Hamda Al Qubaisi is leading the Austin Grand Prix in 2023. The F1 Academy is returning to racing this weekend in Saudi Arabia for its second season. The inaugural campaign of the F1 Academy was successful, with Marta Garcia becoming the first-ever champion and earning a fully-funded seat in FRECA for 2024. This all-female single-seater series will have seven rounds across three continents and will be featured on the F1 support bill this season. All sessions will be streamed live on Sky Sports F1 in the UK. The F1 Academy was created as a feeder series for women in motorsport after the W Series ended. It was launched in November 2022 with the support of Formula 1 to provide more opportunities for talented female drivers to progress in motorsport, specifically in the single-seater ladder. Susie Wolff, who has experience as a driver and team principal, was appointed as the Managing Director of the F1 Academy. She has been a strong advocate for creating more opportunities for women in motorsport to progress further. The series aims to prepare and nurture female drivers between the ages of 16 and 25 for higher levels of single-seater racing, with the hope that they will eventually make it to Formula 1. This season, the F1 Academy has gained new official partners in Charlotte Tilbury, Puma, and Tommy Hilfiger, and has also struck a new broadcast deal with Sky Sports. The F1 Academy has recruited talented female drivers from around the world, providing them with new and exciting opportunities for the 2024 season.
Who are the teams and drivers?
Five different teams are participating in the F1 Academy competition, all of which have prior experience racing in Formula 2 or Formula 3. These teams include ART Grand Prix, Campos Racing, MP Motorsport, Prema Racing, and Rodin Motorsport.
In the upcoming second season, Formula 1 will have a more direct involvement in the all-female series. All 10 F1 teams are required to select a driver to compete in the 2024 F1 Academy grid. To support the drivers, teams will be reducing their financial contributions by €50,000 to €100,000 compared to the previous season. Additionally, Formula 1 will showcase a distinct design on the cars of their selected drivers, incorporating some of the talent from F1 Academy.
What is the format?
Each race week will span across three days and consist of two races in each of the seven rounds. Prior to the races, there will be two practice sessions lasting 40 minutes each. Following the practice sessions, a 30-minute qualifying session will determine the starting positions for both races. The fastest lap times achieved by the drivers will determine the starting grid for Race 1, while their second-fastest lap times will determine the order for Race 2. Each race will have a duration of 30 minutes.
What is the points system?
In this season, the top five finishers in the Championship will receive super license points, which will facilitate their progression in formula racing. The winner of each race will be awarded 10 super license points, with the second-place finisher receiving seven points, the third-place finisher earning five points, the fourth-place finisher earning three points, and the fifth-place finisher earning one point. The points system for the races will be identical to that of Formula 1, with race winners receiving 25 points.
What is the race calendar for 2024?
What was the outcome of the first season?
The initial installment of F1 Academy witnessed a total of nine different victors in the races, with every driver on the grid earning points. In the previous season, there were three races held per round, spanning across seven rounds. Marta Garcia made a bold statement to her competitors by winning two out of the three opening races at the Red Bull Ring. The championship battle unfolded between Garcia, Léna Bühler, and Hamda Al Qubaisi, ultimately culminating in the final round. It was during the United States Grand Prix in Austin, Texas, that Garcia clinched the title in the first race. Garcia finished 56 points ahead of Bühler, who secured second place, and a staggering 61 points above Al Qubaisi, who settled for third place.
The Teams’ Championship was a closely contested affair, with the outcome being determined in the final round. Prema Racing emerged as the first-ever winning team of the series, narrowly edging out MP Motorsport by a mere eight points. Rodin Carlin secured third place, trailing Prema by almost 100 points. As the inaugural season did not have a broadcast deal in place, fans relied on live timings to stay connected and follow the thrilling action.
Where can you watch?
In a significant stride forward from its inaugural season, each session of F1 Academy will now be televised live on Sky Sports F1 in the United Kingdom. As a part of the F1 support bill, the seven rounds of the championship will coincide with Formula 1 race weekends, providing the young female drivers with the opportunity to share the grid with their sponsored teams and favorite drivers.
The second season will kick off with the opening race on March 8th at 11:55 am GMT. Prior to that, viewers can catch the practice and qualifying sessions live on March 7th at 10:50 am and 6:15 pm respectively.