Fast Cars, Slow Progress: What F1’s Actions Say About Women in Motorsport
A Closer Look at Formula One's Commitment to Women
Hi there! Welcome to Track Limits, a weekly F1 newsletter where we break down the biggest headlines and explore the questions, topics, and trends that fuel our curiosity. Nothing is off-topic and a little fun is always part of the mix!!
Good evening!! This week, I’m thrilled to introduce the fourth guest writer for Track Limits’ special feature, Beyond Track Limits — a series where we dive into the topics and trends shaping the sport, with the help of experts and amazing insiders!!
In today’s issue, Lindsay — an intellectual property attorney — analyzes the gap between the Formula One’s public commitments and the systemic bias women continue to face, whether working in the industry or cheering from the sidelines.
They say actions speak louder than words, and off the back of the 2024 season the actions of Formula One this year certainly making me question how much the sport really values the women in its community.
We have seen the rise in popularity of F1 Academy, and there were so many incredible events held during multiple race weekends, showcasing the amazing contributions of women working across the sport. But despite these positive developments, there have been quite a few events this past year that have made me question whether Formula One’s efforts are genuine or merely performative. Does the organization truly value women’s participation in the sport? Does it actually want to create an environment where women feel safe and are empowered to thrive?
While Formula One seems to have been putting in the work to cultivate the experience of women in motorsports, Formula One continues to send the message that despite these ongoing initiatives, Formula One really could not care less about women in the space. As a female attorney with a STEM background, I am all too familiar with the struggles women face in male dominated industries . However, I’ve also seen women be successfully brought into these spaces, which raises the question: is this something Formula One really wants? Given the way it has handled these situations, it suggests that it might not be the case.
Bombshell in Bahrain
Formula One has always had a flare for the dramatics, but nothing compares to the scandal that shocked the paddock before the season even began. Red Bull’s team principal Christian Horner was being investigated for alleged misconduct involving a female Red Bull employee. While the story was huge in the press, the higher ups at the Red Bull Racing and the FIA did not show signs of concern, at least not on the same level the public did.
And although Red Bull conducted an internal investigation, which concluded that no misconduct had occurred, no concrete information about the investigation was disseminated to the public. Unsatisfied with the results of the investigation, the Red Bull employee appealed Red Bull’s findings to the FIA, who also concluded that no misconduct had occurred. Again, fans were left without any information regarding the investigation that had occurred.
From the outside looking in, I questioned whether these investigations were conducted with the necessary care and understanding of the nuance required when dealing with workplace sexual harassment claims in male dominated industries. As women, we know that workplace sexual harassment can often look consensual on the surface. But in reality, there are inherent workplace power dynamics that make these workplace “relationships” anything but.
Which looks to have been the case here. Reading between the lines, we can assume that there was some sort of a relationship between Horner and the female employee. However, with one of the parties being the CEO and the other his subordinate most women would pardon the pun, call it a bunch of bull that the relationship is consensual.
How can they claim to advocate for women, and want them to join the sport if they are so quick to dismiss a serious claim from one of them? I know I certainly would have reservations entering this work place knowing that this is how female employees might be treated. And I don’t think I am alone in that concern. Even as a fan, I have a hard time reconciling how there can be such a disconnect between Formula One’s apparent desire to promote diversity and include women in the space and the blatant disregard for the women that already exist in this world.
Crying Wolff
Speaking of dismissing one of their own, the controversial FIA investigation into Christian Horner struck even more of a nerve considering the FIA’s behavior in late 2023. At the end of the season, the governing body announced that they were investigating Susie Wolff—former racing driver and current managing director of F1 Academy—for allegedly disseminating confidential information to her husband Toto Wolff, team boss and owner of the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team. This investigation was initiated after a baseless report was published in a dubious outlet stating that Mercedes’ rival teams were concerned by the inherent conflict of interest at the Wolff household.
Yes, that’s right. The FIA launched an investigation into the most powerful woman in motorsports over a baseless rumor and did not back down until all ten teams came forward urging the FIA to drop the investigation. Yet months later, the same organization did the bare minimum to investigate a legitimate sexual harassment claim made against Christian Horner. If this is not a sign of deep-rooted systemic bias within the sport, I don’t know what is.
