F1’s “It Girl" Lissie Mackintosh

Formula 1 presenter, Lissie Mackintosh, has become one of the most recognizable female faces in the motorsports industry and an advocate for women in sports. 

Courtesy of astonmartinf1.com

At just 24 years old, Elisabella Mackintosh, better known as Lissie Mackintosh, has grown her platform to include over 700K followers while working with Formula 1 teams and partners as a presenter, writer, live events host and content creator, all thanks to a viral video. Mackintosh noticed there was a lack of community for fans within the motorsports world. How was it possible that with so many social media outlets available, no one was really talking about Formula 1 online? After her first video went viral on TikTok, Mackintosh began forming a diverse community of motorsports fans that could share their love for the sport in a “not-so-serious” way. 

Mackintosh was always interested in Formula 1 and followed along during the Lewis Hamilton domination era. She thought it was time F1 got more attention online after the series Drive to Survive became popular on Netflix. In addition to her social media pages, Mackintosh started hosting her own podcast, Going Purple, where she interacts with followers and guests in a judgment-free environment. She aims to make motorsports more accessible, especially to fans who may not feel immediately welcome. 

Going Purple podcast, courtesy of @lissiemackintosh / Instagram

On an Instagram post highlighting Going Purple, Mackintosh shares she’s “always said (she) wanted (her) social pages to be a safe space for all F1 fans.” Launching Going Purple gave her the chance to “have bigger conversations about issues and topics in the world of motorsports.” 

Mackintosh has expressed her understanding and appreciation for all Formula 1 fans, no matter how long they’ve been watching. Various studies have agreed less than 1% of fans will actually attend an F1 race, so how is the sport so popular? It’s thanks to creators like Lissie Mackintosh that post real time updates and footage of races, results and what the motorsports world looks like behind the scenes. As she follows the Grand Prix around, her interviews and content allow fans to see the different personalities of their favorite drivers and role models. 

She has interviewed top drivers such as Daniel Riccardo, Lando Norris, Carlos Sainz, George Russell and Charles Leclerc as well as collaborated with teams like McLaren and Ferrari. As she gains experience, her portfolio continues to grow beyond the motorsports world to include working with the NFL UK, the Miami Dolphin, the 2024 NFL Super Bowl, and live hosting the movie premiere of Ferrari. 

Mackintosh with Alfa Romeo drivers, Zhou Guanyu and Valtteri Bottas, courtesy of @lissiemackintosh / Instagram

As for her representation for women in the sports industry, Mackintosh admits she never considered a career in Formula 1 as an option. For many girls, it is easy to look at the all male teams and drivers and never picture themselves as a part of that scene. It is a significantly male-dominated industry, but that is not to say there are no talented women who are not highlighted during the seasons. Mackintosh believes it is important to not only acknowledge these women, but to have “more women believe that they have an equal chance and right to work in motorsports” because of them.

Written by Bella Rosa Fetelea

Edited by Raegan Verhoff