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Susie Wolff says F1 Academy must stand as a commercially viable racing platform, not a symbolic initiative carried by goodwill alone, as the all-female championship continues to expand its presence within Formula 1.
Speaking to Yahoo Finance at the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity, the F1 Academy managing director made clear that the series’ progress has to be measured not only by visibility, but by whether it delivers value for those investing in it.
“We don't expect, as the female arm within Formula 1, for it to be a charity project. It needs to make sense. We need to build a platform that works for our partners,” Wolff said.
That message reflects the scale of the championship’s transformation since its inaugural season in 2023. F1 Academy began in front of empty grandstands and without televised on-track action, but Wolff’s work to build partnerships with Formula 1 and its teams has changed the shape of the category. It now runs as a support series at selected F1 grand prix weekends and is fully broadcast.
The championship has also moved beyond the paddock through its own Netflix production, F1: The Academy, a Drive to Survive-style series that has further amplified its profile. As the series continues to broaden its reach, new entries such as Chiara Bättig’s F1 Academy debut at Silverstone underline how the platform is being used to create visible opportunities within the Formula 1 ecosystem.
Wolff’s ambition is clear, but so is her caution. While placing a woman in Formula 1 remains one of the most discussed objectives around F1 Academy, she stressed that the route must be based on performance rather than optics.
“Will it happen? I think yes. Can I give you a definitive date? No, because it comes down to talent,” she explained.
Wolff added: “A door shouldn't be opened or an opportunity given just because it's a woman, but we will find a young girl that's going to be talented enough, and I have no doubt that there will be a team that gives her the chance.”
F1 Academy’s first three seasons have already produced tangible progression. 2023 champion Marta Garcia moved into the Formula Regional European Championship before switching to endurance racing with the Iron Dames.
The 2024 champion, Abbi Pulling, stepped up to the GB3 Championship, where she became the first woman to claim both a pole position and a race victory. She also works as a rookie and simulator driver for the Nissan Formula E Team.
Doriane Pin, following her 2025 title, earned a development driver role with the Mercedes F1 team and became the first woman to test a Mercedes F1 car. She has also secured a race seat in the European Le Mans Series LMP2 class.
For Wolff, those outcomes reinforce the central point: F1 Academy’s growth must be ambitious, professional and sustainable. As she put it, she is “incredibly proud” of what has been achieved, but remains “very ambitious” about what can follow, especially at a time when women’s sport is on fire.
Ciara is a Dublin native, award-winning film producer, podcaster and writer with 20 years of storytelling experience. A lifelong Leinster and Ireland rugby fan, she turned her attention to the grid after moving to Berlin and co-founding Formula Live Pulse. Now, she applies her producer’s brain to Formula 1, navigating the highs of Oscar Piastri’s rise and the unique stress of being an adopted Ferrari fan. She loves talking and talking about F1, if you give her the chance!