The Female F1 Fans Who Are Changing The Face Of The Fandom

Once an exclusive boys’ club, Formula 1 – or F1 – has found itself in the hands of a new wave of fans: young women reimagining what it means to love the sport. Beyond watching races, they’re building communities, designing merch, and turning race weekends into showcases of fashion, friendship and fangirl joy. Emma Ashlee Goh meets four of them to see how they’re reshaping the way F1 looks, feels and is understood today – and proving that the grid belongs to everyone.

INEZ CHEN, 19, THE BUSINESS STUDENT-SLASH-MODEL BALANCING MISS UNIVERSE DREAMS WITH A FAST-GROWING F1 OBSESSION

WHEN SHE FIRST GOT INTO FORMULA 1: “I first got into F1 around the tail end of the 2023 season! That was my first year in junior college, and I’d spent much of it surrounded by friends who were avid fans. I owe my initial interest to them – listening to them talk about what they’re passionate about is something I really enjoy. That kick‑started my descent down the rabbit hole because I wanted to be a part of their conversations. The more I learnt about the sport, particularly its complexities – the engineering, the regulations, the driver market, et cetera – and history, the more fascinated I became!”

WHAT DREW HER IN: “I definitely came for the fast cars – and stayed for the community! My friends at the car‑racing simulation company 99 Bends host semi‑regular watch parties over race weekends, but even watching races online with friends from overseas is such a special experience. There’s truly nothing like sitting in front of the screen, heart in your throat, yapping about tyre change windows and possible race configurations with friends!”

HOW SHE HAS SEEN THE SPORT’S POPULARITY CHANGE: “The signs of F1 and motorsport bleeding into our social and public consciousness have become fairly obvious in recent years. Despite my reservations about it, the Netflix series Formula 1: Drive to Survive has definitely pushed the sport further into the public eye. Coupled with the constant stream of online content from racing teams, the growth feels inevitable. You can see it in motorsport emblems appearing in mainstream clothing brands such as Cotton On, and in popular culture, with things like the recent film F1: The Movie or the song 33 Max Verstappen becoming a festival hit.”

ON HER FIRST SINGAPORE GRAND PRIX EXPERIENCE LAST YEAR: “Totally magical, transcendent – no exaggeration. This was where the theme of community in F1 really came alive for me. My friend and I were sprinting from our grandstand to catch the podium, but got separated in the crowd. Along the way, I bumped into a group of girls from Perth and one of them literally dragged me all the way there. When we arrived, there was the usual jostling with taller fans, until a Swedish guy suddenly grabbed me by the shoulders and planted me in front of him so I could see. It’s these small acts of kindness and shared moments that really form the broader part of what makes the sport so enjoyable. I’m still in contact with the people from this story, so that’s something that has defined the positive experience I had.”

HER PLANS FOR THIS YEAR’S SINGAPORE GRAND PRIX: “This year’s race day coincides with the Miss Universe Singapore 2025 finals, which I’ll be taking part in, so no in‑person race watching for me. That said, I’m really looking forward to seeing G‑Dragon on Friday and Martin Garrix on Saturday. One of the best parts of F1 in Singapore is how it brings so much art and music to the city. What I’m most excited about, though, is the atmosphere of the weekend itself. I love seeing tourists soaking up Singapore, hearing the buzz in Suntec City, and sharing conspiratorial smiles with other fans in team kits on the train. It feels like a community experience – a refreshing change from daily life here.”

HER FAVOURITE TEAM AND DRIVER RIGHT NOW: “Max Verstappen! I’ll reluctantly say Red Bull, since he’s still racing for them – but with the state of this year’s machinery … Well, ha ha.”

HER PRE‑RACE SUPERSTITION: “My friends and I have a running joke that all my good predictions only come true when I don’t watch the race live. So these days, I’m trying to game the system by being cautious with my educated guesses. I’m not sure how well it’s working out, but Max did manage a second place at his home race recently, so maybe things are looking up!”

WHO SHE THINKS IS THE HOTTEST DRIVER: “Max. The most attractive thing a man can do is support women, believe in himself and be good at his job. His singular red flag is his love of skinny jeans, but I’ll let it slide.”

WHO SHE THINKS IS THE MOST FASHIONABLE WAG: “Lily Muni He! I love how she balances uniqueness with class. Another aspect of her style I admire is how she embraces simplicity without coming off as overly mature. Definitely one of my style icons!”

