F1 EXPLAINS: Susie Wolff and Lia Block on how F1 ACADEMY aims to inspire young women to pursue careers in motorsport

Changing the game for women in motorsport, the second season of F1 ACADEMY is about to roar into action at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix this weekend.

The trailblazing all-female racing series is back for 2024 with six new arrivals, nine returning challengers and their top teams all hungry to get stuck into some wheel-to-wheel action.

In the latest episode of the F1 Explains podcast, hosts Christian Hewgill and Katie Osborne are joined by F1 ACADEMY Managing Director Susie Wolff and Williams driver Lia Block to find out more about the series and its goal to be the "rocket fuel" for the next generation.

Wolff explains how she’s driving F1 ACADEMY forward — with all 10 Formula 1 teams supporting a driver on the grid this season — and the efforts to encourage growth from a grassroot level.

“For the very first time, bearing in mind I’ve been in this sport over 30 years – 25 as a driver, five on the business side – we have a moment in time where there’s real appetite to drive change,” said Wolff.

“For me, it’s just as important off-track as on-track. We don’t exist just to find the next female Formula 1 driver, but it’s a numbers game in the end. The more we have entering the sport, the more chance we have of the best rising to the top, on and off-track.”

Fully focused on her F1 ACADEMY debut, Block talks through her experiences so far as she switches from rally to single seaters with ART Grand Prix and how F1 ACADEMY is a “one-in-a-lifetime opportunity” for her.

Whether you’re a new or returning fan there’s lots to enjoy, so listen in on your preferred audio platform here.