« F1: The Academy »: the Netflix series that puts women at the heart of motorsport
Available since May 28 on Netflix, the documentary series « F1: The Academy » offers an unprecedented immersion into the 2024 season of the F1 Academy, a 100% women's championship. Produced by Reese Witherspoon and starring Susie Wolff, the series highlights the ambitions and challenges of young drivers determined to break Formula 1's glass ceiling.
After the success of Drive to Survive, Netflix unveils a new facet of Formula 1 with F1 Academy, a documentary series dedicated to the women’s championship launched in 2023. Formula 1 is dominated by men, but things are changing, announces the trailer. Led by Susie Wolff, general manager of the F1 Academy, this production takes us behind the scenes of an exciting season, from Miami to Abu Dhabi.
Objective? To offer these young women a real opportunity to make it to F1. I’m looking for a driver with the talent to race in F1. The system is ready, asserts Susie Wolff. The prize for the winner: a move to a higher category. Because here, the single-seaters are identical. All competitors start on equal footing.
Singular trajectories
Among the standout faces of the series, we discover Lia Block, 17 years old, daughter of the legendary rally driver Ken Block. Her dream: to follow in her father’s footsteps. “I wanted to do the same thing as him,” she confides. Having transitioned from rallying to circuits, she admits, “It’s a completely different driving. It’s like comparing apples to oranges. I have to relearn everything.”
Another protagonist, the Filipina Bianca Bustamante, supported by McLaren, is already a star on social media with her three million followers. She lives off her brand partnerships but remains focused on her performances: after a poor start in Miami, she secured second place in the very next race. Alongside her, cameras follow Aurelia Nobels, Lola Lovinfosse, and the formidable Abbi Pulling, a declared contender for the title.
The Race Towards Equality
More than just a competition, F1 Academy documents a revolution. Susie Wolff, a former top-level driver and wife of Mercedes boss Toto Wolff, knows what she’s talking about: « It’s not enough to be talented, you need to have the same opportunities as men.
In the 1990s, Giovanna Amati briefly attempted the F1 adventure, following Lella Lombardi, who remains to this day the only woman to have scored points in Formula 1 (half a point in 1975). Today, the sport is looking to bridge this historical gap. And Netflix is keen to introduce these pioneers to the general public.
From producer @ReeseW, F1: THE ACADEMY, a 7 part docuseries showcasing female drivers taking on the 2024 @f1academy season, is now playing on Netflix. pic.twitter.com/I57daTwrgz
— Netflix UK & Ireland (@NetflixUK) May 28, 2025
