Latest news with #F1:TheAcademy
GMA Network
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- GMA Network
Bianca Bustamante emotional over attending ‘F1' film premiere: ‘I can't believe I was there'
For Bianca Bustamante, attending the 'F1' film premiere night in London's Leicester Square felt like a 'fever dream.' On Instagram, the Filipina racer shared a photo of herself in a bold red cutout gown for the red carpet event, along with an emotional caption. 'I can't believe I was there, right there, in the same room, existing, living,' Bianca wrote. 'I've got so many butterflies right now, and not even in little Bia's wildest dreams would this have ever seemed possible,' she added. At the premiere night, Bianca saw the film's stars, singers, and drivers up close, including Brad Pitt, Lewis Hamilton, and Ed Sheeran, to name a few. 'Watching Formula 1 come alive on the big screen, with a storyline that truly melted my heart,' she said. 'I can't wait for the next generation to watch this and say, 'I want to be an F1 driver,' the same way I did when I first saw 'Rush' and Niki Lauda,' she added. Bianca, who was listed among Forbes' 30 under 30, attended the UK premiere of Netflix's 'F1:The Academy' in May, where she was among the featured female racers. Produced by Apple Original Films, 'F1' was made in collaboration with ten Formula 1 teams, with some scenes shot during actual F1 races in 2024. 'F1' is now showing in Philippine cinemas. —Hermes Joy Tunac/JCB, GMA Integrated News
Press and Journal
01-06-2025
- Automotive
- Press and Journal
Oban racing star Susie Wolff says Netflix F1 documentary will help make history
Oban racing star Susie Wolff is paving the way for female representation on the Formula 1 grid through the launch of a new Netflix series. F1: The Academy goes behind the scenes as female drivers work towards earning a place on the starting grid. Wolff is the managing director of F1 Academy – a women-only racing league designed to develop and promote female talent in motorsport. Teaming up with Hollywood actress Reese Witherspoon's production company Hello Sunshine, she hopes to end the stigma around the male-dominated sport. It has been almost 50 years since a woman competed in an F1 race. Late Italian driver Lella Lombardi was the last woman to make history during her appearance at the 1976 Austrian Grand Prix. She is the only woman to score points in a race, scoring half a point at the 1975 Spanish Grand Prix. Wolff, who is married to Mercedes F1 team boss Toto Wolff, is no stranger to the pressures facing females in the sport. The 42-year-old was a development driver for Williams and drove for the team during practice sessions at F1 races before retiring in 2015. She hopes change is around the corner, opening the door to fresh female talent. She said: '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 will be hoping to replicate the global success achieved by the previous Drive to Survive series. The new Netflix series gives fans a behind-the-scenes look at the trials and tribulations facing drivers and their prospective teams both on and off the grid. Wolff, who was born in Oban, hopes to inspire the next generation of female drivers. She added: '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.' You can watch all seven episodes on Netflix.
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- 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?
