F1 Academy has announced its collaboration with award-winning actress Reese Witherspoon's production company Hello Sunshine on a Netflix docuseries about the all-women racing series, due to be released globally in 2025.
In an official press release, F1 Academy said, "The multi-part, adrenaline-fueled 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."
This is major news for the expansion of F1 Academy to new audiences, particularly after the success of the Formula 1 Netflix docuseries Drive to Survive. First launched in 2019, the show has played a significant role in bringing a new generation of fans to the sport in a time when F1's television audiences had been declining. F1 is now one of the fastest growing sports in the world. with a 2021 study finding the fanbase had almost doubled since 2017. A 2022 poll conducted with 1,900 US F1 fans founds that 53% credited Drive to Survive as a reason they began watching F1 races. In this time, F1 has also seen an increase it its female fan base, with F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali sharing in 2022 that 40% of F1 fans worldwide were women, up 8% from 2017.
One reason why Drive to Survive has been so successful in attracting people to F1 is due to the drivers have an opportunity to show the person under the helmet, sharing their personalities, stories and goals. The more people learn about each driver, the more a connection forms and they become invested in their successes and failures, tuning in to watch every race and cheer them on.
The docuseries also provides viewers a glimpse into the inner workings of the sport, proving them with insight and understanding they may not have had before.
Now it's hoped that this same success will be replicated for F1 Academy, which although is only in its second season, is making leaps and bounds towards reaching global audiences, providing exposure and opportunities to its drivers while also inspiring the next generation of women to get involved in motorsport.
This announcement follows the pre-season news that F1 Academy will now be broadcasted in over 160 territories and streamed live on F1 Academy's YouTube and X channels and via F1 TV, bringing the series and its mission to fans all over the world.
Susie Wolff, MBE, Managing Director of F1 ACADEMY said: "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. 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."
Reese Witherspoon, founder of Hello Sunshine, said: "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. 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."