F1: The Academy Review 2025 Tv Show Series Cast Crew Online
Before I really dig into my review of F1: The Academy‘s first episode, I want to preface by saying I truly did enjoy what I saw! The production quality and framing were fantastic, and it was a privilege getting to better know the young women racing in F1 Academy. But the problem is that not everyone is cut out to be a reality star — nor should they be.
In short, F1: The Academy is a docuseries in the vein of Netflix’s highly popular Drive to Survive, in which a full season of racing is distilled into a handful of episodes. In F1 Academy’s case, its seven-race 2024 season has been summarized in a seven-episode series produced by Reese Witherspoon’s production company, Hello Sunshine.
The first episode picks up at the second weekend of the season, the Miami Grand Prix. After a brief introduction to the concept of the series and its goals, we’re pulled into the realms of Lia Block and Bianca Bustamante.
Right off the bat, F1: The Academy highlights a fascinating tension between the two teammates. Block is a second-generation racer whose father, Ken, was a hugely popular rally driver until his death in a snowmobile accident in 2023. Nevertheless, she declares herself an introvert, which we learn as she makes an appearance on Good Morning America, and viewers certainly get the sense that she finds this docuseries out of her comfort zone.
On the other hand, you have Bustamante, who is as much a racer as she is a social media influencer and all-around socialite. We’re introduced to her performance coach, who makes regular quips denigrating her social presence and driving skills, and we aren’t introduced to much of Bustamante’s backstory — though her roots as a young female racer in the Philippines could make for a great narrative throughline.
