EXCLUSIVE: Marti Pecache Is Living Her F1 Dreams
When Marti Pecache was preparing to graduate from UP Diliman in 2024, she needed an outfit to wear for her creative graduation shoot. So, as an avid Formula 1 fan, she dressed up as a motorsport presenter. At the time, Marti saw being involved in the world of F1 as a faraway dream, given how elite the sport is and how motorsports relatively aren’t that popular in the country. So, if she can’t actually be in it, she might as well cosplay as one.
“Just pretend to be a motorsport presenter because it might not happen. So at least you can play dress-up, right? So that’s what I did,” Marti tells MEGA Asia over Zoom. But little did the BA Broadcast Media Arts and Studies graduate know that the moment would serve as a building block of manifestation that would blossom into a career as an F1 content creator who would be tapped by a major sports broadcasting outlet to be an on-site host and presenter at a couple of Grand Prixs just a year later.
What started as an out-of-reach dream of a young woman trying to enter a male-dominated industry became something she’s now a part of, one that she feels is a full-circle moment of hard work, dedication, and a little bit of audacity.
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On the Starting Line
Marti’s entry into F1 didn’t start at the raceway, but because of a cancelled Airbnb booking for her trip to Melbourne a few years ago. A series of unexpected events and conversations with others eventually led her to watching the Netflix docuseries Formula 1: Drive to Survive. It didn’t take long for Marti to get hooked on the show and the sport in general. “I think I really liked the stories behind it, and Drive to Survive showed that.” She understands the sentiment from fans that the show is overdramatized, but she still thinks it’s a great entrypoint for people to get to know the basics and the narratives that come with those involved. As long as you do your further research then it’s fine to just enjoy the show as it is as well.
As a new fan, she became attracted to the drivers’ stories as she got a crash course on the different teams and who to root for. And like many people who find a new interest, Marti wanted to talk about her newfound liking of F1. The problem? None of the people in her immediate circle were into the sport except for one friend. So, they bonded over their love for the sport and started an account for it, just for fun.
“I wanted to have some sort of avenue for me to yap about it without having to bother my non-F1 friends. No one has to feel obliged to listen to whatever I have to say. But I just really wanted something like a journal. And if it reaches someone who gets it, then that’s good. But if not, it’s really just for me to dump my thoughts.” Unbeknownst to Marti, that dumping ground would soon grow as she gained followers who weren’t just interested in what Marti had to say, but also how she said it.
Her personality and candid and relatable content, the kind that feels like your best friend is talking to you about the Qualifying results or who got P1 in a Grand Prix, attracted a following that would soon open doors for Marti in ways she never expected.
Making a Name in F1 Media
With over 44,000 followers on Instagram and nearly 73,000 followers on TikTok, Marti has built herself a sizable following that wants to hear her thoughts about F1 and her experiences as a Southeast Asian fan in the sport. But as her platform continues to grow, Marti admits that there is a growing sense of responsibility in always getting her facts right and presenting motorsport properly to her followers. While there is a certain feeling of responsibility, she just genuinely enjoys making content and connecting with fellow enthusiasts.
“I’ve built this community already where we talk about it in my comment section, and I just like being able to help my followers also stay updated because not everyone has the time to watch, not everyone has the privilege of having a stream.”
Also impressive with Marti’s success is the fact that she’s doing it all as a woman in motorsport. It’s already rare to see a Filipino in F1, and much more so for a Filipina. Aside from Bianca Bustamante, the sport hasn’t seen much local female representation. As Marti continues to grow her platform on social media and has even been asked to present at Grand Prixs, she’s part of a growing list of women making a name for themselves in F1 media.
“It feels super empowering,” Marti shares on her place as a Filipina content creator in F1. “It’s one thing to be a girl, but it’s another thing to be a Filipina. Girls don’t get as much exposure or opportunities in F1, especially if you’re from the Philippines. So there’s that added factor of who I am as a person. I’m not just a girl. I’m also from the Philippines. So to me, it’s such a unique and special experience. And the main thing that I always think of is that I’m so privileged. I am so lucky because not everyone gets to have this opportunity.”
She adds, “F1 is such an elite sport. It’s really hard to reach. So I genuinely thought it was impossible. So, for me to be here now, sometimes, I can’t believe it, and I always get sentimental over it. It’s always super special every time, and I honestly don’t want to get used to it.”
With everything that she has experienced so far and the opportunities she’s had, Marti remains constantly grateful for the position she finds herself in now. But that gratefulness is also brought about by how Marti has put in the work to get to where she is today. “From an outsider’s POV, my life is so cool, and it’s glamorous. But what people don’t see is the behind the scenes. I worked really hard to get here.”
The transition from fan to content creator who has been in the thick of what goes on at race weekends wasn’t always easy. Along the way, Marti had to learn, adapt, and keep up with a complicated system. But despite how hectic things can get, it’s a job Marti would gladly do again and again. “In this line of work, it gets super tiring. But it’s always worth it because at the end of the day, this is my dream. I’m very fortunate that my work is literally my dream.”
