Female sports fans: the fight against gender stereotypes and the need for greater representation: a study on Formula One Racing

History of fan culture transcends centuries. Although it has been present for a while, fan culture underwent expressive changes following the introduction of media, and interpretations of what constitutes a fan became widespread. As a consequence, stereotypes and stigmas were perpetuated, particularly those pertaining to female fans. This research hopes to analyze how social media can change these views and empower female fans to challenge gender stereotypes. To do so, the case of Formula 1 will be studied – it is a sport that is still male-dominated, at the same time it has a massive online presence. For the analysis, interviews alongside a participant observation on Twitter and TikTok were conducted to dive into how female F1 fans use these platforms to bring issues to light and break down stereotypes. The findings indicate that social media empowers female F1 fans, helping them to challenge stereotypes and promote more inclusion in the sport.