of the sport, that the sport you love is a place where women cannot just be involved but also thrive.”
FAQs
Q: What is the F1 Academy?
A: The F1 Academy is a racing series created in 2023 to get more women involved in all levels of motorsport.
Q: What is the goal of the F1 Academy?
A: The goal of the F1 Academy is to train female drivers to further their motorsport careers with hopes of getting onto the F1 racetrack.
Q: How has the F1 Academy impacted female participation in motorsports?
A: Since its inception, the average female participation during an F1 Grand Prix has jumped from 3-5% to 25%, and there was a 265% increase in female karting cadets who qualified for the British Indoor Karting Championship in 2023 compared to 2022.
Q: What is the docuseries about?
A: The docuseries, produced by Hello Sunshine, follows the 2024 F1 Academy championship and aims to inspire and empower women to pursue careers in motorsports.