ON THE STEREOTYPE THAT WOMEN WATCH F1 FOR THE DRIVERS: “I hear that all. The. Time. And honestly, I have a whole list of responses. First of all, the drivers are literally wearing helmets most of the time, so that argument already falls flat. Secondly, if a conventionally attractive man is driving a car at 300km/h with skill, I’m not going to pretend I don’t have eyes. Thirdly, by that logic, men shouldn’t enjoy K‑pop if the artistes are women, which is ridiculous. On a deeper level, I think motorsport and attractiveness have always been intertwined, the same way people talk about footballers – looking at you, Ronaldo. And at the end of the day, what’s the harm? So what if someone finds the drivers good‑looking and enjoys the sport at the same time?”

ON BLENDING LIFESTYLE, BEAUTY AND F1 CONTENT: “I believe social media is predominantly a way for people to get to know me! This has become particularly relevant since I started modelling, and my page’s foot traffic has gone up. Insofar as that’s true, F1’s role in my life is going to have an impact on things like my sense of style and should be reflected in how I’d like to present myself to the world. Another layer to this is that social media remains one of the best ways to find and interact with like‑minded individuals. To actually build a community that’s robust and enjoyable, we as fans need to engage and participate online. Hence, including an aspect of F1 in my account is very important to me.”

HER MESSAGE TO THOSE WHO ARE UNSURE IF THEY BELONG IN F1 FANDOM: “I’d probably tell them to first question what a ‘typical’ F1 fan even is! Twenty years ago, the typical F1 fan was a Caucasian man and so was the typical F1 driver. In recent years, more fans are Asian and women, with changes taking place on the track too. The notion of ‘typical’ is almost entirely arbitrary and certainly never constant. Don’t ever let these presumptions dictate what you are – and aren’t – allowed to care about!”

DAZALE CHOY, 29, THE LIFELONG F1 FAN WITH HER OWN F1 MERCH BRAND, THE SLIPSTREAM APPAREL

WHEN SHE FIRST GOT INTO FORMULA 1: “I first got into Formula 1 when it came to Singapore in 2008. My dad, a lifelong motorsport fan, introduced me to it. I went to my first Grand Prix in 2010, back when tickets were free because there wasn’t much interest in the sport. I vividly remember seeing a blue car with a red bull on it and Sebastian Vettel at the wheel, and the rest is history. He’s the reason I kept watching and I rooted for him every race until he retired.”

HER FAVOURITE TEAM AND DRIVER RIGHT NOW: “Red Bull Racing and Max Verstappen. Ferrari and Charles Leclerc.”

WHETHER SHE FELT LIKE SHE BELONGED IN THE F1 COMMUNITY: “I was 12 when I started watching, long before social media, so I didn’t really have a community. I had just one friend who liked F1 and we’d talk about it together. It wasn’t until I lived in the UK from 2016 to 2023 that I discovered an F1 community on Twitter (now X), where I found so many more female fans. I built a following there and made so many friends – it was a small, close‑knit space about five years ago. Now that the sport has exploded in popularity, the Twitter community feels very different. Let’s just say it was much more positive when I first joined.”

HOW SHE HAS SEEN THE SPORT’S POPULARITY CHANGE: “Back then, people who weren’t into the sport only knew household names like Lewis Hamilton. Now, you can mention pretty much any driver on the grid and most would know who you’re talking about. The Netflix series (Formula 1: Drive to Survive) definitely brought in a lot more fans. From getting race tickets for free, now I’m fighting online to purchase them.”

WHAT SHE LIKES ABOUT THE CURRENT F1 ERA: “I like that the current era allows drivers’ personalities to shine, whether through social media content or off‑track appearances. It gives fans an extra sense of connection, and I think the Covid‑19 period really added to this, with many of the younger drivers streaming online and showing a different side of themselves. Back then, you barely knew anything about the drivers, not even what they looked like. The F1 introductions didn’t even feature their faces – all you really saw were the races and the group press conferences.”

WHETHER SHE SEES HERSELF STAYING A FAN FOR THE LONG HAUL: “It has been 17 years since I became a fan – I don’t think it’s stopping any time soon.”

HER PLANS FOR THIS YEAR’S SINGAPORE GRAND PRIX: “I always enjoy how the city gets ready for it. We’re lucky to have many pre‑race activities, such as pop‑ups, watch parties and merch stores. I love having my own little walk around and exploring. I’m definitely planning to go this year, but after splurging on pit grandstand tickets last year, I may have to scale back.”

