MIAMI — The growth of Formula 1 in recent years, and particularly in the United States, has been linked in part to the success of the Netflix docuseries “Drive to Survive.” Debuting in 2019 the series opened up the world of F1 to viewers, taking them behind the scenes and making household names out of figures such as Guenther Steiner and Christian Horner.
Netflix looking to propel F1 Academy to new heights
F1 Academy is getting the ‘Drive to Survive’ treatment from Netflix and Reese Witherspoon’s production company
Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images
Mark Schofield is a former college quarterback and attorney covering the NFL and F1.
Now, Netflix is hoping to do something similar for the all-female F1 Academy.
In an announcement released on Friday at the Miami Grand Prix, Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine announced that a docuseries focusing on the F1 Academy, and currently in production, will launch globally on the streaming service in 2025.
According to the release, the series “ ... will give fans exclusive, behind-the-scenes access to the all-women driving category, highlighting the drama of the races, as well as the personal stories and high stakes for the drivers, their teams, sponsors, and families involved, as they break barriers in one of the most demanding sports in the world.”
Susie Wolff, the Managing Director of the F1 Academy, hailed the partnership as a “huge step forward” for what she hopes will be increased female participation in motorsports. “We want to be the rocket fuel that drives female participation in our sport, both on and off the track. To have the F1 ACADEMY docuseries launch globally with Netflix is not just a huge step forward in visibility for our mission, but also a resounding statement about the momentum and demand for women’s sport,” said Wolff. “We want to inspire and empower the next generation of young women, and Netflix will open up F1 ACADEMY to a global audience of existing and future fans.”
Witherspoon paid tribute to the drivers in F1 Academy, while noting that “people show up to watch” female sporting events.
“We started Hello Sunshine to change the narrative for women, and Susie Wolff and F1 Academy are doing just that by creating new opportunities in the thrilling world of motorsport,” said Witherspoon. “As these dynamic and fearless drivers break barriers behind the wheel, we are excited to partner with Netflix to tell the stories of these powerhouse leaders. What we know is that when we put women at the center, people show up to watch.”
The Miami Grand Prix is the site of the second race of this F1 Academy season. Alpine driver Abbi Pulling currently leads the Championship Standings. You can read our recent feature on Pulling here.
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