Why pink matters: the case for a bold, feminine brand in F1 Academy

When it comes to diversity and inclusion in motorsport, some believe that to be taken seriously, you have to scrub away all the “girly” associations; especially pink. In industries like F1, where raw power, speed, and macho branding dominate, the color pink is often dismissed as a cliché. But that’s exactly why pink in the context of something like F1 Academy is vital. (and fun)

And it’s worth noting: even in Formula 1 itself, teams like Alpine running a pink livery has helped chip away at the idea that “pink can’t be fast.” It normalizes the color in a space that has long demanded women dilute or disguise it. Pink on an F1 grid being taken seriously makes the conversation easier and makes F1 Academy’s choice to embrace it even more powerful.

The pink paradox

Pink is loaded. It comes with a century of gendered baggage: princesses, Barbie, softness, weakness. For that reason, many D&I initiatives shy away from it, thinking that avoiding pink somehow helps them sidestep stereotypes or avoid being patronizing.

And yet, as Susie Wolff’s story makes clear, pink can also be an invitation.

When Wolff raced in her signature pink DTM car, something she openly resisted, she discovered it had a profound impact. She admitted she wasn’t thrilled when her team asked her to drive a pink car: it felt like leaning into a stereotype she didn’t want attached to her.

Still, even she couldn’t deny what happened next.

Little girls who saw her race were in awe of that pink car. Their parents told her they were fascinated because they saw a woman in a pink race car and suddenly motorsport didn’t feel like a closed door anymore. Those moments shifted something for her: what had felt like a marketing gimmick revealed itself as an opportunity to inspire.

From resistance to purpose

Wolff later reflected that while she “fought against” the decision to paint her car pink, because she didn’t want to be boxed in by femininity and focus on racing, she also recognized the bigger picture.

It captured attention. It opened doors. It brought new fans to the track.

More importantly, it invited young girls to imagine themselves in a racing suit, not just as spectators but as future competitors.

Why pink branding in F1 Academy is strategy, not a gimmick

Here’s the thing: branding isn’t just about aesthetics. It encompasses identity, belonging, and the messages we send. Especially to those standing at the gates, wondering if they’re allowed in.

Pink in F1 Academy does three crucial things:

1. It signals inclusion, loudly.Pink tells young girls: you don’t have to change who you are to be part of this world. This space includes you, in your fullness. It also brings the girly isle of the toy store closer to the carbon fibre and neon greens of the boy isle.

2. It challenges stigma.High-performance, high-speed, unapologetically pink machines flip the narrative. Pink becomes fast, fierce, aspirational and yes, powerful.

3. It creates an emotional bridge.For many young girls, pink is familiar. It’s part of their visual language. F1 Academy uses that familiarity to build a doorway into a sport that can otherwise seem intimidating and inaccessible.

The risk of rejecting pink

There’s a misconception that to empower women, you must distance yourself from femininity. That if branding is too pink, too soft, too “girly,” the message won’t be taken seriously.

But rejecting pink doesn’t neutralize stereotypes, it reinforces them.

It suggests that traditional femininity must be shed to succeed. That pink somehow tarnishes ambition. That girls need to toughen up their edges to be worthy of belonging in motorsport.

F1 Academy chooses the opposite approach: reclaim, don’t retreat.

A Turning Point: Wolff’s Shift

Wolff’s own reflections speak volumes. Earlier in her career, she often felt pressured to play down anything feminine, even if she privately loved pink, glitter, Barbie aesthetics, all of the things she thought she had to hide to be respected.

But later she learned something essential:You can love pink and love speed.You can be feminine and competitive.You can show up authentically and take up space in motorsport.

That realization is part of the cultural shift F1 Academy is accelerating.

Why pink should be part of F1 Academy’s brand dna

Given the mission, inspire the next generation, grow the pipeline, make motorsport accessible,  pink is a statement.

• Belonging: Girls see themselves reflected and welcomed.

• Visibility: It stands out on the track, in feeds, in photos, in memories.

• Empowerment: It says femininity doesn’t need to be hidden to be legitimate.

• Impact: It opens real-world doors, just like it did for the young girls who came to meet Susie because of “that pink car.”

F1 Academy’s pink is not about rewriting the stereotype. reinforcing old ideas. It’s about rewriting them.

Conclusion

Pink is not just a color. In F1 Academy, it’s a revolution in plain sight.

A color long dismissed as frivolous becomes a signal flare: speed is for girls, too.

Ambition is for girls. Winning is for girls. And girls don’t have to trade in their identity to stand on the podium.

Thanks to leaders like Susie Wolff, who transformed a pink car from a frustration into a symbol of possibility, today’s young fans can look at a bright pink livery and say: “That could be me.”