Chicago Tribune
28-05-2025
- Automotive
- Chicago Tribune
Female drivers from F1 Academy hope to reach a new audience with Netflix series
LONDON — Abbi Pulling never thought so many people would want to watch her chase her Formula 1 dream. Following 'Drive to Survive,' which sparked a boom in F1's audience through its mix of on-track action and behind-the-scenes insight, 'F1: The Academy' debuts on Netflix on Wednesday. It's set to bring unprecedented attention to a women-only racing series. The documentary is 'a huge opportunity,' said Pulling, a 22-year-old British driver whose run to the 2024 title forms the backbone of the series. The series follows F1 Academy, a competition that can make or break careers and runs as a support series to F1 Grand Prix races. 'It's definitely changed my life and helped my career progress,' Pulling said. 'Little 8-year-old me that started karting definitely would never have imagined how it's all exploded and become so big.' Operating a women-only racing series has been controversial among some F1 fans. Mocking, even abusive social media comments are part of the scenery for the series and its drivers. For the drivers, it offers funding and an opportunity to build a brand. Pulling, who's shown sharing a house with her manager, says she couldn't have afforded to keep racing if not for F1 Academy or to continue for 2025 if not for winning the title. The atmosphere in F1 Academy also is different in subtle ways. 'No friends on track' is the title of the opening episode of the docuseries, but the drivers are a close-knit group off the circuit. To an audience accustomed to the F1 feuds of 'Drive to Survive,' seeing drivers consoling each other after mistakes and organizing birthday parties is a little different. 'As a woman, it's like you go in there, you have your own safe space,' said Bianca Bustamante, a driver from the Philippines. F1 Academy is part of a wider culture shift in auto racing. In 2018, F1 abolished the role of 'grid girls' — models paid to stand in front of drivers' cars — and while auto racing remains male-dominated, teams increasingly employ more women in engineering and strategy roles. 'Five, 10 years ago … the motorsport world, community, was very, very different,' Bustamante said. 'The only time girls were ever on the grid was if they were grid girls or umbrella girls or podium girls. All these things that we don't see nowadays because of the representation.' No female driver has started an F1 world championship race for 49 years or even entered qualifying since 1992, and the last woman to take part in an official F1 session was Susie Wolff in British Grand Prix practice in 2015. Wolff is now the managing director of F1 Academy. 'I've lived it. I know how tough it is,' Wolff said. 'It's my job to set something up which gives young female drivers opportunity for the future, and from start to end I think we've made a huge amount of progress so far in a very short space of time.' F1 Academy uses modified Formula 4 cars, meaning even the series' best drivers have multiple steps to reach the F1 grid. While it may take years to develop a female driver through F1's ultracompetitive feeder series, Wolff says that's not the only goal. Helping a driver launch a sustainable long-term racing career in any series is a win for F1 Academy, Wolff argues, and so is encouraging more girls to start out in go-kart events or join the increasing numbers of female engineers in F1. 'It's much more welcoming now, compared to how it was when I started back in 2001,' said Alice Powell, who mentors girls in karting series, alongside being Pulling's manager and a development driver in the Formula E all-electric series. She says she's seeing more girls starting out at the grassroots in Britain, and they're having more success too. 'Female drivers are much more accepted,' she said. 'There are a lot more female drivers in the karting paddock, which is really nice to see. A lot more female mechanics are getting involved and helping the younger drivers as well.' It's not always easy to follow what F1 Academy winners do next. The unprecedented attention on F1 Academy compared with other development series means that moving up means leaving the spotlight — at least for now. Pulling's reward for winning the title was a fully funded seat in the British-based GB3 series this year. That costs far more than Pulling could have paid and gives her a much faster car but has a fraction of F1 Academy's audience. Bustamante, who uses her social media influencer skills to keep her career moving, also has raised the funds to join Pulling in GB3, while other former F1 Academy drivers such as 2023 champion Marta Garcia have moved into sportscar racing. Drivers get a maximum two years in F1 Academy, with their costs heavily subsidized by F1. The vast costs of auto racing — which only increase as the cars get more expensive and powerful — mean that failure in F1 Academy easily could end a career. 'I don't shy away from the harsh realities of sport,' Wolff said. 'So failure will become part of the journey for many drivers who are not racing at the front.'
