F1 Academy partners with Gatorade to launch mission to secure a place for the next female driver on the grid - 'It's about inspiring the next generation to challenge the preconception that motorsports is a man's world'

Daily Mail​

10-07-2025

The world of F1 has sky rocketed to unimaginable heights in the last few years with more eyes on the sport than ever before.
As the sport continues its meteoric rise, other racing championships have also gained traction, carving out their own place in the motorsport landscape.
One such example is the F1 Academy, which since its inaugural season in 2023, has gone from strength to strength, building a solid foundation for female drivers to pave their own way in racing world and challenge the outdated notion that 'motorsport is a man's world' says Susie Wolff.
Now in a transformative step for females in motorsport, the F1 Academy has partnered with Gatorade to fuel the future of women's racing.
Through this partnership, Gatorade becomes the official sports drink partner of the series, offering its world-leading sports science and hydration expertise to equip F1 Academy drivers with the tools they need to perform at their best under extreme conditions.
F1 Academy's rapid growth has been extraordinary, something that the series' leaders attribute to the unwavering support of the broader motorsport community, including strategic partners like Gatorade.
'When we started with F1 Academy, I had big ambitions, but the progress we've made in such a short time would never have been possible without the huge commitment and support we've had from the sport,' says Susie Wolff, Managing Director of F1 Academy.
'I think we all know now how culturally relevant Formula One is becoming and how big the global fan base is. And 42% of that fan base is now female.
'It's thrilling to see the sport I love taking a real commitment to create more opportunities for women.'
Wollf also points out that the alliance with Gatorade is more than just brand visibility.
It's a collaboration that goes deeper than sticking a logo on a car, instead it provides F1 Academy drivers with access to Gatorade's world-class sports science and performance expertise.
'This isn't just about slapping a logo on a car,' says Wolff.
'Gatorade is going deep into the science of motorsport and hydration.
'They want our drivers to go to their institute in Florida, they want to understand how we can improve the hydration of our drivers.
'Motorsport, especially in hot climates, is physically demanding, and hydration plays a crucial role in driver performance.
'We don't know enough about female athletes in motorsport, so having Gatorade come in with the intention to help us tackle these challenges is a dream come true.'
42% of the Formula One fan base is now female and Wolff sees this as an opportunity to grow the number of women in Formula One
Wolff explains, women's sport is at a pivotal moment, with increased investment and growing fan interest.
'Women's sport is having a moment. It's gaining a huge amount of attraction, and the audience numbers are growing,' she says.
'Just look at the UEFA Women's Champions League final in Lisbon—there's no question about the shift in how women's sports are being perceived.'
And one of the key barriers F1 Academy and Gatorade want to break with this partnership is expanding the sports reach beyond the motorsport world.
'We're only in my second year, third overall and it's critical to reach a broader audience, says Wolff.
'That's where Gatorade's global presence can help. They've been in other sports for decades, and they bring fresh perspectives to motorsport.'
Creating opportunities for young girls to race is fundamental to Gatorade and F1 Academy's mission.
'We need to get more young girls racing. If we don't, we won't exist in five years.
'It's about inspiring the next generation to challenge the preconception that motorsports is a man's world' says Wolff.
While Wolff is unwavering in her belief that women can succeed at the highest level in Formula one, she stays realistic and acknowledges the challenges unique to female athletes in motorsport.
'We've never done much research into female athletes in motorsport. I know women have 30% less muscle mass than men, and racing is physically demanding.
'But it's not just about physicality... motorsport is different. It's about the car, the strategy, the teamwork.
'We need to better understand the physical barriers that could prevent women from advancing through the ranks, and that's where Gatorade's expertise comes in.
'How can we equip young girls from an earlier age to be better prepared for the challenges of racing? That's what we're working on.'
And this is where Gatorade comes in, through this partnership the F1 Academy drivers will have access to Gatorade's elite sports science resources, including personalised hydration plans, performance testing, and research from the Gatorade Sports Science Institute.
'F1 Academy aims to train the next generation of female drivers… and we believe that with Gatorade, we have a unique opportunity to partner with the F1 Academy as part of our Fuel Tomorrow initiative,' Eugene Willemsen, CEO of International Beverages for PepsiCo said when he spoke to Mail Sport.
For Gatorade, this is far from just a brand endorsement. The company has always been a science-driven brand, and this partnership with F1 Academy is about more than just being a sponsor.
Gatorade's history dates back to the 1960s when it was developed at the University of Florida to support the football team. Since then, science has been at the heart of Gatorade's mission, allowing it to understand what athletes need to perform at their peak.
'The way we look at this partnership, it's more than just sponsoring or brand endorsement.
'Gatorade is the world's number one sports drink. Our sports drink is backed by science, it was created in the '60s, in Florida, at the University of Florida for the football team, the Gators,' Willemsen explains.
'And since then, science has been the backbone of Gatorade. So we've been able to understand, like no other brand, what it really requires to hydrate active athletes in the best possible way.'
'And If there's one sport where hydration is absolutely critical, it is F1.
'In an average race, an driver could lose up to four kilos of bodyweight, because of the liquids that the driver's losing during the race.
'So, we want to work with the drivers in our Gatorade Sports Sciences Institute to understand how we can better help them and also create personalised hydration solutions for them, that will help them perform better during the race, but also recover faster after the race,' Willemsen added.
Gatorade's partnership with F1 Academy is holistic as Willemsen and Wolff both mention, it goes far beyond traditional sponsorship to instead focus on helping athletes perform at their peak, both on and off the track.
'So it's a holistic partnership. It's not just sponsorship.
'It's part of helping the athletes perform at their peak, which is what Gatorade has always been about,' Willemsen concluded.