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F1 Academy

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F1 Academy
CategorySingle-seater
CountryInternational
Inaugural season2023
DriversList
Chassis suppliersTatuus
Engine suppliersAutotecnica Motori [d]
Tyre suppliersPirelli
Drivers' championUnited Kingdom Abbi Pulling (2024)
Teams' championItaly Prema Racing (2023)
Official websitef1academy.com
Current season

F1 Academy is a female-only, junior-level single-seater racing championship founded by Formula One. The championship is a spec series, meaning that all teams compete with an identical Tatuus F4-T421 chassis and tyre compounds developed by Pirelli. Each car is powered by a 174-horsepower turbocharged 4-cylinder engine developed by Autotecnica Motori, a Tatuus subsidiary.[1]

F1 Academy held its inaugural season in 2023. The 2023 Teams' title was won by Prema Racing.[2] Rodin Motorsport driver Abbi Pulling won the 2024 Drivers' title.[3]

History

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The championship traces its roots back to 2004, when Formula Woman was established due to the lack of female drivers in other series. In 2019, the W Series was created for the same reason and was held for over three seasons, and the planned 2020 season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[4] However, after the 2022 season, the series was battling financial issues and was put into administration and liquidated.[5][6]

On 18 November 2022, Formula One announced the creation of F1 Academy, a racing series for women aiming to focus on developing and preparing young drivers to progress to higher levels of competition. It was created to help smooth the transition from karting to the single-seater ladder.[7]

The five teams that are currently participating in F1 Academy are ART Grand Prix, Campos Racing, Rodin Motorsport, MP Motorsport and Prema Racing.[8][9]

On 1 March 2023, Susie Wolff was appointed the managing director for the series.[10]

The initial season of the series was controversially not broadcast,[11] with the exception of the season finale at the Circuit of the Americas.[12] Every race of the second season will be broadcast, with live viewing available from a total of 23 broadcasters in more than 160 international territories. Formula E presenter Nicki Shields became the lead commentator for the season, with Alex Brundle and Jordan King joining her as co-commentators.[13]

For the 2023 season, Formula One subsidised the cost of each car, with drivers having to contribute €150,000.[7] This was reduced to €100,000 for the 2024 season.[14] Also for 2024 onwards, all ten Formula One teams support one driver each who carries the team's livery on their car. The remaining five drivers are supported by the series' partners.[9]

On 3 May 2023, it was announced that Reese Witherspoon's production company Hello Sunshine would be creating a docuseries about F1 Academy.[15] On 3 May 2024, exactly one year later, it was announced that the show would be available to stream on Netflix in 2025.[16]

Championship format

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The 2023 season consisted of seven event weekends with three races each, for a total of 21 races, plus fifteen days of official testing. Each race weekend included two 30-minute races, and a 20-minute race where the top 8 drivers from qualifying had their starting positions reversed. The final of the seven events was a Formula One support race during the United States Grand Prix.[7][17][18]

On 31 March 2023, Formula One CEO Stefano Domenicali announced that the 2024 season would take place exclusively on select Formula One weekends, joining Formula 2, Formula 3 and the Porsche Supercup as part of the support bill.[19] This required a change to the race weekend format, reducing the number of races to two by removing the reverse-grid race.[20]

The 2024 season also saw the addition of FIA Super Licence points and wild card entries. The top five drivers in the championship earn points towards an FIA Super Licence, with 10 for the champion, 7 for the runner-up, 5 for third-place, 3 for fourth, and 1 for fifth. Wild card entries will be introduced at specific rounds in order to promote and strengthen the talent pool in the areas where the series races. These entries will be operated as a fourth car by the reigning teams' champion Prema Racing, with the driver eligible to score points in the drivers' standings.[21]

Progression

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F1 Academy drivers must be between the ages of 16 and 25, and cannot race for more than two seasons in the series.[22] The Formula Regional European Championship (FRECA) has guaranteed a fourth entry to any team that signs a driver who finished P1, P2 or P3 in the F1 Academy standings.[23] 2023 champion Marta García received a fully funded seat in the 2024 FRECA Championship courtesy of F1 Academy, PREMA Racing, Tatuus and Pirelli. However, FRECA is not the only option for progression, as the series announced that "each season F1 Academy will work in close collaboration with the F1 Academy teams to support its winner in progressing up the motorsport ladder".[24] 2024 champion Abbi Pulling received a fully funded seat in the 2025 GB3 Championship with Rodin Motorsport.[25][3]

Cars

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Prema Racing's car being driven by inaugural champion Marta García in 2023.

F1 Academy cars are built on the Tatuus F4-T421 chassis used in Formula 4 championships globally since 2022, although modified front and rear wings make the aero package unique.[26] The tyres are provided by Formula One partner Pirelli. The engine is supplied by Autotecnica Motori and consists of a 1.4-litre turbocharged 4 cylinder, capable of delivering 174 horsepower at 5500 rpm.[27]

Champions

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Drivers

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Season Driver Team Poles Wins Podiums Fastest laps Points Clinched Margin Ref(s)
2023 Spain Marta García Italy Prema Racing 5 7 12 6 278 Race 19 of 21 56 [28]
2024 United Kingdom Abbi Pulling New Zealand Rodin Motorsport

Teams

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Season Team Poles Wins Podiums Fastest laps Points Margin Ref(s)
2023 Italy Prema Racing 5 9 16 7 419 8 [29]
2024

