On and off the track, Emelia Hartford is breaking ground in the racing world and entertainment sector. As a multifaceted SAG-AFTRA actress, YouTube influencer, racing competitor, and record-breaking car builder and driver, her life never stops moving. 

Hartford’s most recent endeavor is a new F1 track preview series on AppleTV, Circuits in Focus. Co-hosting with 2016 F1 World Champion Nico Rosberg, the new series gives viewers a first-hand look at each circuit, strategy, and decision leading up to the weekend of races. As a social media influencer, Hartford has amassed over 4 million followers across her platforms, where she shares her experiences and know-how with building cars and being in the racing industry. 

Attending the 2026 Miami Grand Prix earlier this week, which marked the first episode of Circuits in Focus, Hartford’s 3-day itinerary was booked and busy, with attending a TAG Heuer pop-up with Patrick Dempsey, enjoying a Glenfiddich Whisky tasting, and watching the qualifying rounds at the TikTok Clubhouse. 

Hartford’s growth within the automotive and entertainment world has been exponential, to say the least. She continues to learn, teach, and excel in the world of racing while expanding her talents on screen. As she begins to explore the fashion sector, Hartford continues to build her platform while staying true to her niche.

With your background in building your own race car, competing internationally, and now launching an Apple TV series centered around F1, how have these milestones shaped your perspective on growth—both personally and professionally—as you look to the future?

It’s funny I recently ran into someone I hadn’t seen in almost a decade and they said something like “since I last saw you it’s like it seems like you’ve been full throttle ever since” we laughed and I said something like “I only know how to run max RPM”. After thinking about the interaction, it’s more true than I realize. I love what I do, I am so blessed to have the life I have and truly love pushing the limits in every area of my life. Whether it’s on the track, off the track, on screen, in my career and in my personal life. I really do enjoy the challenge and competition of growth. When I look to the future, I just see endless opportunity to break barriers and set the bar higher.

The 2026 Miami Grand Prix marked the launch of your Apple TV F1 pre-race show,“Circuits in Focus,” alongside Nico Rosberg. How has this transition challenged or changed you, and what have you learned about yourself as your audience meets you in this new medium?

Going into the first day of filming I was nervous of course. With any production you want to knock it out of the park but also have so many unknowns. In some ways I felt very comfortable, racing on a sim and nerding out about race circuits and F1 lore I do in my spare time already. On the other hand, it was my first time hosting a TV show of this nature and working with Nico whois an absolute legend and inspiration to me. No pressure, right? I learned that even when it is ultimately a show, when you get two racers together, we are going to get competitive in the best way. Nico and I got along really well and as much as we went at it on the sim, we also are both competitive with success of the show and making it the best it can be. After seeing the first cut I was thrilled but also super excited to get back in and film more. I also learned I am faster on the sim than I thought and to never try to pass Nico on the inside lol. We just launched the show and so far the feedback has been great. Everyone is saying they love the new medium and want to see longer and more technical conversation on the tracks.

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At the TAG Heuer pop-up, you met Patrick Dempsey. What specifically about this encounter resonates with your own passions, and did it spark any new ambitions?

He is such an inspiration and more so an incredible human inside and out. I’ve always wanted to be an actor and the minute I got into cars I wanted to be an actor who also races. Sonaturally Steve McQueen and Patrick Dempsey are idols to me. Funny story, at my first LasVegas Grand Prix I saw him as we were walking out for Grid Walk. I’m not shy at all, but didn’treally want to bother him. A friend pushed me to go say hi and when I walked up, he immediately recognized me and said he has been following the Ford GT40 build I had going on. I was totally frozen, that was definitely a very special moment to me to see someone you look up to treat you eye to eye.

You enjoyed the paddock hospitality with Glenfiddich Whisky. As both a motor sports enthusiast and a driver, can you paint a picture of what it’s like to experience the race trackside—what do you see, hear, and feel in those moments?

Going with Glenfiddich is always an incredible time as they know how to put on a very elegant experience. Who doesn’t love race cars, single malt and friends. It’s funny, F1 has seen a large growth in lifestyle collaborations so lately I’ve gotten to see a lot of people experience this for the first time. For those who haven’t yet I’ll do my best here. Seeing this stuff on TV really only clicks once you’ve seen it in person. Being around the teams, the garages, the hospitality really puts it all together. Just the shear energy around the track and the amount of work that goes into putting on each race. Whether it’s seeing 22 1000+ HP top level race cars scream down the track or the top tier hospitality that brands like Glenfiddich bring to Formula 1, it’s such an incredible time and gives you so much appreciation for the sport. It really is the pinnacle of racing for a reason.

Watching the qualifying races at the TikTok Club must have felt like a full-circle moment given your social media roots. Seeing your digital presence intersect directly with your love of racing, how does it influence how you think about your online persona and the following you’ve built?

The creator space is the new world of media and we are seeing it first hand with things like this. I love the crossover. I have always been passionate about cars and the film world coming together. This is just an extension of that with social media really being all about connecting and story telling in a new way. The club was packed with great energy. I’ve come to realize there is power in being able to connect deeply with so many amazing people and that power is only growing and more and more people go to social media for their intake of entertainment and information. It’s also raising the bar higher as a creator. I was lucky to get into this fairly early in the world of social media, but I am constantly seeing content now that makes me check myself and push further on my ability to connect.

Amid the whirlwind and very fast pacing of your life, when you find yourself alone and finally static, what does your mind wander to? How do you stay grounded and in touch with yourself at such speed?

Ironically, I am most at peace when I am acting or racing. I think that is the only time I can be 100% present in the moment. The truth is I don’t think I am ever really static, and if I am, I’m just thinking about all the things I want to do. BUT I am a huge proponent of self love and mental health. My “me” time is either at the gym or the spa. If I didn’t go to the gym I think I would go crazy and I try to treat myself to bit of forced relaxation after a big shoot, race or trip.