Women with Purpose

Susie Wolff

From breaking barriers on the track to reshaping the future of motorsport, Susie Wolff has never stayed in one lane. After making headlines as the first woman in over two decades to take part in a Formula 1 race weekend in 2014, she transitioned from driver to visionary leader—first as Team Principal and later as CEO of Monaco’s only Formula E team, and most recently as Managing Director of the F1 Academy, Formula 1’s all-female racing series.

Today, she’s focused on creating space for the next generation of talent—on the track, in the paddock, and beyond. With her new Netflix series shining a light on these rising stars, Wolff continues to prove that performance and passion go hand in hand. We spoke with our latest Woman of Purpose about drive, determination, and why the future of motorsport is unapologetically female.

You have been one of the strongest advocates for women in racing, from founding initiatives likeDare to Be Differentto leading the F1 Academy. How do you see female role models — like yourself — influencing the next generation?

I’ve always believed in giving back and helping the next generation—passing the baton on, so to speak. I wanted to share the lessons I’ve learned, including the mistakes I made, so others don’t have to make the same ones. More than anything, I wanted to give young women a real chance—because sometimes that’s all it takes. I was fortunate enough to be given a few key opportunities in my career, and they completely changed its direction.

If people see me as a role model, I take that as a real responsibility. I want to make the path a little less tough for those coming after me, because I’m deeply passionate about motorsport and I see so much talent in the next generation. The more young women we can bring into the sport, the better the chance we have of the best truly rising to the top—and that benefits the sport as a whole.

Dare to be Different, the name of your first initiative, has become such a powerful slogan in your career. How do you personally connect with that idea?

I’ve always loved to buck the trend. I chose a career in an industry—and a sport—that have traditionally been very male-dominated. Everyone told me I had to study, that I needed a degree. But after a year, I left to chase my dream of becoming a racing driver. I think, quite often, we’re told what’s expected of us—what society’s norms are, what we should do. But sometimes, you have to dare to be different. You have to forge your own path. Because ultimately, each of us is responsible for our own happiness.

And F1 Academy and your Netflix docuseries, can you tell us a more about the mission behind it?

We wanted to bring the human stories of the drivers to life—their journeys into the sport and the challenges they’ve faced. It’s a series I’m really proud of, and I hope it inspires people to see motorsport in a new light. It’s no longer just a man’s world. This is a great opportunity to reach a whole new audience and help shift perceptions.

In motorsport, taking risks is often what separates good drivers from great ones. How did you learn to trust your instincts under pressure?

Being in the sport from such a young age, I grew up with the pressure to perform. Out on track, it’s just you—and it’s up to you to deliver. Over time, I’ve learned not just to handle that pressure, but to thrive under it. I don’t see it as a negative anymore. I’ve learned to channel nerves into something positive.

Trusting your instincts is key. It takes courage, because instinct doesn’t always lead you down the easiest path—but I believe it leads you to the most fulfilling one.

You’ve spoken about how performance should speak louder than gender in motorsport. What led you to that perspective?

I realized early on there was so much noise around me being the only woman, so all I could do was focus on performance. I really tried to block it all out and just focus on delivering.

Sport is very pure. It’s very objective. There’s a results sheet, and there’s a stopwatch—and it never lies. That was something I really enjoyed about being in sport: it was very clear, based on your results, whether you were doing a good job or not.

If you could give one piece of advice to your younger self or to young women starting out in motorsport, what would it be?

Believe in yourself. Sometimes, without experience—without the confidence that comes with age—you can doubt your abilities. You might even question whether you deserve the opportunities that come your way. But believe in yourself. Because if you don’t, it’s very difficult to make others believe in you.

Performance, purpose, passion — which one drives you the most and why?

Performance — because it’s the most powerful. When you perform, you have power in any given situation. But I also believe that performance only comes when you're doing something with passion. You need to bring your whole self to the table. And when you're doing something you enjoy, something you're passionate about, it becomes easy to be your best self every day.

In sports there is at the end of the day always one winner. What do you learn from failure?

I never made failure my friend, but I always knew that it was in the tough moments that I grew the most — that I learned the most. And looking back, it was some of the toughest moments in my career that ended up bringing the most important lessons.

As our Woman with Purpose, what does 'purpose' mean to you on a personal level, and how has it shaped your journey?

I was incredibly lucky to have had two wonderful parents who opened me up to the world of motorsport and made me believe—even as a little girl — that I could achieve anything I put my mind to. So, purpose was something that drove me throughout my whole life. And even now, although I’m no longer in the racing seat, I wake up every day with focused goals. I have my long-term goals, my short-term goals, and I make sure I have a clear purpose each day—what I want to achieve and how I’m going to achieve it.