Reese Witherspoon Gave Miami Racing Fans a Glimpse of Her New F1 Docuseries

Race Week is officially underway in Miami, but events around town extend far beyond Sunday's Miami Grand Prix. On Thursday, May 1, Miami racing fans gathered at the Fillmore for an exclusive screening of the first episode of F1: The Academy, a new seven-part docuseries produced by Reese Witherspoon's media company, Hello Sunshine. The series launches globally on Netflix on Wednesday, May 28, capitalizing on the popularity of shows like Netflix's Drive to Survive.

"Our team at Hello Sunshine Unscripted is always so interested in telling individual stories," Witherspoon told the audience at the Fillmore. "I got the opportunity to watch the show, and I was on the edge of my seat. They're not only driving 200 miles an hour, but they're also enduring all the ups and downs of just being a young woman in this world, trying to break into a new sport, navigating social media, and the world stage."

While we can't spoil any details until the official premiere, we can say the Magic City looks great on the big screen.

The screening was followed by a Q&A with trailblazers Susie Wolf, managing director of F1 Academy; Sara Rea Trotter, award-winning producer at Hello Sunshine; and Elizabeth Rutledge, chief marketing officer at American Express. Moderated by F1 journalist Naomi Schiff-Dedieu, the panel delved into behind-the-scenes details about the docuseries and its potential impact on women in motorsport.

"It's about building that really solid foundation that we can [use to] inspire the next generation; make sure our champions and those racing in the front can go onwards and upwards in the sport," Wolf said on stage. "Ultimately, I think our wider mission is just showing that there's a place for women in our sport, on- and off-track. We have such a huge fan base that's female now in Formula One. They should all see that the sport they love is doing something for female talent."

Of course, it's not all warm and fuzzy in the world of competitive sports. Trotter called the rest of the show a "rollercoaster" that shows the sport's cutthroat nature alongside the resilience and tenacity of its young drivers. But tensions were confined to the screen — the event also highlighted F1 and American Express' community efforts in Miami, including their support of local small businesses. This year, Canadian driver Nicole Havrda will feature Azucar Ice Cream's logo on her livery at the races.