Susie Wolff: Managing Director of F1 Academy

Susie Wolff: Managing Director of F1 Academy

From Second Life by Second Life

April 28, 2026 · 59 min

About this episode

Susie Wolff discusses her journey from professional racer to managing director of F1 Academy.

Susie Wolff is the managing director of F1 Academy, but before she took on the role, she was a professional racer. Wolff began kart racing at just eight years old and became a professional racer in 2001. She briefly raced for British Formula 3 before moving on to the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters for seven years. She eventually made it to F1 when she joined Williams Racing as a development driver in 2012, and then committed full-time to the F1 team in 2013. In 2014, she became the first woman in 22 years to take part in an F1 race weekend at the British Grand Prix. After retiring from professional racing in 2015, she cofounded the nonprofit Dare to Be Different and moved to the business side of racing, assuming the role of team principal and later CEO of Venturi Racing. In 2023, she was made managing director of F1 Academy, a women’s-only racing series. Her debut book, Driven, comes out April 28.

People in this episode

Host: Second Life

Guest: Susie Wolff

Topics covered

  • women in racing
  • career transitions
  • motorsport
  • leadership
  • female empowerment

Keywords

  • F1 Academy
  • Susie Wolff
  • women in motorsport
  • professional racing
  • Dare to Be Different

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: F1 Academy, Williams Racing, Dare to Be Different, Venturi Racing

Products: Driven

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