Formula 1 programmes benefit 500,000 young people in 71 countries

Formula 1 reported that over 500,000 young people in 71 countries benefited from its programmes during the 2025 season. This first sport-wide Social Impact Report collates data from Formula 1, the FIA, 10 teams, and 24 race promoters. The document follows recommendations from the Hamilton Commission, which Lewis Hamilton and the Royal Engineering Academy launched in 2021. In 2025, 29,000 schools participated in the STEM Racing global education initiative, while 700 schools in the UK, South Africa, India, and Brazil used the British Council’s Learning Sectors programme. The report lists 1,000 talent development opportunities in motorsport and 2,500 young people participating in activities at Formula 1 events. F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali said the company is turning commitments into action to break down barriers and widen access for future generations. FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem said, "Motorsport has the power to transform lives and we have a responsibility to ensure its benefits reach beyond the racetrack." He added, "I welcome the continued investment in education and scholarships as we work to make motorsport more accessible and deliver a lasting legacy."

Scholarship renewal and academic support

F1 renewed its Engineering Scholarship programme for three academic years, committing more than £2.4 million in funding to help students face financial and accessibility obstacles. Each year between 2026/27 and 2028/29, the initiative provides full tuition fees and living costs for ten new scholars at specific universities.

One first-year scholar at the University of Oxford said, "The ability to pay for all the costs of Oxford has been a key reason that my first year has been successful; I have been able to focus on my course without having to worry about whether I can afford my next meal." The scholarship programme, which was founded in 2021 to help students who would otherwise face financial and accessibility obstacles, has already supported 48 students through the provision of full tuition fees and living costs.

Educational reach and local engagement

The Learning Sectors programme, which launched in January last year, aims to expand into China, Mexico, and Spain through 2027 to reach an additional 250,000 students. This initiative uses STEM-inspired projects and coding competitions to help students aged seven to 16 develop computational thinking skills. In the UK, South Africa, India, and Brazil, more than 150,000 students from over 700 schools took part in the programme. The Next Grand Prix, which launched in 2022 in partnership with the Social Mobility Business Partnership charity, gives students the opportunity to pitch a new F1 location in a competitive environment. This initiative has provided more than 600 placements since its launch, with 126 of those occurring in 2025, and one alumnus now works as a management consultant trainee associate at the firm PwC.

The Miami Grand Prix engaged 21 undergraduate and graduate students through its MIA in Schools academy and hosted 150 local guests during last year’s race. Ten of the 15 local small businesses selected as food and drink vendors were either fully or partly owned by women. In Las Vegas, an F1 Drive Karting Camp hosted 240 teenagers from 13 Boys & Girls Clubs of Southern Nevada. While these programs scale, the F1 Academy workshops reached only 140 young people. The report also states that 100% of Diversity and Inclusion Charter signatories delivered social impact programmes, and 50 wishes were granted through the partnership with Make-A-Wish.