Europe sports writer James Ellingworth went beyond Formula 1’s promotion of its women-only developmental series to examine a critical question: What happens when drivers leave? His reporting revealed racers struggling for sponsors and track time, testing whether the F1 Academy delivers on its promise of a pathway to higher-level competition. AP was the only outlet to interview 2025 runner-up Maya Weug about her stalled career, securing the full context behind her public appeal for support. Ellingworth paired her account with an exclusive interview with F1 Academy managing director Susie Wolff and quotes from another exclusive interview with FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem that he helped set up for Sports colleague Daniella Matar. The result combined a driver’s experience with scrutiny of the sport’s leadership. It prompted extensive social media discussion, reached Spanish-language audiences and was picked up by specialist racing media.
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