Lewis Hamilton singled out as F1 Academy chief criticises stars at US GP

22 October 2023 , 09:57

1066     0

Lewis Hamilton and F1 Academy managing director Susie Wolff (Image: Jared C. Tilton - Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images)

Formula 1 Academy boss has Susie Wolff has hit out at the lack of support the all-female series has received from F1 teams.

The Academy was launched this year to try and give female drivers a clearer pathway to F1 and the inaugural season is reaching its conclusion at the United States Grand Prix. As a result, they are sharing a paddock with F1, but only Mercedes drivers Lewis Hamilton and George Russell took the opportunity to meet the Academy drivers.

And with all ten F1 teams set to sponsor an Academy driver next year, managing director Wolff says she 'expects a lot more' support from them. "It's a little bit sad that it is always Lewis," Wolff told Sky Sports F1.

"He is always the one coming over, offering support and in the end, he also knows what it's like to be 'the only one' so he has an affinity. But there's going to be the 10 F1 teams with their own liveries, so I expect a lot more interaction from the F1 teams generally next season because they have the platforms, they have the voices.

"That will be something which will be hugely helpful in our quest because this is not a short-term project. If we want to see success, it's got to be long-term."

Inside De Vries' long road to F1 including pressure after Hamilton example set

Wolff also spoke about the challenges of making a long-term impact on the sport and inspiring young girls to get involved. "They've all taken a leap of faith to join us on this mission and we need to make sure that we're delivering a strong package," she said.

"One team principal in particular said to me: 'You are just putting a plaster on the problem. Are you actually going to try and fix the problem?' "I said: 'Yes, we're not here as a flashy series that is trying to gain exposure and give 15 young drivers the limelight'.

Hamilton visited the F1 Academy drivers ahead of the United States Grand Prix (Jared C. Tilton - Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images)

"Because I've been there. I know how tough it is and I know how few women are participating in all the different levels. So we need to figure out how we're going to change long term and that comes down to increasing that talent pool and that comes on to making the sport more accessible and inspiring the next generation to enter the sport.

"We're going to show this huge global fanbase of Formula 1, that this sport actually wants to become more diverse. The sport wants to give opportunities to women and if I think of a 19-year-old girl zipping up the Ferrari race suit next year.

"That's a powerful image that I can't quantify in numbers. By the end of 2025 after two seasons of my vision of what F1 Academy, we will be able to have a very clear idea whether this is moving in the right direction or not."

Matthew Cooper