The start of F1 Academy is just around the corner and Females in Motorsport is here to tell you everything you need to know about the upcoming season.
What’s important to know?
Last year, an all-female driver category was introduced, F1 Academy. Across 2023, the new championship saw 15 drivers competing across 21 races in seven different locations.
Spanish driver Marta Garcia clinched the championship win at the final race weekend of 2023 in Austin. Lena Buhler secured second place, and Hamda AlQubaisi came in third.
This year, F1 Academy has the support of all 10 Formula 1 teams who will each have one driver competing in the championship with their livery. In total, 15 cars will take to the track for five teams, and the remaining five drivers will be supported by series partners.
Regarding championship points for this year, F1 Academy announced that the top five drivers in the 2024 Drivers’ Standings will get FIA Super Licence Points, and will be awarded as follows:
First place - 10 points
Second place - seven points
Third place - five points
Fourth place - three points
Fifth place - one point
New for this year, Wild Card entries have been introduced to support talent in locations where F1 Academy races will take place this year. As reigning Team Champions, PREMA racing will host the additional driver, who will be their fourth car on the grid, and in exchange will provide training and support for the new driver.
Reema Juffali was recently announced as the first Wild Card entry of the season and she’ll join the grid during the first race weekend in Jeddah. Importantly, the wild card entry will be able to gain championship points, which is incredible for all parties.
The changes for this year strengthen the support for F1 Academy, and the investment made to support women’s racing!
What are the racing regulations?
The upcoming F1 Academy season will join the F1 calendar during seven race weekends across the world.
During a race weekend, drivers will take part in two free practice sessions (40-minutes each), and one qualifying session (30-minutes). The championship will have two races per weekend (30-minutes each) and drivers’ fastest lap will set the grid for Race 1 and their second fastest lap will set the grid for Race 2.
The drivers who take pole position for Races 1 and 2 following the final classification of the Qualifying sessions will be awarded with two points. For both races, the top 10 classified drivers will be awarded as follows:
First place - 25 points
Second place - 18 points
Third place - 15 points
Fourth place - 12 points
Fifth place - 10 points
Sixth place - 8 points
Seventh place - 6 points
Eight place - 4 points
Ninth place - 2 points
Tenth place - 1 point
For each race, one point will be awarded to the driver who achieved the fastest lap, providing they finish in the top-10.
According to sporting regulations, each driver will be allocated three and a half sets of dry-weather tyres (which can be carried over if unused and where applicable), and two sets of wet-weather tyres per race weekend. All championship tyres will be provided by Pirelli throughout the season.
Who will be taking part in 2024?
This year, 15 drivers will be on the grid. In total, the 2024 season will have five teams: ART Grand Prix, Campos Racing, MP Motorsport, PREMA Racing, and Rodin Motorsport, and each team will have three cars in the series.
As noted above, ten of the drivers on the grid will be nominated by a Formula 1 team and will run their livery, and the remaining five drivers will be supported by other series partners.
Across the last few months, teams have announced their drivers and as of last week, we have the final grid line up…
Abbi Pulling (Alpine)
Abbi returns to F1 Academy once more and remains as a member of the Alpine Academy Programme. During last year’s championship, Abbi finished 5th overall in the standings after claiming two poles, four fastest laps, and seven podiums.
Prior to F1 Academy, the British driver (along with Aseel Al-Hamad) became the first woman to drive a Formula 1 car in Saudi Arabia.
Jess Edgar (F1 Academy)
Jess is also a returning face to F1 Academy and will be looking to build on her 8th place from 2023. Last year, Jess claimed her first-ever race win along with four podiums. This year, Jess will run the F1 Academy livery for the 2024 season.
Lola Lovinfosse (Charlotte Tilbury)
Outside of F1 Academy, Lola has previously competed in the F4 Spanish Championship and the Formula Winter Series. In F1 Academy 2023, Lola claimed three podiums and finished 10th overall in the championship.
Lola was recently announced as the driver who will run the Charlotte Tilbury livery after the brand was announced as an official sponsor and partner to the 2024 F1 Academy season.
