Anon you have truly and completely hit the nail square on the head on this issue I feel
I wanna start by saying that I think the problem with where Maya's career went ""wrong"" - and I put wrong in heavy quotation marks to emphasize that this is simply not what was expected, her still racing is very good shes just clearly had a lot of mitigating factors in how her career has landed where it has.
This issue in so many ways can go beyond maya, and it really calls into a conversation that needs to be had about women in sports and the idea of "femininity". To focus on Maya, she is beautiful, she is fucking 10/10 (pls look at gym photos if you need any more proof than whats right in front of you) but to be completely honest - I feel as if you and I both are speaking the quiet part out loud - she does not fit the media standard of "traditional" and "feminine" beauty standards. If were being quite honest, most of the grid doesnt.
But youre completely right, the brands and sponsors of F1 Academy are being so specific in the marketing of the F1 Academy drivers as girls who are drivers. And a huge aspect of that is playing into traditional femininity. For instance we have 2 makeup sponsors on the grid (Anastasia Beverly Hills and Sephora), a hair care and styling brand (wella) and multiple clothing brands (Puma as a sponsor of a car, Pepe Jeans and Red Bull, Tommy and Alba, all the team-drivers having to wear team affiliated merch that is also associated with a fashion house). Constantly drivers on this grid are portraying traditional femininity as it is what marketers and business people believe thats what the target audience to want despite it often going against what the women would do personally, or forces them into beauty standards that they dont fit in, such as in this case of Maya Weug but it impacts a number of different women
Personally, I find it very performative feminist, although that's to be expected in series like this. (The WNBA is guilty of it, the PWHL is guilty of it, even the W series before f1a was) but beyond that it hurts the drivers and athletes whove worked their asses off to get to that point. It makes it feel like theyve only got that far because theyre women sometimes, but again thats just my perspective
I think another aspect of this, which you touched on, is the sponsors themselves. Yes, their marketing is a lot more feminine, but the sponsors themselves are inherently different from any company that sponsors a male driver in an F4 level series - hell, even a female driver in an F4 level series separate from F1a. These brands are household names and desire faces of their company on a long-term basis, not just their logo on the side of a car and a driver who races on near-empty circuits like in most F4 series. So when someone like Tommy Hilfiger picks someone like Alba Larsen (over continuing to work with Nerea Marti, for example, or working with a team like Mercedes, which they used to sponsor), we are looking at them making a long-term decision for someone they can support. And that feeds into the markets that these brands are working to sell to. Frankly, a young blonde-haired and blue-eyed girl who has similar features to a model is more appealing long term than a lot of other drivers because she fits their ""look"" and not inherently because of her talent. (Also important to note the sensational effort to sexualize Alba Larsen comes directly from TH and Ferrari, their standard of beauty seems to far outweigh their standard of care towards their drivers)
DO NOT misunderstand me, Alba Larsen is incredibly talented, she is so good. But she also works well with the TH brand. Just like Doriane works well with the Mercedes brand, who rather than play to doriane's femininity plays to her strengths and skills as a driver. Which is ultimately what all the girls should get. They shouldn't be seen - in my opinion - as women/girls first but as drivers first.
So, to digress, I completely agree with you. Maya's career has led to Belcars for a lot of different reasons. Still, one of them is undeniably that Ferrari and other sponsors failed to look past traditional femininity and what is a good look for their "brand" and see the capable, talented, and powerful driver right in front of them. It is ultimately, in my perspective, a shitty business decision, one that has harmed Maya's career, but also an issue that influences a lot of other athletes and drivers face
Also, it is incredibly important to note that while Maya Weug is a white European woman, these decisions overwhelmingly affect women of color and especially black women! WOC face far more pressure and backlash towards rejecting eurocentric beauty standards and the continued focus on european beauty standards negatively effects WOC through racist rhetoric from fans and people within their sport. Further, to end on this point, the forcing of Eurocentric femininity is inherently anti-trans and feeding into the narrative of "traditional" beauty and femininity will encourage anti-trans athlete legislation. I welcome any alternate perspectives on this, this issue is vast and complex and cannot be solved over discussing just one female driver, but by hearing the perspectives from everyone, but especially people with whom this issue directly effects.
(Disclaimer: this blog will not tolerate racist/transphobic remarks, they will be blocked and reported, further any bullying or criticism of women in this post about their looks will also be blocked. Finally, this is not the place to discuss wag discourse. any other commentary constructive and insightful commentary as previously mentioned is welcome)
