Susie Wolff shares what she thinks Lewis Hamilton doesn’t get ‘enough credit for’ in Formula 1

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Susie Wolff is currently the head of F1 Academy after her professional racing career came to an end.

It’s remarkable that Susie Wolff is the last woman to take part in an official Formula 1 race weekend, taking part in the 2015 British Grand Prix in her role as Williams test driver.

Wolff was a regular in DTM before her four F1 tests during 2014 and 2015, and retired from racing after representing Scotland at the Race of Champions a decade ago.

Married to Mercedes team principal and part-owner Toto Wolff, Susie Wolff has gone on to be a Formula E team principal with Venturi, and now heads up the F1 Academy support series that gives women an opportunity to race during Formula 1 race weekends.

One F1 driver that Wolff has always had a good relationship with is Ferrari star Lewis Hamilton.

Wolff was excited for Hamilton’s move to Ferrari, although he hasn’t secured the results that he would have liked thus far.

With Hamilton’s first season with the Scuderia potentially coming to an end without a Grand Prix podium, Wolff has been quick to praise the 40-year-old.

She’s now spoken about what Hamilton has done for Formula 1 that he doesn’t get ‘enough credit for’ within the sport.

READ MORE: Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton’s life outside F1 from net worth to family

Susie Wolff praises Lewis Hamilton for changing Formula 1’s global reputation

Wolff was speaking on the High Performance Podcast about her role in the paddock and how being a woman has impacted her career within the industry.

She said: “I do get a lot of support from within the sport. And a lot of people praise me for how far F1 Academy has come, but it really is a credit to the sport because the F1 teams have got behind it.

“I have the full support of F1, all the investment needed to build it up. There’s a real authenticity to people in Formula 1 wanting to see F1 Academy be a success because they know that it can have a positive impact on the sport.

“Lewis is always someone who has been willing to use his voice for good and has always been someone who’s seen a wider picture of how his influence can have a positive impact.

“Sometimes it’s easy to take the trodden path that everyone else does, but he’s absolutely forged his own path, and he’s had such a big impact in the sport.

“It was no surprise for me that he was one to stand up and speak because he is always the one who stands up to speak when there’s something to be said or when something hasn’t been said but needs to be said.

“And I don’t think he sometimes gets enough credit for that. He’s turned that walk into the paddock into a catwalk. He’s played a part in making Formula 1 culturally relevant outside of just motorsport and sport.

“He’s someone who has a very powerful voice and uses it for good, and others should take some inspiration from that.”

READ MORE: Damon Hill tells F1 fans that Susie Wolff would be the ‘perfect’ replacement for Mohammed Ben Sulayem as FIA president

Lewis Hamilton’s paddock behaviour has changed Formula 1 for the better

As Wolff has described, Hamilton’s interest in fashion and other areas outside of Formula 1 has made him a global superstar.

SportsPro recently named Hamilton as the world’s most marketable sportsperson, ahead of the likes of Simone Biles, Stephen Curry and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Hamilton attempts to be more private in the paddock, but that hasn’t stopped him from inspiring many of his fellow drivers to use their entrances to each F1 race as an opportunity to showcase their creativity.

The 40-year-old will hope he still has an important role to play in Formula 1’s efforts to become a more diverse sport, as well as keeping one eye on becoming the first driver to ever win eight championships.