Carrie Schreiner (Sauber)
2024 will be Carrie’s second year in F1 Academy after she competed with ART Grand Prix in 2023 where she placed 11th overall. The German driver has already competed in the Formula 4 UAE and Formula Winter Series this year whilst preparing for the upcoming F1 Academy season opener.
Chloe Chambers (Haas)
Chloe moved to single-seater competitions in 2022, and competed in the W Series where she finished 16th overall in the Championship. Last year, Chloe competed in the Formula Regional Oceania Championship where she won her first race at the Taupo International Motorsport Park.
Nerea Martí (Tommy Hilfiger)
The Spanish driver is returning to F1 Academy following the announcement of a new partnership between Tommy Hilfiger and the championship. As a result, Nerea will compete for Campos and will run the Tommy Hilfiger livery.
Nerea had an impressive start in F1 Academy after she scored points during her debut. During the season achieved six podiums, and finished 4th overall.
Hamda AlQubaisi (Red Bull Racing)
Hamda is one of three drivers who is joining the newly-formed Red Bull Academy Programme in 2024. Last year, Hamda came 3rd overall in F1 Academy where she competed with MP Motorsport.
Outside of F1 Academy, Hamda has competed in Formula Regional European Championship, Formula 4 UAE, and Formula 4 Saudi, where she’s currently 2nd in the overall standings.
Amna AlQubaisi (Visa Cash App RB)
Like her younger sister, Amna is part of the Red Bull Academy Programme for the 2024 F1 Academy season, and will race with the Visa Cash App RB livery.
During last year’s F1 Academy season, Amna claimed two race wins and placed 6th overall. Outside of F1 Academy, Amna has competed in Formula Regional European Championship, and Formula 4 Saudi.
Emely de Heus (Red Bull Racing)
The Dutch driver is returning to F1 Academy following her race win and two podiums during last year’s season. For 2024, Emely has re-signed with MP Motorsport and will represent Red Bull.
Emely previously competed in the 2022 W Series and the Formula 4 UAE Championship.
Tina Hausmann (Aston Martin)
Tina made her Formula 4 debut in 2023 where she joined the Formula Winter Series, during which she gained her first ever single-seater podium for 3rd place. The Swiss driver also competed in the 2023 Italian Formula 4 Championship, and despite being pointless she claimed the Women’s title.
For 2024, Tina will join Aston Martin where she will have the support of Aston Martin’s Head of F1 Academy and Driver Ambassador, Jess Hawkins.
Doriane Pin (Mercedes-AMG Petronas)
Doraine has experience in single-seaters and endurance racing as she is driver for the Iron Dames. The French driver made her single-seater debut in 2023, where she went on to take three podiums and a victory during the Formula 4 SEA Championship.
More recently, Pin completed in the Formula 4 UAE Championship where claimed another victory.
Maya Weug (Scuderia Ferrari)
Maya is part of the Ferrari Driver Academy and was the first female to ever join the academy. 2024 will be Maya’s first year in F1 Academy but she has previously competed in Italian F4 and Formula Regional European Championship where she finished in the points six times, and finished 17th overall in the championship.
Bianca Bustamante (McLaren)
Bianca raced in the inaugural series of F1 Academy for PREMA racing and came P7 overall. This year, Bianca will run the McLaren livery as she’s part of the McLaren Driver Development Programme.
Lia Block (Williams)
This year will be Lia’s first in F1 Academy but she has previously competed in numerous championships including Extreme E and rally cross. Last year, the American driver became the youngest American Rally Association champion in history after winning the Open Two-Wheel Drive class this year.
Throughout the next year, Lia will be supported by Jamie Chadwick, who will be continuing her work with Williams whilst competing in Indy-NXT.
Aurelia Nobels (PUMA)
Aurelia is part of the Ferrari Driver Academy, which she joined in 2022 after being part of the FIA Girls on Track Rising Stars Programme. Across the last two years, Aurelia has competed in the Danish and Spanish Formula 4 Championships.
This year, Aurelia will race for ART and will run the PUMA livery.
When will the F1 Academy season start?
The 2024 F1 Academy season kicks off in Jeddah on March 7-9. The drivers will compete across seven race weekends in alignment with the F1 calendar.
More details on timings will be released ahead of each race weekend. Each weekend, Females in Motorsport will be sharing race results and weekend summaries across our social channels, stay tuned!