Circuits

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  • Bold denotes a circuit used in the 2024 season.
  • Italic denotes a circuit that will be used in the 2025 season.
  • "Seasons Used" section denotes how many seasons the tracks have officially hosted.
Seasons Used Circuits Rounds Years
2 Seasons Spain Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya 2 2023–2024
Netherlands Circuit Zandvoort 3 2023–2025
1 Season Austria Red Bull Ring 1 2023
Spain Circuito Ricardo Tormo 1 2023
Italy Monza Circuit 1 2023
France Circuit Paul Ricard 1 2023
United States Circuit of the Americas 1 2023
Saudi Arabia Jeddah Corniche Circuit 2 2024–2025
United States Miami International Autodrome 2 2024–2025
Singapore Marina Bay Street Circuit 2 2024–2025
Yet to Debut Qatar Losail International Circuit 1 2024
United Arab Emirates Yas Marina Circuit 1 2024
United States Las Vegas Strip Circuit 1 2025
Canada Circuit Gilles Villeneuve 1 2025
China Shanghai Audi International Circuit 1 2025
Source:[30][31]

References

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  1. ^ "Tatuus, owned by Wise Sgr, and Autotecnica Motori join forces to create the 'Italian Motorsport Excellences' hub" (PDF) (Press release). Milan: Wise SGR SpA. 15 November 2017. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
  2. ^ "Marta Garcia wins inaugural F1 Academy title". Formula 1. Formula One Group. 21 October 2023. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
  3. ^ a b "Abbi Pulling wins 2024 F1 ACADEMY title". Formula 1. 1 December 2024. Archived from the original on 1 December 2024. Retrieved 1 December 2024.
  4. ^ Baldwin, Alan (4 June 2020). "Motor racing: W Series cancels 2020 season due to pandemic". Sports. Reuters. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
  5. ^ Saunders, Nate (15 June 2023). "W Series enters administration". ESPN. The Walt Disney Company and Hearst Communications. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
  6. ^ Coleman, Madeline (25 January 2024). "Debut season behind it, F1 Academy strives to become more than a racing series". The Athletic. The New York Times Company. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  7. ^ a b c "F1 Academy: Formula 1 announces F1 Academy, a new all-female driver series for 2023". Formula 1. Formula One Group. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
  8. ^ "F1 Academy announces the five teams entering 2023-2025 seasons". Formula 1. Formula One Group. 16 December 2024. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
  9. ^ a b "F1 Academy: All 10 F1 teams to have drivers and liveries for 2024 season in all-female single-seater series". Sky Sports F1. Sky Sports. 27 July 2023. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  10. ^ Kew, Matt (March 2023). "Susie Wolff appointed managing director of F1 Academy". Autosport.com. Motorsport Network. ISSN 0269-946X. Retrieved 1 March 2023.
  11. ^ Mee, Lydia (1 May 2023). "FIA Under Fire After F1 Academy Fails To Be Broadcasted: "Extremely Disappointing"". F1 on SI. Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 5 May 2024.
  12. ^ "F1 Academy finale to be broadcast live in over 100 international territories". F1 Academy. 4 October 2023. Retrieved 5 May 2024.
  13. ^ "2024 season of F1 ACADEMY™ to be broadcast in over 160 territories and streamed live globally". F1 Academy. Retrieved 13 June 2024.
  14. ^ "F1 Academy Champion Marta Garcia to receive FRECA seat". Formula 1. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
  15. ^ Weprin, Alex (3 May 2023). "Hello Sunshine, Formula 1 Developing F1 Academy Docuseries (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Eldridge Industries. Retrieved 13 June 2024.
  16. ^ Carson, Lexi (3 May 2024). "Hello Sunshine's F1 Academy Docuseries on Female Drivers Lands at Netflix (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Penske Media Corporation. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
  17. ^ Elliott, Hannah (9 January 2023). "F1 Want Women in the Cockpit for First Time Since 1976". Bloomberg News. Bloomberg L.P. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
  18. ^ "F1 Academy announces 2023 calendar and race weekend format". Formula 1. 23 February 2023. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  19. ^ "F1 Academy: All-female racing series to feature exclusively at Formula 1 weekends in 2024". Sky Sports. Retrieved 31 March 2023.
  20. ^ Series, Feeder (18 February 2024). "F1 Academy weekends cut to two races in format overhaul". Feeder Series. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
  21. ^ "F1 ACADEMY drivers to get super licence points". Formula One. Formula One Group. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
  22. ^ "Rules and Regulations". F1 Academy. Retrieved 15 October 2024. F1 ACADEMY is a one-make racing series consisting of 15 identical cars, or 16 when Wild Card entry is present. All drivers must be women and be 25 years of age or younger, and 16 years of age or older when entering their first race event of the season. Additionally, all drivers may only compete in two seasons of the series.
  23. ^ "F1 Academy Champion Marta Garcia to receive FRECA seat". Formula 1. Retrieved 2 October 2024.
  24. ^ "F1 Academy Champion Marta Garcia to receive FRECA seat". Formula 1. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
  25. ^ "F1 ACADEMY™ champion to receive fully funded GB3 seat for 2025". www.gb-3.net. 7 November 2024.
  26. ^ Coleman, Madeline. "Built with intention: F1 Academy's car was chosen with the series' goals in mind". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
  27. ^ "The Car and Engine". F1 Academy. Retrieved 30 April 2023.
  28. ^ "F1A Motorsport Stats". Motorsport Stats. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
  29. ^ "Prema Racing Statistics and Results | Motorsport Stats". Motorsport Stats. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
  30. ^ "F1 Academy announces 2023 calendar and race weekend format". Formula1.com. 23 February 2023. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
  31. ^ "F1 Academy announces calendar for 2024 season". Formula 1. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
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