Formula One has recently been in the spotlight as the last race of the season occurred last Sunday in Abu Dhabi.

Ever since 1946 when the racing started, the adrenaline and spectacle associated with F1 racing has driven its level of viewers sky high. In 2022, there was record attendance with 5.7 million people and with the addition of the Las Vegas Grand Prix, the viewers both at home on televisions and in person at the tracks, was set to increase. Evangelina Casiot said, “I’ve been a fan since I was a child and it’s been great making friends through it and finding things we all have in common”.

As someone who attends an all-girls school, it is evident that the subject of Formula 1 has been an increasing topic of conversation, especially surrounding the inclusion of women. I decided to ask some girl what they thought about the improvements that F1 is making towards creating an environment which isn’t entirely dominated by men and encourages gender equality. Hannah Newton commented “It’s really encouraging to see and hear about the increase in women that are part of racing.” Even though there is currently not a female F1 driver, Bianca Bustamante, an F1 Academy Driver, has regularly been in the spotlight but has recently been the centre of attention since the 18th of October when she was announced as the first female driver signed to the McLaren Driver Development Programme and would represent McLaren for the 2024 season under ART Grand Prix, a French motor team. McLaren, a very prominent team which finished 4th this season with 302 points, is a well-known team with an excellent driving programme with graduates such as the famous Lewis Hamilton and Lando Norris.

The Silverstone Museum is a museum showcasing the history of British motorsport and has been open since 2019. It even has parts of the original Grand Prix circuit in England that visitors are able to walk on! This October, the Silverstone Museum gave anyone who identifies as female under 18 free entrance to the museum to inspire young women to consider careers within the motorsport industry and push to make racing a more inclusive field.

F1 races also have a range of concerts with celebrity singers and bands that perform during the season. These cater for a wide range of audiences and attract many fans of both music and racing. Georgina Darroch recently went to a concert at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and stated: “the joyful atmosphere is contagious, and the buzzing excitement is evident when the concerts are announced” which highlights the attraction of these sort of events.

 

Overall, the popularity of Formula One has increased exponentially in the last few years, bringing along with it not just economic benefit to countries where a Grand Prix may be held, but also a new exciting way to spend a Sunday afternoon for many. Sofia Tate, a girl at Wimbledon High summarised what being a fan of the sport really was by commenting: “there’s a sense of community with F1 fans which is really nice to watch and be a part of”.