The Fast Track to Equity: How Women and Big Brands are Reshaping Formula 1

How Pendulum's brand intelligence tracked 380.8K engagements, and what the data means for brands in the paddock

Formula 1 has left the boys' club behind. Over the last decade, the sport has welcomed a whole new wave of fans, and thanks to Pendulum's brand intelligence, we got a front-row seat to see this shift play out in real time during a two-week window in May 2026.

The buzz about women in Formula 1 was impossible to miss: 1,600 mentions, nearly 600,000 impressions, and over 380,000 engagements, all fueled by a passionate Gen Z crowd and some of the world’s biggest brands. This was front and center, lighting up every major platform at once.

This is exactly the kind of story brand intelligence is made for—spotting the bigger cultural conversations you’ll want to be part of, and tracking what people say about your brand. Let’s take a look at what the data uncovered and what it means for brands that are ready to listen in.

The Numbers Behind the Narrative

Between May 15 and 29, 2026, Pendulum sifted through over a thousand posts, over 200 images, and more than seven hours of video. The result? A lesson in how a cultural moment can pick up speed and spread across every kind of media.

Some numbers jump right off the page: out of 1,600 mentions, a whopping 77% were positive—519 upbeat shoutouts versus just 158 negative, with the rest neutral. In the world of sports, that kind of positive energy is a big deal; it’s real excitement and community spirit.

Who’s behind all this excitement? Gen Z, hands down. They racked up over 77,000 engagements, while pre-millennial creators barely cracked 650. The Women in F1 conversation is powered by a young, digital-native crowd—which is huge news for any brand hoping to connect with folks under 30.

Where the Conversation Lives, and Why It Matters

Not all platforms are created equal in this conversation, and knowing where the action is can make all the difference for brands looking to join in.

Instagram is the clear winner here, pulling in over 340,000 engagements and impressions from just 278 mentions. In other words, every Instagram post packs a punch. This is where the lifestyle stories shine; think fashion, behind-the-scenes paddock vibes, driver personalities, and sponsor shoutouts.

TikTok, on the other hand, brings its own flavor. With just 114 mentions, it still racked up over 200,000 impressions and sparked plenty of lively debate; 21% positive sentiment, 17% negative, making it the most hotly contested platform. TikTok is where the real talk happens, where opinions fly, and where community identity gets built. Brands stepping in here should be ready for honest, unfiltered engagement.

Traditional news coverage had the most mentions—872 in total—but barely moved the needle on engagement or impressions. The Women in F1 conversation lives and breathes on social and visual platforms, not in the headlines. Brands that are only chasing media placements are missing where the real action is.

The numbers say it all: 89% of engagement came from images, with video at 8% and text trailing at just 3%. Visual storytelling is the name of the game. Brands that put their best photos, creative campaigns, and eye-catching social content front and center are the ones making waves.

The People and Creators Driving It

Pendulum identified 859 unique creators contributing to this conversation over the 14-day window. The most-mentioned individuals are almost exclusively F1 Academy drivers: Natalie Decker (20 mentions), Doriane Pin (19), Mathilda Paatz (19), Lisa Billard (17), and Burcu Çetinkaya (14). Susie Wolff, the F1 Academy Managing Director, appears in 8 mentions, confirming that the leadership narrative is present, while the athlete stories drive volume.

When it comes to impressions, GP Racefans on Instagram leads the pack with over 140,000, followed by mercedesamgf1 on TikTok and f1academy on Instagram. What’s interesting is that both official team accounts and independent motorsport voices are shaping the story together. Everyone’s got a seat at the table.

Let’s not forget the global angle. US fans led the way with over 105,000 engagements, Brazil followed with 80,000 (no surprise given their F1 passion), and the UK chipped in with 15,000. This is a worldwide conversation, with English-language content reaching the farthest.

The Brands Already in the Room

One of the most interesting takeaways for brand strategists? Pendulum’s topic discovery found these brands popping up in the Women in F1 conversation—not through paid posts, but in the natural, everyday chatter of the community.

Red Bull leads with 25 mentions, followed by Gatorade (16), Pirelli (14), Lotus and Uber (12 each), Visa (9), Ferrari (8), Mercedes (7), Aramco (6), and McLaren (6).

This is what brand association looks like in action. Red Bull’s top spot shows just how strong its cultural presence is in the sport. Gatorade coming in second is no accident—they’ve put real support behind F1 Academy drivers like Lisa Billard, and it’s paying off. Investing in up-and-coming athletes is making a visible difference.

If your brand isn’t showing up in this data yet, here’s the good news: the conversation is alive and kicking, engagement is real, and there’s still plenty of room at the table. It’s time to build an authentic, organic presence in this space.

The top hashtags tell the story: #F1ACADEMY and #Womeninmotorsport lead the pack, with #CanadianGP close behind, thanks to race-weekend buzz.

These hashtags are how the community finds each other—and they're the perfect entry point for any brand hoping to get discovered in this space.

What This Narrative Tells Brands

This is the kind of story brand narrative analysis tools were made for. If you’re just searching for “Formula 1,” you’d miss the heart of the Women in F1 conversation. It’s about identity, dreams, style, and athlete journeys. Brand intelligence with deep topic-discovery capabilities uncovers these stories by seeking meaning.

The strategic implications are significant:

The growth in the fanbase is real, and we can measure it. Three out of four new F1 fans worldwide are women, and the engagement data from this two-week window shows exactly where they’re hanging out, what content they love, and which brands are already part of their story.

Visual storytelling is essential for these fresh fans. With nearly 90% of engagement coming from images, brands that invest in great photos, creative campaigns, and Instagram-friendly content are the ones making a real impact. Text-only posts? They’re basically invisible.

Backing individual athletes beats just slapping your logo on a team. Gatorade and Red Bull stand out because they’ve supported specific drivers and their stories. Team sponsorship gets you mentions, but it’s the personal connections that turn your brand into a real part of the fan community.

The Conversation is in Full Swing. Will Your Brand Join in?

For brand communications and marketing teams, the Women in F1 story is a perfect example of the kind of brand opportunity you’ll miss if you’re only reacting instead of listening ahead. It’s not just about tracking what’s said about your brand—it’s about spotting the stories you should be part of. That’s the real leap from old-school monitoring to true narrative intelligence.

It’s also a great reminder of why moving from reactive to predictive matters. The brands making waves here didn’t wait until the moment passed—they showed up early, built real partnerships with athletes, and let the community tell the story.

Curious about what stories are bubbling up in your brand’s world before they hit the headlines?

Check out how agentic AI brand intelligence works and see what Pendulum’s agentic social intelligence tools can uncover for teams just like yours.

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Catch this Week's Edition of the Pendulum Pulse Podcast and Get Our Perspective on Women in F1

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