Last weekend, cinemas were flooded with F1 fans geared up for the release of the F1 The Movie. Directed by Joseph Kosinski, the man behind Top Gun: Maverick, the film follows Sonny Hayes (Brad Pitt), a former F1 driver who returns to the sport, playing for the fictional team APXGP. The hype has been no joke, as over the years, the sport has reached unprecedented levels of growth, amassing a total audience of 750 million tuning in. Which is why, between stunning visuals and thrilling racing scenes, the same fans couldn’t help but notice, ‘Where are the women?’
Specifically, where was Simone Ashley, who was reportedly cast in the movie and appeared at the London Premiere of the film. When news of the cast dropped back in 2024, Simone Ashley was set to join the likes of Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Javier Bardem, and Kerry Condon. Fans were excited to watch the Bridgeton star, only to be met with disappointment as she was reduced to a brief appearance, a blink-and-you-would-miss-it moment. It was reported that her storyline had missed the final edit, completely cutting off her role in the movie.
What we do get from the women who make the final edit is, unfortunately, not any better. Kate McKenna (Kerry Condon), the technical director of APXGP, is set up as a strong character… on paper. Her storyline quickly progresses to the tired trope of a stereotypical love interest. Jodie (Callie Cooke) is the only female pit crew mechanic and is treated like comic relief. She is shown to be bad at her job and out of place, as if she doesn’t belong, which is a real disservice to women in motorsport, a field where women are already underrepresented.
Sure, the film isn’t meant to be realistic at all. Between the drama and cars flying around, it’s clear that this movie is a fantasy conjured by Hollywood and to enjoy it, you have to suspend your disbelief. But considering how women today make up 41% of the F1 fan base, it’s hard to suspend disbelief that women wouldn’t be a part of this world.
However, between five female F1 drivers of all time and the recent news of Laura Mueller becoming F1’s first-ever female race engineer, F1 The Movie may have accidentally hit the mark in portraying the gender gap in motorsport. But considering that there was room for fantastical elements that would never make it onto a real F1 track, fans believe there could’ve been more space for representation and depth to the characters that we get.
