Why Susie Wolff Is One of my Heroes

Susie Wolff is one of my heroes.

I interviewed her in person a few years ago when she came to speak at our company, and what struck me wasn't the glamour of her world,  it was how utterly professional she was.

She came to prep sessions armed with smart questions. She tailored her talk to our specific company and audience. She arrived early for her speech. And I got 45 minutes backstage, one-on-one with her.

I found her to be down to earth, fun and whip smart.

This is a woman who made history in 2014 by becoming the first woman in over two decades to take part in a Formula 1 race weekend. A woman who, when her racing chapter ended, didn't stall she pivoted. She took over a struggling Formula E team and transformed it from the back of the grid to championship contention. She now runs F1 Academy, an all-female racing series designed to develop the next generation of female talent.

She could have coasted on her name. She chose to build instead.

The Book 

I read her memoir Driven over Christmas, and it's not really a book about racing. It's a book about what it takes to chase your dreams in a world that wasn't built for you.

A few lines hit hard.

On never being seen as just a driver

"I never let my gender define me but in my whole driving career I only ever did one interview not being asked about being a female."

One interview. In her entire career. Let that sink in.

Every other time she sat down to talk about her craft, her skill, her results — someone wanted to make it about her being a woman first and a driver second. She never let it define her. But she couldn't escape it either.

On the freedom of childhood

"When I was a kid, I didn't think about boy or girl matters. I just did what I enjoyed."

This one stopped me. Because it's true for so many of us. There was a time before we learned to limit ourselves. Before we absorbed the messages about what was appropriate, what was realistic, what was "for us."

Somewhere along the way, we learned to shrink. The challenge is unlearning it.

On the questions that still get asked

"When I did my first media interviews after I was announced as a team principal, the first question was, what qualifies you for the job? The second question was, did your husband place you in the role? And the third was, how are you going to do your job as a mother?"

Read that again.

Not: What's your vision for the team? Not: How will you approach the technical challenges? Not: What did you learn from your years in the paddock?

Instead: Are you qualified? Did your husband get you this job? How will you manage being a mum?

Susie's response: "I was speechless to think that we were not making any progress."

Why This Matters Now

The events in the US this week remind us that misogyny is still alive and well. It's not a historical artifact. It's not something we've moved past. It shows up in boardrooms and interviews and comment sections and legislation.

But here's what I take from Susie's story: you keep going anyway.

You prepare like a pro. You show up early. You do the work. You negotiate for ownership, not just a seat at the table. You build things that will outlast you.

And when life cracks the door open, you don't wait for permission, you charge through and grab your chance.

May we all be more Susie in 2026.

🦩