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Seven-time F1 champion Lewis Hamilton has been supportive of the F1 Academy since the initiative was launched by the Formula One Group. The Managing Director of the series, Susie Wolff, recently came out and paid tribute to the Ferrari driver for his support of the all-female racing series.
The F1 Academy was created in late 2022 as the W Series battled financial stability. Susie Wolff was appointed as the Managing Director in March 2023, ahead of the debut season for the series. Wolff had racing experience under her belt and had also tested the Williams F1 car when she was the test driver for the Grove-based team.
She had also fulfilled the role of the Team Principal for the Formula E team Venturi Racing. However, putting an all-female series wasn't as easy, as detailed by Wolff in her recent interview with the Sunday Times.
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Toto Wolff's wife detailed how difficult it was to put together the calendar for the debut season, as well as discussed when the FIA subjected her to the allegations of conflict of interest for her role with the F1 Academy, as her husband was the CEO of Mercedes' F1 team.
Susie Wolff then pointed out how, despite all the efforts, females only make up less than 10% of the participants in motorsports. However, Wolff then came out and thanked Lewis Hamilton for his support of the F1 Academy series, as she said,
“He knows what it’s like to be the only one in the room, like I do.”
Lewis Hamilton and his father faced racism as the Briton tried making it up the Formula ladder. The Ferrari driver was more often than not the only black driver in the series he raced in, and the same was the case when he made it to F1. To date, Hamilton is the only driver of color on the grid, but he has taken significant steps to diversify the paddock.
Lewis Hamilton also founded Mission 44, a charitable organisation to help students from black and mixed black backgrounds get access to careers in motorsports. Hence, Susie Wolff made the comments of Lewis, knowing what it feels like to be the only one in the room, and supporting the F1 Academy venture.
‘It is always Lewis Hamilton’: Susie Wolff on the lack of support for F1 Academy
Lewis Hamilton has been spotted in the F1 Academy paddock multiple times, interacting with the drivers, and even being there during the podium celebration. Susie Wolff came out in 2023 and detailed how it's always Hamilton who's coming over to support, while highlighting the lack of support from other teams and drivers. She said,
“It's a little bit sad that it is always Lewis. 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.”
Lewis Hamilton was present for the podium celebration of the recent F1 Academy race in Singapore and showcased support for the Ferrari family driver and race winner, Maya Weug.