Coming Full Circle
From posting videos in secret to being on the paddock as an official correspondent, Marti’s life has been a series of full-circle moments. She’s met many of the drivers like Charles Leclerc, Max Verstappen, and Lewis Hamilton, she’s made content with legends in F1 media, and she even had the opportunity to do on-site coverage of the Qatar and Singapore Grand Prixs in 2025.
And speaking of full-circle moments, Marti also recently went to where it all started when she flew to Melbourne in March for pre-race weekend events, courtesy of a major sports brand and McLaren, where she, among other things, got to meet Oscar Piastri. “It was such a full circle moment for me, even if I wasn’t there for the actual GP, because I was with other representatives from Southeast Asia as well. It was super fun to get to interact with them, spend a few days with them, especially because we were all there for the same thing,” she shares.
Marti has done a lot of things in her still early career as an F1 content creator, but being flown to Australia was not on her bucket list and something she didn’t expect. Yet, from a cancelled trip to being sponsored to go to the city on a brand trip showed just how far Marti has come. And she credits the people around her for getting her this far. “I have such supportive people around me. I wouldn’t be here if not for the people who have supported me since the very beginning.”
From her friends, family, and followers, it was an environment that inspired Marti to just go for it to turn a distant dream into a reality. “I think I was at the right place at the right time with the right opportunity, the right feeling, or something in my gut that pushed me to suddenly make content out of nowhere. So the stars aligned for me, and I think luck played a big factor in that also.”
With how often Marti has been working and grinding these past couple of years, moments where she gets to figuratively stop and smell the roses don’t happen often. But when they do, they lead to a moment of reflection on the privilege, position, and opportunity Marti currently finds herself in. She’s come a long way from randomly watching Drive to Survive on Netflix, and she specifically credits 2025 as the year when it sank in that this is her life.
“I got sent to three Grand Prixs, and I covered two of them. So that’s when I realized during the end of the season that I have to get used to this. Because if I continue working, doing my thing, then consequently, there will be more opportunities and these kinds of experiences.”
There’s an air of sentimentality that surrounds Marti, who has been reminding herself lately that she got her foot in the door despite the challenges and hurdles that came her way. “I always remind myself that I’ve come this far. You should be proud of yourself as well. Because sometimes I’m really stuck in the grind. I forget to acknowledge that I’ve achieved something. People like you, brands like you for who you are and what you already do. So just keep going.”
Doing It Shy
Watch any of Marti’s content, and you’ll see how she makes it look easy. Talking about something you love certainly helps, but putting yourself out there as a content creator is no joke, especially in a sport that hasn’t always been so welcoming to women. With her public content comes the fact that people can say anything they want about Marti, which includes hate comments and snide remarks. But Marti still keeps it moving with an easy-going confidence that comes from what she calls her audacity to try.
While the initial fear of what her friends and classmates might think about her videos was there, Marti realized that there’s a lot more to life than being scared to try. “I’m still gonna post it even if I’m kinda shy because what are they gonna do? They can talk, but at the end of the day, I’m doing whatever it is I feel is right for me to get to where I wanna be. So it really just boils down to doing things shyly and just trying.”
Growing up being taught not to be afraid of rejection, Marti sees the value in taking initiative with your goals. You miss all the shots you don’t take, after all. “The biggest thing that really helped me is just doing it because it’s one thing to ideate and see the potential in your platform, but it’s another thing to just execute it and I feel like the main thing that stops a lot of people from actually getting to where they want to be is waiting and not doing it because they’re afraid.” She acknowledges that it is much easier said than done, which is why it really is a process that you have to brave through.
As she puts it, “Never be afraid to try because you’ll never know how good it can get. And that can only happen if you actually start doing something. And stop waiting around for the perfect moment because you may never actually feel ready. So do things even if you’re unready, even if you’re unprepared. Because you might actually never feel prepared. So just do it and see what happens.”
Speaking of trying, Marti wants new fans who are thinking of getting into F1 this season to dive right in, regardless of the kind of viewer they are. “Just enjoy the sport however you’d want to enjoy it, whether that be as a casual fan or someone who really likes to deep dive when it comes to the technicalities. People will always judge you or you’ll hear something from someone, so might as well live your life the way you want to and enjoy the sport however you’d want to as long as you don’t step on anyone,” she advises.
As someone who began by watching Drive to Survive, she also suggests that the show can be a good place to start, just make sure to do your research after. Who knows, like Marti, you may just find yourself entering a world you never thought possible.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Featured Image by Gabriel Altonaga
Photos: Courtesy of MARTI PECACHE
The post EXCLUSIVE: Marti Pecache Is Living Her F1 Dreams first appeared on MEGA.
EXCLUSIVE: Marti Pecache Is Living Her F1 Dreams
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