F1: The Academy is a brand-new seven-part docuseries inspired by Drive to Survive. Today, May 28, it premieres globally on Netflix. This series, following 15 brave young women through the 2024 F1 Academy season, is not about racing only. It shines light on resilience of the women fighting through the ranks of male-dominated sport. It shows their resilience, and more importantly, it can become an inspiration to the upcoming generations of women in motorsport.
The series is executive produced by Reese Witherspoon — in true spirit of Elle Woods — and brought to life by her production company Hello Sunshine. The whole aim of her company is to combine entertainment and empowerment, something F1 Academy is heading towards as well.
F1 Academy’s Rise
F1 Academy, an all-female racing series, launched in 2023. The junior series aimed to create a pathway for young girls up to the pinnacle of motorsport one day, is led by Susie Wolff, a race driver herself. Although journey is long, the current F1 Academy drivers are pioneers. As a result, they make the way easier for upcoming generations.
This is where F1: The Academy enters. Aside from sport itself, it adds personal battles, friendships on the grid, unfiltered racing content and determination to win. In this regard, it takes inspiration from Drive to Survive’s success. Hopefully, it will bring F1 Academy the same exposure, interest and following.
7 Unique Storylines
There are 7 episodes of the series, each of them capturing an important storyline of F1 Academy drivers to bring the viewers closer to the life of race car drivers fighting to climb the ranks and reach the top step of the podium.
- No Friends On Track: The first episode explores the hot Miami race weekend, with Susie Wolff taking the lead as a mentor for the new generation of women in motorsport.
- The One to Beat: The second episode follows the Barcelona race weekend and highlights Abbi Pulling’s dominance at the top. As a reminder that the sport is unforgiving, it also covers Amna Al Qubaisi’s crash.
- No More Mrs. Nice Guy: The third episode explores driver skill and the darker side of high-performance sport, reminding us that behind the visor, the F1 Academy drivers are still normal human beings like us. The rainy conditions add a new level of dramatics.
- Target On My Back: The fourth episode focuses on Lia Block and Doriane Pin, who are in different positions in the championship. Where Block is still learning, Pin already poses a real threat to the series title.
- Feel The Heat: The fifth episode highlights the challenges of racing in Singapore and puts Bianca Bustamante at the center, as Pulling extends her lead in the F1 Academy championship battle.
- The Hardest Race Of My Life: The penultimate episode adds a twist to the championship battle, introducing a common motorsport issue — technical problems
- End of the Road: The final episode crowns the champion and raises the question of what’s next — for the drivers and for the series.
You can watch the official trailer here:
Private Screening
The show premiered earlier this month at a private screening during the Miami Grand Prix. The event, hosted by Reese Witherspoon, brought together drivers, team members, and even celebrities.
Some drivers shared a few snaps from the event on their social media, like Lia Block below:
And on 28th May, the celebration continues in London with the UK red carpet premiere — just as F1: The Academy goes live for the world!