Susie Wolff’s contributions to motorsports extend far beyond her involvement in F1 Academy. In her junior career, she held her own against the likes of Nico Rosberg and the statistical greatest of all time Lewis Hamilton. She then spent many years working with Williams as a development driver and was the team principal of a Formula E team before spearheading the development of F1 Academy leading up to its inaugural 2023 season. So, Susie is not just one of the most successful women in motorsports, she is without a doubt one of the most successful people in motorsports.
However, this kind of unsubstantiated claim was able to be exploited, something that probably wouldn’t have happened if it concerned one of the male leadership figures in Formula One, as evidence by the fact that the investigation was into Susie and Susie only, not her husband Toto who was equally implicated in this “scandal”. Which unfortunately highlights one of the systemic struggles women continue to face in the industry.
Despite her vast success and years of experience in motorsport she remained vulnerable to having her reputation, credibility, and trustworthiness being publicly called into question without the due process that is awarded to her male counterparts. But if someone like Susie Wolff, is treated like an outsider, is there hope for any other woman to truly be accepted, respected and supported in Formula One, especially in a leadership position?
Cease and Desist
Entry barriers aren’t only a reality when it comes to women holding leadership positions in motorsport. Over the summer break Formula 1 seemed to put up barriers for those trying to be part of the sport’s media landscape. During the month-long break the commercial right holder rolled out a series of cease-and-desist letters to popular motorsports content creators who were using different variations of “F1” or “Formula 1” in their usernames.
As an intellectual property attorney, my view on this was perhaps less empathetic than most others—Formula One was well within their rights to send out these letters and enforce their trademarks against those who were using them to build their online brands. But even though, from the legal perspective, this situation was black and white, the rather calloused handling of this situation again lacked nuance or recognition of the value that content creation brings to the Formula One community.
It was an ongoing pattern this year that, in situations demanding nuanced handling Formula 1 dropped the ball. And when these cease-and-desist letters were circulated, many content creators struggled with understanding why Formula One is so reluctant to embrace them. Especially when you compare access given, for example, at IndyCar races with the one granted at Formula One race weekends.
But let’s face it, these content creators are mostly women and mostly catering to female audiences. By failing to embrace content creation as a legitimate form of media and promotion, Formula One is essentially ignoring nearly 50% of its fan base. And while we saw so many incredible creators (many of which I am happy to call friends) be given phenomenal opportunities during the Las Vegas Grand Prix weekend, it still feels like Formula One wants to tap into the commercial gains women bring to the sport but is regularly sidelining the women who are creating and driving the fandom.
Which to me, is indicative of Formula One’s inability to recognize that women have played a significant role in its recent success and unwillingness to bring them in and truly cater to the female fan base.
The Future of Women in Formula 1
So where do women who want to be involved in Formula One go from here? The 2024 season could be described as a series of events that left many female fans feeling alienated. But I write this just a few weeks after the Las Vegas Grand Prix, where the importance of women in motorsports was highlighted and the value of content creators was embraced in a way I haven’t seen before. Leaving that weekend, I felt like maybe, just maybe, there is a growing place for women in the sport after all.
But Formula 1 can’t get off the hook just for having one good weekend. It was a step in the right direction, but that needs to become the norm. Serious and systemic changes need to be made especially with female fans becoming increasingly frustrated by the sport’s leadership and its continued failure to acknowledge and cater to nearly half of its fanbase.
Formula One and the FIA can continue preaching that they value women in motorsports but until they put their money (literally and figuratively) where their mouth is, I—along with most women—will continue to remain skeptical of Formula One’s true intentions when it comes to women in motorsports.
Lindsay Kriz is a dedicated Formula One fan who was introduced to the sport through her father and Drive to Survive. As an intellectual property attorney, Lindsay brings a unique perspective to the sport, offering valuable insights into everything from regulatory frameworks to the high-profile controversies that frequently unfold in the world of Formula One. She brings this expertise to life under the username Legallymotorsports across multiple platforms.
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