Beyond the Fast Lane: How F1 Academy Reframes Competition and Gender in Modern Media
Author
Skov, Karina Gundersborg
Term
4. term
Education
Publication year
2025
Submitted on
2025-10-02
Abstract
Denne specialeundersøgelse udforsker, hvordan legitimitet, repræsentation og autoritet for kvinder i elitesport på motorsportens scene både konstrueres og modarbejdes i et mandedomineret felt. Med F1 Academy, etableret i 2023 af Formula 1 og FIA, som casestudie undersøger projektet, om nye initiativer kan skabe varig forandring og reel adgang for kvindelige kørere, samt hvordan disse tiltag påvirker samfundets opfattelser af kvinder i motorsport. På baggrund af Norman Faircloughs kritiske diskursanalyse analyseres F1 Academy-tilknyttede Instagram-opslag og fan-kommentarer, afsnit fra Netflix-serierne F1: The Academy og Drive to Survive, nyhedsdækning fra bl.a. Motorsport og BBC samt akademiske bidrag om køn og sport. Analysen viser, at F1 Academy øger synligheden og giver kvinder større kontrol over egne fortællinger, men at medierne ofte fremstiller kvindelige kørere som undtagelser og sætter køn over præstation, med mandlige kørere som implicit målestok. Dækningen fokuserer hyppigt på rollemodelstatus eller nyhedsværdi snarere end sportlig dygtighed, om end enkelte medier bevæger sig i en mere ligeværdig retning. På trods af fremskridt forbliver ligestilling—målt på tillid, lederskab og tilstedeværelse—ufuldendt, mens debatter om fairness, legitimitet, effektivitet og risikoen for tokenisme fortsætter. Specialet konkluderer, at vedvarende samarbejde mellem alle aktører er nødvendigt, da køn fortsat former mediedækning og magtstrukturer i motorsport, og noterer, at kvinder stadig kun udgør omkring 10% af rollerne globalt, en andel der ikke har ændret sig.
This thesis examines how legitimacy, representation, and authority for women in elite motorsport are actively constructed and contested within a male-dominated field. Using the F1 Academy—launched in 2023 by Formula 1 and the FIA—as a case study, it asks whether current initiatives can deliver sustained change and create lasting opportunities for female drivers, and how these efforts influence societal perceptions of women in motorsport. Guided by Norman Fairclough’s Critical Discourse Analysis, the study analyzes F1 Academy–affiliated Instagram posts and fan comments, episodes from Netflix’s F1: The Academy and Drive to Survive, coverage from outlets such as Motorsport and the BBC, and academic commentary on gender and sport. Findings indicate that while F1 Academy increases visibility and offers women greater narrative control, media frequently frame female drivers as exceptions and prioritize gender over performance, with male drivers remaining the benchmark. Coverage often centers on role-model status or novelty rather than sporting skill, although some outlets show signs of more equitable reporting. Despite progress, equality—measured through trust, leadership, and presence—remains incomplete amid ongoing debates about fairness, legitimacy, effectiveness, and the risk of tokenism. The thesis concludes that sustained collaboration across stakeholders is essential, as gender continues to shape media coverage and power structures in motorsport, and notes that women still occupy only about 10% of roles globally, a share that has not improved.
[This abstract was generated with the help of AI]
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