Susie Wolff, present managing director of the F1 Academy, was born with a ardour for motorsport. “I believe it’s at all times been in my DNA,” she mentioned in an extended chat with Gunther Steiner on *The Pink Flag Podcast* on YouTube.
Talking about her childhood, spent in karting from a younger age, “If I needed to journey a motorbike, I simply did it,” Toto’s spouse mentioned at size her function within the F1 Academy and the duties it entails.
“I need to break these preconceptions that motorsport is only for boys or that if you happen to’re a lady and like motorsport, you must be a tomboy. I hope to interrupt down these prejudices as a result of these days there are such a lot of ladies who comply with this sport, and it doesn’t need to be only for males,” she defined.
Why is it so tough for a lady to achieve Components 1? In response to Susie Wolff, the largest problem lies within the lack of function fashions to look as much as.
“On this sport, we put on a helmet, so that you don’t know who’s beneath – whether or not a person or a girl. I’ve discovered that efficiency issues. Everybody can have an opinion, there’ll at all times be those that assist you and those that oppose you. However if you happen to actually go on monitor and do your greatest, it doesn’t matter if you happen to’re a lady or a boy. It doesn’t matter what the newspapers say as a result of efficiency is what counts. I’ve at all times centered on that. However racing additionally entails monetary boundaries since you want sponsors to assist you. That’s why it turns into very tough and demanding.”
Will the F1 Academy have the possibility to draw a bigger viewers because of the Netflix docuseries popping out subsequent 12 months? “I really feel privileged to steer the F1 Academy as a result of I’ve completed the identical factor these ladies are doing. I do know what the difficulties are, I understand how onerous it’s, and that’s why I relate to them a lot. There are folks on this subject who attempt to inform me what to do, and I maintain again from responding: To start with, have you ever ever pushed a automobile? No. Second, are you ladies? No. So don’t inform me that’s how issues are, since you don’t know. You don’t have the angle of being a girl on this sport.”
In response to Susie Wolff, the largest problem is firmly believing within the F1 Academy challenge and the alternatives it will probably present to aspiring feminine drivers. “I imagine that if we do effectively, this class can have a big impact on the game. It gained’t occur in a single day that we’ll have a girl on the Components 1 grid,” she admitted.
Nevertheless, if there’s extra collective participation, as is already taking place with Components 1 groups supporting 10 ladies from the class, there might be better visibility.
“There are proficient ladies on this sport, even when we don’t typically see them, however we handle to note them. And it’s vital to point out the world on the market that there are alternatives for them. That’s what our present on Netflix can do: break down boundaries and the notion that it’s only a male-dominated business. The F1 Academy exists as a result of the game has created alternatives.”
Has Susie Wolff ever considered giving up? “There are days once I take into consideration how robust it’s. Then I believe that if I don’t face this problem, if I don’t push the F1 Academy in the appropriate course, who will?”
Susie Wolff additionally revealed that Ferrari was the primary F1 crew to get onboard with the F1 Academy:
🚨| Susie Wolff reveals Ferrari was the primary F1 crew to get onboard with F1 Academy :
“…i received Ferrari onboard – they had been the primary…”
📹 snippet from @TheRedFlags_Pod | #F1 pic.twitter.com/ufPiObcZpa
— sim (@sim3744) October 4, 2024
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