My Fascination With Formula 1 — the New Obsession for Women

Formula 1 is sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). It is the highest class of international racing for open-cockpit, open-wheel, single-seater front- and rear-wing race cars.

Now in its fifth season, Drive to Survive gives viewers a behind-the-scenes look at Formula 1, including racing footage, backstories and interviews with drivers, managers, and team owners.

The popularity of the show has been credited with increased interest in Formula 1 racing in the United States. According to Sports Media Watch, the 2021 season was the most-watched ever in the U.S., with an average of 934,000 viewers across ESPN, ABC and ESPN2, up 54 percent from the prior year. Starting this year, the United States will host three Formula 1 races — in Miami, Austin and Las Vegas.

As Brandon Snow, managing director of commercial at F1, said on a panel at the premiere of Drive to Survive in New York earlier this year, “The U.S. market has become our No. 1 market for social engagement across all of our platforms, (and for) all of our teams and all of our drivers.”

And more women are attending races. Around 40 percent of F1 fans are female, up from 8 percent in 2017, a shift that has the racing circuit taking notice.

“There is a lot more to car racing than just driving fast,” Cassara said. “It’s complicated and intellectual. It is not just muscle; it is strategy and a host of variables to consider. The car’s engineering, the drivers’ competence, the owners’ decisions and the differences in the individual racetracks all play a role. This is why it’s such an interesting sport.”

The last F1 female celebrity driver was Lella Lombardi back in 1976, but with the increase in the female fan base, expectations are that more women will move from spectator to participant. In fact, Formula 1 announced the formation of a new all-women series, which began in April.  

The F1 Academy docuseries features 15 female drivers participating in 21 races, the final just before October’s U.S. Grand Prix. The show has brought on some heavy female talent with actor Reese Witherspoon executive producing.

Cassara, a self-described “car guy” and performance car owner once more, said she’s on board with the shift.

“Even though I always liked sports cars, back when I was growing up, watching car races or going to a car race wasn’t something that young suburban girls like me did,” Cassara said. “Luckily, today the world is bigger. My husband has no interest at all, but I love the sport. I never miss a televised race, even if it’s halfway around the world and I must wake up early to watch.”