THE CRAZIEST THING SHE HAS DONE AS AN F1 FAN: “I’ve done quite a few! I travelled to Texas alone for the 2023 Austin Grand Prix. The Circuit of the Americas has always been one of my favourite tracks and it was a dream come true to finally be there. It was a trek, but I loved every minute of it and even got to experience track hospitality. Then there was the time I walked through Hungarian fields just to get back to my hotel after the Hungarian Grand Prix. And of course, celebrating Ferrari’s podium at Monza in a sea of red was completely unforgettable.”

WHO SHE THINKS IS THE HOTTEST DRIVER: “Charles Leclerc is a beautiful man.”

HOW THE IDEA FOR THE SLIPSTREAM APPAREL CAME ABOUT: “When I first joined the Twitter F1 community, I saw a lot of people complaining about the price and quality of the merch. At that time, only team kits were available and there wasn’t fan‑made merch. I saw a gap in the market, and wanted to make good‑quality embroidered merch that wouldn’t fall apart in the wash and would be affordable for younger fans.”

ON BALANCING FANDOM WITH DESIGN: “I fell into being a designer because I was a customer first. I wanted varsity‑style merch, but couldn’t find it anywhere, so I decided to make it. The idea was to create something subtle and wearable, not just covered in sponsor logos. Some of my favourite pieces are the tongue‑in‑cheek ones – the ‘if you know, you know’ designs only F1 fans would get. For example, I did one inspired by George Russell’s viral hands‑outstretched pose, a playful inside joke fans instantly recognise; something you could wear daily to support your favourite driver without being too obvious. And of course, it had to be comfortable.”

THE MOST REWARDING PART OF RUNNING HER OWN F1‑INSPIRED BRAND: “Seeing people post pictures of themselves at the races wearing my merch, and even having Charles see the piece I designed of him and sign it. It has been so surreal, and I don’t think 12‑year‑old Dazale would have ever thought this is what she’d be doing now.”

ASHLEY J LEONG, 23, THE MOTORSPORT GIRLIE TURNING PASSION INTO CONTENT AND A PLATFORM FOR WOMEN

WHEN SHE FIRST GOT INTO FORMULA 1: “About a year ago, my nail technician suggested I check it out and when I went on TikTok, I started seeing memes and funny driver compilations. I got hooked almost instantly.”

HER FAVOURITE TEAM AND DRIVERS RIGHT NOW: “My favourite team would be McLaren and I can’t pick one driver … so I’d say Lando Norris, Carlos Sainz and Isack Hadjar at the moment!”

HOW SHE HAS SEEN THE SPORT’S POPULARITY CHANGE: “It has only been about a year since I got into F1, but I’ve definitely noticed way more people talking about it now. I don’t know if they’ve been fans for a while or if they’re just joining in, but the spike is real – everyone’s a lot more vocal about it!”

WHAT SHE LIKES ABOUT THE CURRENT F1 ERA: “I honestly enjoy the drama! Of course, the racing itself is exciting, but F1 is so much more than that. The seat changes, the rivalries, the politics – they all add another layer that keeps things interesting.”

WHETHER SHE SEES HERSELF STAYING A FAN FOR THE LONG HAUL: “For sure! F1 is such an ever‑changing sport and it’s so interesting to see how it evolves year after year. I’d even love to do something related to it as a career in the future. My dream role would be in media or PR – and preferably with F1 Academy (a female‑only single‑seater racing championship) because I really believe in its mission to support female drivers and change the face of the sport.”

HER PLANS FOR THIS YEAR’S SINGAPORE GRAND PRIX: “I’ve got tickets for race day and I’m really looking forward to exploring all the fun things around the track as well as the race itself. I went last year, but it was super last‑minute, so I didn’t get to enjoy it much – this time, I’m excited to take it all in properly!”

HER SHIFT FROM K‑POP TO F1 CONTENT AS A HOBBYIST CREATOR: “In 2024, I took a step back from making K‑pop content mainly because I wanted to branch out into my other hobbies, such as makeup and lifestyle content. That was when I stumbled upon F1 and the rest is history. I think the online communities for K‑pop and F1 are really similar. People are passionate about showing support for what they love! Both fandoms also have their own trends that move really fast, so learning to keep up with K‑pop definitely helped me adapt to the F1 space.”

