Enzo Ferrari once famously remarked that children tend to draw cars in red, a sentiment that resonated with Sofia Valente Pierini during her childhood. She recalled how her grandfather would watch Formula One Grand Prix races on an early 2000s TV every Sunday, with her eyes naturally gravitating towards the Ferraris.
In 2025, Lewis Hamilton, Valente Pierini’s favorite driver, joined Ferrari and clinched his first Grand Prix victory as part of the team in June 2026. Despite the emotional tug of being a fan of both Hamilton and Ferrari, Valente Pierini has been documenting her F1 journey under the pseudonym @formulasofia since 2022, capturing the rollercoaster of emotions that come with supporting Ferrari.
Valente Pierini represents a new wave of content creators reshaping the F1 media landscape to cater to a younger, more diverse audience. This shift, coupled with the success of the Netflix series “Drive to Survive,” has been instrumental in engaging a fresh cohort of F1 enthusiasts who may have only been exposed to the sport through nostalgic family ties.
According to Stacy Lorenz, a sports sociology and history expert at the University of Alberta, each sport has found its perfect match in different forms of media. From baseball flourishing on radio to basketball and football thriving on television, F1’s embrace of short-form video and streaming represents the next evolution in sports broadcasting, catering to a geographically diverse audience.
The acquisition of F1 by Liberty Media in 2017 marked a turning point for the sport, opening up new digital avenues for fan engagement. James Hinchcliffe, a former IndyCar driver and F1TV commentator, highlighted how the shift in ownership led to a digital renaissance in F1, akin to the transformation seen in hockey a decade ago.
Laurel Walzak, a sports media professor, praised F1’s social media initiatives for humanizing the sport and creating a deeper connection with fans. The advent of user-generated content, epitomized by “Drive to Survive,” has allowed fans to follow F1 drivers as characters in a reality show-like setting, fostering a robust online community.
Cadence Willie, an F1 content creator, emphasized the role of social media in enhancing fan experiences and diversifying F1 narratives. With the abundance of footage available from onboard cameras and team radios, creators can cater to niche interests within the F1 community, offering a personalized viewing experience for fans.
As the digital landscape continues to evolve, Valente Pierini hopes that increased accessibility and affordability will make F1 more inclusive for all fans. Despite the sport’s glamorous image, she envisions a future where F1 becomes more accessible to a broader audience, transcending geographical and financial barriers.