2025 marks the 75th anniversary of Formula 1 (F1) as a motorsport. Earlier this summer, the highly anticipated F1 film premiered, starring Brad Pitt. One character in particular stood out: Kate McKenna, who was shown as the first female technical director in Formula 1. Her storyline focused on the sacrifices that she had to make in order to get to her position with the (fictional) APXGP team, showcasing the real struggles faced by women in motorsport.
Kate McKenna was specifically highlighted in the plot of F1 as the first female technical director in Formula 1 but while McKenna is fictional, progress for women in Formula 1 is very real. Laura Müller, an engineer with the Haas F1 team, made history earlier this year as the sport’s first female full-time race engineer, breaking down barriers in a field that men have long dominated.
Women behind the wheels
More women are joining the world of Formula 1, both as employees, taking on vital roles in the paddock, and viewers despite criticism that it makes it difficult for them to do so.
However, although Maria Teresa de Filippis made history as early as 1958 by competing in a Grand Prix, female drivers have remained an exception and not the norm. Fortunately, social media creators have been highlighting the achievements of more women in motorsport, whose roles make or break a driver’s victory.
Beyond Müller, a growing number of women are working as engineers, strategists, and technical staff within F1 teams. Social media creators have also started spotlighting these women, celebrating their contributions and pushing back against stereotypes.
But social media isn’t all sunshine and rainbows; it’s also filled with criticism towards the female F1 fanbase. Recently, I stumbled across a video on Instagram that opens with the statement, ‘Girls only watch F1 for the drivers.’ It is then followed by Sabrina Vittoria, the creator of the video, asking other women at the Silverstone circuit questions about Formula 1, to show that women actually watch the motorsport because they enjoy it as a sport.
Despite this, the on-line response to the video mirrored the sterotype she was fighting against, with comments such as ‘Aren’t these all really basic questions though?’ and ‘You can’t ask this to girls who visit a race track, you should be asking these to those who post and write stories only when Charles or Sainz wins’ (Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz being two F1 drivers).
These comments aren’t just a harmless joke. As someone who grew up with the idea that Formula 1 “wasn’t for girls”, I know firsthand how damaging remarks can be. They create a hostile and unwelcome space for women who want to enter into that world, a place where women constantly feel the need to prove that they belong.
A history of sexism in motorsport
Unfortunately, sexism within F1 isn’t something new. For decades in the promotional adverts women were often portrayed as objects and a Maltese F1 fan I spoke with talked about the early 2000s broadcasts: “If you see an intro from 2007, you’ll find scantily dressed women with checkered flags. It was very much the idea that sex sells.”
The rise in Formula 1 over the years has also meant an increase in female fans. But this has been met with resistance from certain parts of the fanbase.
Netflix’s ‘Drive to Survive’ docu-series – now in it’s seventh series – helped in introducing F1 to new people, making the motorsport more accessible and engaging; (research actually shows that around 40% of the show’s viewership is female).
However, instead of celebrating this growth, some fans argue that the show has “ruined” Formula 1.
My experience with Formula 1
In December 2024, my friend Felicia Stenman (an avid McLaren fan) invited me to watch the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at her house. She went through strategies, explained the teams, and even brought me her Lego McLaren model to help me see how the cars function.
Her passion for the motorsport was contagious, yet she has faced any criticism along the way. “When I tell people I watch Formula 1, they’re like, ‘Oh really? Like, you?” she told me. “Why not? Why can’t I watch? I feel like [the comments] come from me being a woman.”
Unfortunately, she’s not alone. As proven time and time again, for women, enjoying Formula 1 often comes with constant gatekeeping, with accusations of only following because of “good-looking drivers” or being tested with basic trivia.
But in the end of the day, it’s important to remember that progress is being made, albeit (ironically enough) slow progress in such a fast-paced world. Women are showing up and slowly paving a future for others in the world of motorsport, be it on or off the track. I am proud to be one of them.