Netflix Show Launches Engineer Into F1 Dream Job

Five years ago, Christina Sullivan had zero interest in Formula 1, but today the 27-year-old engineer works in the Williams F1 team's wind tunnel, helping design cars that race at 200 miles per hour.

Her transformation began in 2021 when she started watching Netflix's Drive to Survive with her sister while studying engineering at the University of Waterloo in Canada. A pandemic had canceled her planned work placement, leaving her searching for new opportunities.

"We really got into the show," Sullivan says. The behind-the-scenes look at F1's technical challenges sparked something in her, and she began researching how her engineering skills could translate to motorsport.

That same year, she applied for internships at F1 teams and landed a placement at Williams' headquarters in Oxfordshire, England. Her friends and family were shocked by the career pivot, but her sister, now a devoted F1 fan herself, was thrilled.

Today, Sullivan works as a wind tunnel systems engineer, testing scale models of race cars to improve their aerodynamics and track performance. When aerodynamicists need to solve problems or develop new parts, Sullivan's team creates the tools and conditions to test their theories.

The Ripple Effect

Sullivan's story reflects a massive shift in Formula 1's audience. Between 2017 and 2024, female fans grew from just 8% to 42% of the sport's total fanbase, according to F1's Global Fan Survey.

Drive to Survive deserves much of the credit. The show attracted seven million UK viewers by 2023, with 46% being women. Three out of four new F1 viewers are now female, and 57% of all new fans in 2025 were under 35.

Williams has championed diversity for years. Under Claire Williams' leadership from 2013 to 2020, the team doubled its female workforce from 9% to nearly 20%. The team also gave racing driver Susie Wolff track time in 2014, who now runs F1 Academy, an all-female racing series.

"I've never seen so many young girls now racing with a clear goal of making it to F1 Academy," Wolff told BBC Sport. Sullivan credits these initiatives with bringing crucial representation to the sport.

Growing up with her mother and sister as engineering role models helped Sullivan navigate being one of few women in technical rooms. "My mum and sister taught me quite quickly to advocate for myself and to be confident," she says.

With this season bringing F1's biggest regulation changes in history, Sullivan's team has been working overtime to adapt their wind tunnel systems. "The past year and a half has been changing a lot," she says. "We've been pivoting quite rapidly but it's been pretty exciting."

As for Drive to Survive, Sullivan stopped watching after season two because now she's too busy living the story herself.