Susie Wolff's behind the scenes documentary to encourage women to take up race driving

Daily Mail​

01-06-2025

Scots racing driver Susie Wolff has said she hopes her new Netflix series will pave the way for a woman to compete in Formula 1 for the first time in 50 years.
The Oban-born professional teamed up with Hollywood actress Reese Witherspoon 's production company to make F1: The Academy - a behind the scenes documentary on females trying to make the starting grid.
She is the managing director of F1 Academy - a women-only racing league designed to develop and promote female talent in motorsport.
The 42-year-old, who is married to Mercedes Formula 1 team boss Toto Wolff, was a development driver for Williams and drove for the team during practice sessions at F1 races before retiring in 2015.
She wants the series, which has just launched on Netflix, to encourage more women to take up the sport and end the five decade wait for a female F1 driver.
The mother-of-one said: 'The series is showing that the sport is no longer just a man's world because without Formula One, Formula One Academy wouldn't exist.
'We want to attract a new audience. We want to attract that next generation, the parents of the next generation, to challenge the idea that women can't be racing drivers, that it's an industry that's not really built for women.
'And I think by sharing these incredible human stories of these young drivers and their journeys, the challenges they faced, it really brings to life the fact that regardless of gender, there's an opportunity in the sport.
'Of course, I want to see a woman on the grid, and I think that will be inevitable when we get the building blocks in place that we know we have to do for long-term success and without a doubt, that will be a proud moment when we see a woman take to the grid.
'You know, there's only two spots in the grid per team, and it's very, very tough to get to Formula One, so we've got to make sure that we put the right steps in place that a woman has that chance in hopefully the not-too-distant future.'
The docuseries is produced by Oscar-winning Ms Witherspoon's Hello Sunshine company and is hoping to replicate the success of Drive To Survive, the Netflix series which follows each F1 season.
Speaking to the Hollywood Reporter, Ms Wolff added: 'I feel very privileged that I got to work with the Hello Sunshine team and the Netflix team.
'Obviously the Netflix team, they made Drive to Survive, they know what it takes to make a great docuseries.
'Hello Sunshine was versed in bringing women's stories to life. So it really was for me the perfect partnership, and it was a real privilege to be a part of that group because I think we've created something that I hope will challenge people's perception and bring these human stories to life.
'Even if we can have a smaller amount of success that Drive to Survive did, it will really shift the momentum of F1 Academy.'
Lella Lombardi's appearance at the 1976 Austrian Grand Prix was the last time a woman competed in an F1 race.
The late Italian is only woman to score points in a race, scoring half a point at the 1975 Spanish Grand Prix.