Hanna Ifri
For years, Formula One has been the pinnacle of motorsport, showcasing some of the world’s finest drivers and engineers in a relentless pursuit of trophies and glory. However, one glaring issue that has come up consistently throughout its history has been the lack of female representation on the grid. F1 Academy is looking to change that.
For a sport that revolves around cars, you’d have thought that women would have been involved earlier considering that Bertha Benz, wife of Karl Benz, the man who patented what was considered the first practical automobile, was the first to complete a successful cross-country trip in August 1888. Nonetheless, in response to the lack of gender diversity in the sport, F1 Academy was launched as an all-female single-seater series aimed at developing young female drivers and creating a clearer pathway for them to progress into higher levels of motorsport. To those who are newcomers to the sport completely, or already enjoy Formula One, here is everything you need to know about F1 Academy.
F1 Academy is a junior single-seater established by the Formula One Group in 2023 with Susie Wolff as the managing director. This series was designed to support and develop young female drivers, providing them with the skills, experience, and exposure necessary to advance into higher racing categories, such as Formula 3, Formula 2, and hopefully even Formula 1.
To those who may not understand the proper reasoning for why this racing series was created, historically, female drivers have faced significant barriers in motorsport, from financial challengers to a lack of opportunities in competitive single-seater racing. While women have competed in Formula One before, like Lella Lombardi, who to this day remains the only woman to score points in an F1 race, the sport has lacked structured support for female talent. The main aim of F1 Academy is to bridge that gap by offering competitive racing in high performance machinery while providing financial backing and mentorship from established F1 teams and industry leaders.
Of course, this series isn’t identical to Formula One and the championship features only seven race weekends per season, each consisting of multiple races to maximise track time for the drivers. The grid is made up of six teams, each fielding three drivers, bringing the total to 18 competitors – unlike Formula One that has 10 teams and 20 drivers. This race series uses a Tatuus F4-T421 car and a chassis similar to those used in Formula 4, with a 1.4-litre turbocharged engine supplied by Autotecnica, and Pirelli tyres, a name that you may recognise if you follow any other form of motorsport.
The points system is similar to that of Formula One, with drivers earning points based on their finishing positions
In order to ensure competitive and exciting racing, F1 Academy follows a reverse grid format for its second race of each weekend. The top eight finishers from Race 1 are reversed for the starting grid of Race 2, meaning the winner of the first race starts in eighth in the second race, while the eighth-place finisher starts on pole. This format promotes overtaking and ensures a thrilling battle for championship points. The points system is similar to that of Formula One, with drivers earning points based on their finishing positions. P1 receives with 25 points and P10 gets only one point. Anything below, much like F1, does not make it into the points. Additionally, bonus points are awarded for pole position (2 points) and the fastest lap (1 point – only if the driver makes it into P10 or above).
As aforementioned, F1 Academy has 6 teams, all of which compete in other junior single-seater series. These teams include: ART Grand Prix, Campos Racing, MP Motorsports, Rodin Motorsport, Hitech Grand Prix and Prema Racing. You may recognise the final team as a decent amount of their alumni have made it into Formula One with names such as Charles Leclerc, Oscar Piastri, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Valterri Bottas and Jacques Villeneuve. Each team has three cars and they all work closely with the drivers to develop their racing skills.
In 2024, Formula One announced that all F1 drivers would support one driver each, giving them mentorship, branding, and development opportunities as they do in other racing series. This new formed connection allows young female drivers to integrate into the F1 ecosystem from an early stage in their careers.
For the 2025 calendar, we have races across multiple continents, aligning with select F1 Grand Prix weekends. The season opener took place on the weekend of the 21st-23rd in Shanghai, China. Following that race, F1 Academy will take us to Saudi Arabia, Miami, Canada, the Netherlands, Singapore, and the season finale in Vegas.
Now obviously, F1 Academy is not just about creating opportunities for women; it’s about making motorsport more competitive, diverse, and inclusive. By giving talented female drivers the tools to succeed, the series aims to develop the next generation of elite racers who could one day compete in Formula 1. Additionally, F1 Academy races alongside F1 on select weekends, meaning fans can watch emerging talent before they reach the global stage.
As more talented drivers emerge, the dream of seeing a woman on the F1 grid again becomes increasingly realistic
With the continued support of Formula 1, major sponsors, and increasing visibility, F1 Academy is set to grow in prominence. As more talented drivers emerge, the dream of seeing a woman on the F1 grid again becomes increasingly realistic. This series represents the first major step towards achieving that goal. Whether you’re an experienced motorsport enthusiast or a newcomer, following F1 Academy is a great way to witness the future of racing unfold.
Hanna Ifri
Featured image courtesy of Jesper Giortz-Behrens via Unsplash. Image use license found here (Unsplash). No changes were made to this image.
In article image 1 courtesy of @f1academy via Instagram. No changes were made to this image.
In article image 2 courtesy of @f1academy via Instagram. No changes were made to this image.
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