Susie Wolff: F1 Academy success cannot be measured only by a woman reaching F1
Wolff widens the definition of F1 Academy success
Susie Wolff says the arrival of a female driver on the Formula 1 grid would be a major moment for motorsport, but insists it cannot be treated as the sole measure of F1 Academy’s success.
The question of when a woman will line up in F1 remains one Wolff faces regularly as managing director of the all-female series. Speaking during an in-season test at Silverstone, she stressed that the pathway to Formula 1 is brutally narrow for every young driver, regardless of gender.
“I think it’s important to remember there are only 22 spots in Formula 1, and there are thousands of drivers, regardless of male or female, trying to make it,” Wolff said in a video shared on the F1 Academy YouTube channel. “So, it’s tough to get to Formula 1.”
That realism sits at the heart of Wolff’s view. F1 Academy is designed to raise standards, visibility and opportunity, but the final step into Formula 1 remains one of the most difficult in global sport. The series’ momentum is also being reflected in its competitive landscape, with Wolff recently identifying early contenders in the category as F1 Academy continues to build depth and attention: Susie Wolff identifies early F1 Academy title contenders as Palmowski leads.
Doriane Pin’s Mercedes test underlines progress
Wolff pointed to Doriane Pin’s recent Mercedes Formula 1 test as evidence that movement is already happening. Pin, last year’s F1 Academy champion, became the first female driver to drive a Mercedes F1 car.
“Doriane did incredibly well at that test, and I think surprised quite a few people,” Wolff said. “So, I feel like we’re on a good trajectory.”
For Wolff, however, that trajectory depends on broadening the base rather than focusing only on the summit. More young women need to race, and the long-standing perception of motorsport as a male-dominated environment must continue to be challenged.
“We need to get more young women racing,” she added. “We’ve got to break down the stereotypes that this is still a male-dominated environment, so we get the next generation coming up.”
The real benchmark: more women in the paddock
Wolff remains confident that if F1 Academy performs its role properly, a woman reaching Formula 1 will become inevitable. But she was equally clear that such a breakthrough is not the only target.
“If we do a good job with F1 Academy, it will be inevitable to see a woman in F1,” she said. “But is that the sign of success for me? It’s not the only sign.”
Asked what success would look like, Wolff’s answer was direct: “More women in this paddock, more young women out there racing and trying to make it into F1 Academy. That for me is a sign that the sport is progressing in the right way.”
Ciara Gillan
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!