As my car rounds the corner into the hotel’s driveway, I see them: Dozens of screaming F1 fans holding posters and clamoring to peek inside the vehicle. It’s the night before the Mexico City Grand Prix, and I’ve got a room booked at the Ritz-Carlton, where an F1 driver or two is known to be staying. That’s who they’re hoping to catch a glimpse of, not my deeply un-famous self. I almost feel bad, as if I’m letting them down. But as they recede, I take a moment to survey the crowd, and I’m intrigued by what I see. Many — most, even — are women.

I’m in town to report on the state of F1’s female fandom, but if I’m being honest, I’m still skeptical of the much-vaunted stats: Per the FIA, the league’s governing body, in 2022, 40% of supporters worldwide were women (up 8% from 2017), as are a

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