Susie Wolff reveals SHOCK Ferrari signing

Susie and Toto Wolff in the paddock at the 2022 French Grand Prix — Photo: © IMAGO

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Wolff reveals SHOCK Ferrari signing

Susie Wolff is the managing director of the F1 Academy

Sheona Mountford F1 Journalist

Motorsport journalist working in F1 since 2024.

Sunday 6 October 2024 17:01

Susie Wolff has revealed a shock Ferrari signing, as her husband and Mercedes boss Toto Wolff prepare to lose Lewis Hamilton to the Scuderia for 2025.

The former racing driver was the last woman to participate in a Formula 1 race weekend in 2015, competing for Williams in practice at the British and German Grands Prix.

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Wolff has since become the managing director of the F1 Academy, a female-only single seater championship that was founded by F1, and aims to inspire the next generation of female racing drivers.

Alpine backed star Abbi Pulling has dominated the championship thus far, achieving seven out of a 10 total race wins, with nearly 100 points separating her from Doriane Pin in the drivers' standings.

The F1 Academy debuted alongside F1 this year

Abbi Pulling is currently leading the F1 Academy championship

Do F1 teams support the F1 Academy?

All 10 F1 teams are involved in the series, each backing a driver where they are not only seen in team colours, but also have the potential to attract crucial sponsors.

However, Wolff has admitted that when she first broached the idea of getting all 10 teams on board to her husband, he did not believe it was possible.

Furthermore, it was not his own team Mercedes that were the first to support the series, but in fact Ferrari who signed first in a shock revelation from Wolff.

Susie Wolff reveals Ferrari were the first team to get on board with the F1 Academy

“When I came to him [Wolff] with the idea of getting the 10 F1 teams on board, he said ‘Susie that’s just never going to happen',” she said on the Red Flags Podcast.

“And I said well let me at least try and of course I got Ferrari on board they were the first. And then I managed to get Christian [Horner] and Red Bull on board.

“And I went to Toto and said listen I’ve got Ferrari and Red Bull and he said 'well Mercedes is in'.

“Then slowly but surely one by one it started to come together.”

Lewis Hamilton Ferrari Mercedes Toto Wolff Williams Alpine