ON WORKING WITH THE MOTORSPORTS GIRLIES, AN INSTAGRAM COMMUNITY FOR FEMALE F1 FANS: “It’s a volunteer role as a social media assistant, so my contributions are really idea‑driven. Whenever I have a new concept or content idea, I’ll share it with Ella Coppola (the creator of the @themotorsportsgirlies account) and the rest of the team, and then we’ll bring it to life together. It’s super collaborative, and honestly, really fun! Creating content for the girlies feels like hanging out with friends who all love the same thing. The community was already formed before I became an F1 fan, and what really stood out to me was how special it is to see women come together to celebrate a sport that’s still so male‑dominated. Being a fan in that space isn’t always easy, so having a supportive, welcoming group makes a huge difference. I think that’s what resonates: it’s not just about F1, it’s about creating a space where you feel seen, supported and connected through a shared passion.”

ON STARTING HER YOUTUBE PODCAST, RACE(HER) INSIGHTS: “The podcast actually began as a creative project for school! I’ve always loved the concept of podcasts, so I thought, why not try making one myself – and of course, it had to be about F1. But I wanted to focus on something more personal to me, which is the women in the community. I feel really strongly about women’s rights and representation, so creating a space where their voices and stories can be highlighted felt really important.”

HER HOPES FOR HER YOUTUBE PODCAST: “I really want girls to feel unafraid to show their passion and support for what they love, whether that’s F1 or motorsport in general. The biggest challenge has definitely been visibility. Motorsport media is still so male‑dominated, so carving out space for women’s voices isn’t always easy – but that’s also exactly why it matters. In the future, I might rebrand the podcast and move it to TikTok, though the focus will definitely remain on addressing the stigma women face in motorsport.”

A STEREOTYPE SHE’D LOVE TO SEE DISAPPEAR: “Definitely the assumption that we only like the sport because of the good‑looking drivers, or comments like calling people ‘just DTS (short for the Netflix series Formula 1: Drive to Survive) fans’. It’s not very inclusive, and honestly, why should it matter? At the end of the day, if we all love the sport, that passion should be what counts.”

FAITH THIAM, 24, LAW STUDENT, SIM RACER & F1 CONTENT CREATOR

WHEN SHE FIRST GOT INTO FORMULA 1: “My dad used to get free F1 tickets from his company back when the Singapore Grand Prix wasn’t too popular. He always said it was just really loud, the cars went by too fast to see, and the food was overpriced – so for years, I never had much interest, apart from whenever I heard Lewis Hamilton mentioned on the radio. That changed in 2023, when I was interning at a small crypto company planning a yacht party during the Singapore Grand Prix. As the marketing intern, I’d be onboard filming content and looking after guests, so I decided to study up when I realised that many of the companies attending were team sponsors. I taught myself how races work: pit stops, tyre compounds and more. I realised it’s so much more than driving in circles. It’s strategy, teamwork, skill, and engineering all rolled into one. Just for fun, I decided to pick a team and driver to support. I went with Ferrari – because who doesn’t love Ferrari? – and Carlos Sainz, mainly because Charles (Leclerc) was too popular and I didn’t want to look basic. Then Carlos became the only non‑Red Bull driver to win a race in 2023, and in Singapore no less. I took that as a sign that I was meant to be an F1 fan.”

HER INITIAL FEELINGS ABOUT THE COMMUNITY: “I definitely felt like I had to fight tooth and nail to carve out my own space. A quick scroll through the comments on any F1 page shows how harsh fans can be, especially towards people they perceive as new. And when they realise you’re a girl, it’s even worse: You’re immediately written off as a ‘Formula 1: Drive to Survive fangirl’ who only cares about hot drivers. In the beginning, I was so afraid to ask questions, even though there were obviously kinder people out there. Eventually, I realised that if I felt that way, surely, many others did too. That’s why I started my Instagram page and my Crash Course series: to share the notes I’d made while learning the sport and hopefully help other new fans – especially girls – who felt just as lost and isolated.”

