1000HP, No Fear: Inside Amanda Sorensen’s Rise in Formula Drift

1000HP, No Fear: Inside Amanda Sorensen’s Rise in Formula Drift

From Paddock 43: An F1 Podcast by Eleanor Baillieu & Patricia Valeri-Mellior

March 24, 2026 · 1h 1m · Episode 61

About this episode

Amanda Sorensen shares her extraordinary journey as the first woman to podium in Formula Drift, discussing the challenges and triumphs in a male-dominated sport.

In this episode of Paddock 43, we sit down with Formula Drift driver Amanda Sorensen, the first woman to ever podium in the series and trust us, her journey is anything but ordinary. From competitive figure skating to driving 1000-horsepower drift cars at the highest level, Amanda opens up about the moment she got hooked on drifting and why it’s one of the most mentally demanding sports in the world. We dive into: What it actually feels like to control a 1000HP drift car Why drifting demands insane precision (and zero room for error) Growing up in a motorsport family and building her own team Breaking barriers as a woman in a male-dominated sport The reality of building a personal brand in motorsport Balancing driving, business, and social media And how she’s redefining what a modern motorsport athlete looks like Amanda is not just a driver; she’s a racer, builder, businesswoman, and content creator, and this conversation gives a real, unfiltered look at what it takes to succeed in motorsport today. If you think Formula 1 is intense… wait until you hear this.

People in this episode

Hosts: Eleanor Baillieu, Patricia Valeri-Mellior

Guest: Amanda Sorensen

Topics covered

  • Formula Drift
  • motorsport
  • women in sports
  • personal branding
  • drifting
  • athlete journey

Keywords

  • Formula Drift
  • Amanda Sorensen
  • drifting
  • motorsport
  • women in motorsport
  • 1000HP cars
  • athlete journey

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Formula Drift

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