F1 Academy boss Susie Wolff said brands like the LEGO Group are an integral part of building the women-only championship.
The LEGO Group announced LEGO Racing earlier this week, with plans to send a LEGO-branded car onto the real-life F1 Academy grid with Dutch driver Esmee Kosterman at the wheel. F1 Academy is a women-only motorsports championship whose goal is to get more women into racing in general and specifically Formula 1. To date, just five women have entered a Formula 1 World Championship Grand Prix, while only two have actually qualified for a race and just one, Lella Lombardi, has scored points.
Founded in 2023, F1 Academy doesn't yet have the same fanbase and support as Formula 1, but its managing director and former professional racing driver Susie Wolff has high hopes for where the championship can go.
“I’m so grateful because it’s the brands that are coming in that are helping us build F1 Academy,” Wolff told BlackBook Motorsport. “We’re not like F1, we haven’t been going for 75 years, we’re not established. But there’s definitely been a very collective support from those in the sport, which I think not all women’s sport has had.
“I think we can be very grateful that all ten teams...get huge investment from Formula 1, and we have brands like the LEGO Group coming in to say: ‘We know you’re not where you want to be, but we’re going to come on the journey and help you to where you want to be.’”
Sponsorships are a vital part of motorsports, with money from partners often being the primary source of income for both Formula 1 and Academy teams.
"I think, by joining forces, you can be more impactful by doing it together,' continued Wolff. "The LEGO brand, to have that coming in and not just having a product but also a LEGO car on track, I think for little girls watching, for the parents of the next generation watching, it’s going to have a huge impact.”
That desire for real-world impact is echoed in the LEGO Group's Chief Product and Marketing Officer Goldin's approach to the topic.
“When we came to F1 Academy, there’s a purposefulness here,” Julia said. “[F1 Academy] is not something that’s established. It’s only been three years in the making, and it’s about breaking through and bringing credibility and making it a really authentic part of motorsport, an acceptable part of motorsport, something that doesn’t require a lot of explanation.
“That’s why we took this turn to say ‘let’s really put the power of our voice and brand to say women in motorsport should be treated the same as men.’”
A brick-built LEGO Speed Champions version of the inaugural LEGO racing car, 77258 F1 ACADEMY LEGO Race Car, is available to pre-order now ahead of its launch on January 1.
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