ON INTENTIONALLY EMBRACING FEMININITY IN HER F1 CONTENT: “I think I do it mainly out of spite. People often assume I know less about the technical side of F1 because I’m a younger girl, and they do the same to so many other fans too. I’ve had people argue with me about topics I’d done extensive research on, trying to mansplain while being completely and confidently wrong – and I hate that. So when I created my page, @faithlovesracing, on Instagram, I made it as pink as possible, covered in sparkly gems and full of ‘girlypop’ language. I wanted it to be obvious that I’m a girl and that my target audience is other girls. I wanted to be unapologetically girly, to show that you can love makeup, pink, iced hojicha lattes, fantasy books and fangirling with friends, and still be smart, cool and knowledgeable about motorsport. For me, it’s about encouraging other girls to feel confident enough to do the same. Why shrink parts of yourself just to convince others that you’re ‘worthy’ of being a fan?”

HER PROCESS FOR CREATING CONTENT: “When I first started studying the sport, I made a ton of notes for myself. Eventually, I tidied them up into templates and thought, since I was doing all this work anyway, I might as well share them so others could use them too. Being new, I understood exactly what kind of questions beginners would have and what would’ve made my own learning process easier. That’s why I focus on simple language, step‑by‑step explanations and lots of visuals or diagrams – even if I have to draw them myself. Most of my Crash Course posts begin with questions I once Googled, and I adapt them based on feedback or ideas I pick up from other creators. I plan content with quick notes in Telegram, then move into Adobe Photoshop once I have a clear vision of how I want everything to look.”

HOW SHE GOT INTO SIM RACING AND TWITCH STREAMING: “I started my content creation journey on Twitch after Covid‑19 hit, streaming games like Valorant and Hades, then later Baldur’s Gate 3. But after one and a half years of long hours, slow growth and only about 900 followers, I eventually burnt out. Looking back, I realised it was because I wasn’t passionate enough about those games to create real content around them. It’s different with F1. I tried sim racing at 99 Bends, which adopted me as a creator when I had just 700 followers and encouraged me to keep going. What I love most about streaming is ‘yapping’ to a live audience, connecting with real people through words on a screen without the pressure of being watched. Since I love both streaming and F1, it made sense to combine both and that’s how I found my way into sim racing.”

ON HER F1 DISCORD COMMUNITY, ‘FAITH’S F1 PADDOCK:’ “It’s mostly just yapping! My server is now mainly run by my moderators. We do community events, talk about F1 and other types of motorsport, and discuss races in real time while we watch. As a gamer, Discord has always been the easiest way for me to interact with a community, and I felt it was a nice way to allow people in my community who might not have IRL friends that share their love of F1 to meet like‑minded friends. It’s so lonely being excited about something and having no one to talk about it with!”

WHAT SHE LIKES ABOUT THE CURRENT F1 ERA: “This might sound a little nerdy, but what really drew me in is the complex engineering behind the cars. I once spent half a day diving into Nasa articles and physics blogs just to understand aerodynamics in planes and F1 cars – things like downforce and drag. I even enjoy reading FIA (the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile, the governing body for motorsport) documents to understand the logic behind penalties and cross‑checking them against the regulation handbooks. I’m really excited about the changes to the technical regulations starting in 2026 because it means a huge redesign for the teams, which could lead to more unpredictable racing.”

HER PLANS FOR THIS YEAR’S SINGAPORE GRAND PRIX: “I’m praying really hard that someone invites me to the race! The Singapore Grand Prix is one of the most expensive races on the calendar – strangely, even more so than Monaco – and I’m still a broke student. In the meantime, I’m emailing brands and teams for collaboration opportunities during race week. Last year, I got to hang out with Mick Schumacher and even made popiah (spring roll) with him at a Mercedes x Marriott Bonvoy event, and I also met Esteban Ocon at an Alpine event. I’m really hoping to win the pit lane experience ballot too – it was one of the coolest things I did last year, where I managed to catch Lance (Stroll), (Zhou) Guanyu and Yuki (Tsunoda).”

THE DRIVER SHE’D SWAP LIVES WITH FOR A DAY: “Kimi Antonelli. I wonder what it’s like being one of the youngest F1 drivers ever, then going back to school for classes? Must be the best of both worlds!”

ALL INTERVIEWS HAVE BEEN EDITED FOR BREVITY AND CLARITY.

This article first appeared in Volume 3 of F Zine.

PHOTOGRAPHY ATHIRAH ANNISSA & ANGELA GUO ART DIRECTION KENG YANG SHUEN & JONATHAN CHIA HAIR EC TAN/KIZUKI+LIM MAKEUP SARAH TAN