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Elon Musk says GOP's 'big, beautiful' bill 'undermines' DOGE
Good morning, all. It's National Hamburger Day. See which burger is No. 1 in your state and check out deals at burger chains across the U.S. Now, on to the news. Subscribe to get this newsletter in your inbox each morning. Two court rulings and a new interview with Elon Musk, a senior adviser to President Trump, have put the Department of Government Efficiency back in the spotlight. Here's the latest. Treasury ruling: A federal judge ruled that the Treasury Department's DOGE team could access the government's sensitive data systems, which manage trillions in payments and contain the financial information of tens of millions of U.S. citizens and businesses. [Politico] DOGE lawsuit: Another judge allowed a lawsuit that challenged Musk's efforts to slash federal spending under DOGE to proceed. The 14 states that sued argued that Musk has 'unchecked legal authority' without authorization from Congress. [Reuters] Musk's comments: In a clip of a larger interview airing Sunday on CBS, Musk said he was 'disappointed' with Trump's tax and spending bill, which he said increases the national debt 'and undermines the work that the DOGE team is doing.' [Time] 🏀 Haliburton makes history Tyrese Haliburton's historic triple-double without a single turnover helped the Pacers defeat the Knicks 130-121, bringing them one win away from the NBA Finals. 'This guy is unbelievable,' Pacers forward Aaron Nesmith said. [Yahoo Sports] 💉 COVID-19 vax changes Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced that COVID-19 vaccines will no longer be recommended for healthy pregnant women and children. Experts denounced the move, citing the risks of COVID infection during pregnancy. [CNN] 🌡️ West Coast heat wave Starting as soon as today, the season's first heat wave is expected to bake the interior West with triple-digit temps through the weekend. It comes after a new report warns of even more record-breaking heat over the next five years. [Accuweather/AP] ⚖️ Sean 'Diddy' Combs's trial At Sean Combs' sex trafficking and racketeering trial, his former assistant Capricorn Clark testified that he repeatedly threatened her life and forced her at gunpoint to join him in an apparent plot to kill rapper Kid Cudi. [Yahoo News] 🪄 Hogwarts' new magical trio After more than a year of speculation, HBO revealed who will play Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger in its Harry Potter reboot. See who they are and how they compare to the original cast. [Entertainment Weekly] 📺 Now streaming: F1: The Academy, a new reality series following young women in racing, dropped overnight on Netflix. Watch the trailer. [Motorsport] ⚾ On the field, the Phillies will try to keep a four-game home win streak alive when they face the Braves at 6:45 p.m. ET on the MLB app. [AP] 🏒 In the NHL playoffs, after failing in their last game, the Panthers will try again to clinch a spot in the Stanley Cup Final at 8 p.m. ET on TNT. [Hockey News] 🏀 In the NBA playoffs, the Timberwolves try to hold off the Thunder — and their Big Three — from clinching a berth in the Finals at 8:30 p.m. ET on ESPN. [Yahoo Sports] ☀️ And don't forget to: Read your daily horoscope. Play the crossword. Check the forecast in your area. In 2023, Succession ended after four seasons. Fans loved the HBO drama for its satirical skewering of the superrich, which was actually realistic in some respects. One example: Several are on a quest for eternal life. [Business Insider] Planning on taking some time off soon? Yahoo wellness editor Erin Donnelly stopped by to make the case for taking a staycation. Jessica: What's the argument for choosing a staycation? Erin: For starters, it's almost certainly cheaper than booking a vacation far from home. You also have the mood-boosting benefits of taking time off without the stress that comes with traveling (canceled flights, jet lag, etc.). It's a win-win, if you ask me. I just did one for Memorial Day. Erin: Awe is a big part of travel, but you don't have to go far for that — just try something new. Experts told my colleague Amelia Edelman that checking out a new museum or restaurant, or seeing what your friends' favorite local attractions are, can help you discover new things to love about where you live. Erin: When you're traveling, you're likely going to be getting lots of steps in while you do stuff, rather than sitting in front of screens. Those are two good habits to keep up, even if your PTO involves staying close to home. Go deeper: Here are more ways to have a fun staycation. Doug the Pug, the Instagram-famous dog, recently received an honorary degree in 'Furensic Science' from the University of New Haven. 'I hope Doug can serve as a reminder that anything is possible and no dream is too big,' said Leslie Mosier, Doug's owner. [People] Have a great day. See you tomorrow! 💡 P.S. Before you go, your daily advice: Find exactly what you want to watch on Netflix by searching through the platform's secret codes. Here's how to do it. [CNET] About The Yodel: The Yodel is a morning newsletter from Yahoo News. Start your day with The Yodel to get caught up on weather, national news, politics, entertainment and sports — in four minutes or less. Did you like this morning's newsletter? Subscribe to have it sent to you on weekdays. By signing up, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.
