F1 Academy
 | |
| Category | Single-seater |
|---|---|
| Country | International |
| Inaugural season | 2023 |
| Drivers | List |
| Chassis suppliers | Tatuus |
| Engine suppliers | Autotecnica Motori |
| Tyre suppliers | Pirelli |
| Drivers' champion |  Marta García |
| Teams' champion |  Prema Racing |
| Official website | f1academy.com |
 Current season | |
F1 Academyis afemale-only, junior-levelsingle-seater racingchampionship founded byFormula One.The championship is aspec series,meaning that all teams compete with an identicalTatuus F4-T421chassis and tyre compounds developed byPirelli.Each car is powered by a 174-horsepower turbocharged 4-cylinder engine developed by Autotecnica Motori, aTatuussubsidiary.[1]
The inaugural season in 2023was won byMarta Garcíadriving forPrema Racing,who won the teams' championship.
History
[edit]The championship traces its roots back to 2004, whenFormula Womanwas established due to the lack of female drivers in other series. In 2019, theW Serieswas created for the same reason and was held for over three seasons, and the planned 2020 season was cancelled due to theCOVID-19 pandemic.[2]However, after the 2022 season, the series was battling financial issues and was put into administration and liquidated.[3][4]
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 fromkartingto the single-seater ladder.[5]
The five teams that are currently participating in F1 Academy areART Grand Prix,Campos Racing,Rodin Motorsport,MP MotorsportandPrema Racing.[6][7]
On 1 March 2023,Susie Wolffwas appointed the managing director for the series.[8]
The initial season of the series was controversially not broadcast,[9]with the exception of the season finale at theCircuit of the Americas.[10]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 EpresenterNicki Shieldsbecame the lead commentator for the season, withAlex BrundleandJordan Kingjoining her as co-commentators.[11]
For the 2023 season, Formula One subsidised the cost of each car, with drivers having to contribute €150,000.[5]This was reduced to €100,000 for the2024 season.[12]Also for 2024, 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.[7]
On 3 May 2023, it was announced thatReese Witherspoon'sproduction companyHello Sunshinewould be creating adocuseriesabout F1 Academy.[13]On 3 May 2024, exactly one year later, it was announced that the show would be available to stream onNetflixin 2025.[14]
Championship format
[edit]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 theUnited States Grand Prix.[5][15][16]
On 31 March 2023, Formula One CEOStefano Domenicaliannounced that the 2024 season would take place exclusively on select Formula One weekends, joiningFormula 2,Formula 3and thePorsche Supercupas part of the support bill.[17]This required a change to the race weekend format, reducing the number of races to two by removing the reverse-grid race.[18]
The 2024 season also saw the addition ofFIA Super Licencepoints andwild cardentries. 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.[19]
Progression
[edit]F1 Academy drivers must be between the ages of 16 and 25, and cannot race for more than 2 seasons in the series.[19]TheFormula Regional European Championshiphas guaranteed a fourth entry to any team that signs a driver who finished P1, P2 or P3 in the F1 Academy standings.[20]2023 champion Marta García received a fully funded seat in the championship for 2024, 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".[21]
Cars
[edit]
F1 Academy cars are built on theTatuus F4-T421chassis used inFormula 4championships globally since 2022, with tyres provided by Formula One partnerPirelli.The engine is supplied by Autotecnica Motori and consists of a 1.4-litreturbocharged4 cylinder,capable of delivering 174 horsepower at 5500 rpm.[22]
Champions
[edit]Drivers
[edit]| Season | Driver | Team | Poles | Wins | Podiums | Fastest laps | Points | Clinched | Margin | Ref(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Marta García
|
Prema Racing
|
5 | 7 | 12 | 6 | 278 | Race 19 of 21 | 56 | [23] |
Teams
[edit]| Season | Team | Poles | Wins | Podiums | Fastest laps | Points | Margin | Ref(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Prema Racing
|
5 | 9 | 16 | 7 | 419 | 8 | [24] |
Circuits
[edit]- Bolddenotes a circuit will be used in the2024 season.
| Number | Circuits | Rounds | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya
|
2 | 2023–present |
 Circuit Zandvoort
|
2 | 2023–present | |
| 1 |  Red Bull Ring
|
1 | 2023 |
| Circuito Ricardo Tormo
|
1 | 2023 | |
| Monza Circuit
|
1 | 2023 | |
 Circuit Paul Ricard
|
1 | 2023 | |
 Circuit of the Americas
|
1 | 2023 | |
 Jeddah Corniche Circuit
|
1 | 2024 | |
| Miami International Autodrome
|
1 | 2024 | |
 Marina Bay Street Circuit
|
1 | 2024 | |
| 0 |  Losail International Circuit
|
0 | 2024 |
 Yas Marina Circuit
|
0 | 2024 | |
| Source:[25][26] | |||
References
[edit]- ^"Tatuus, owned by Wise Sgr, and Autotecnica Motori join forces to create the 'Italian Motorsport Excellences' hub"(PDF)(Press release). Milan. 15 November 2017.Retrieved15 September2024.
- ^"Motor racing: W Series cancels 2020 season due to pandemic".Reuters.4 June 2020.Retrieved30 April2020.
- ^"W Series enters administration".ESPN Philippines.16 June 2023.
- ^Coleman, Madeline (25 January 2024)."Debut season behind it, F1 Academy strives to become more than a racing series".The Athletic.Retrieved29 January2024.
- ^abc"F1 Academy: Formula 1 announces F1 Academy, a new all-female driver series for 2023".Formula1.com.Retrieved1 February2023.
- ^"F1 Academy announces the five teams entering 2023–2025 seasons | Formula 1".www.formula1.com.Retrieved2 February2023.
- ^ab"F1 Academy: All 10 F1 teams to have drivers and liveries for 2024 season in all-female single-seater series".Sky Sports.Retrieved26 July2023.
- ^"Susie Wolff appointed managing director of F1 Academy".Autosport.com.March 2023.Retrieved1 March2023.
- ^Mee, Lydia (1 May 2023)."FIA Under Fire After F1 Academy Fails To Be Broadcasted:" Extremely Disappointing "".F1 Briefings: Formula 1 News, Rumors, Standings and More.Retrieved5 May2024.
- ^"F1 Academy finale to be broadcast live in over 100 international territories".F1® Academy.Retrieved5 May2024.
- ^"2024 season of F1 ACADEMY™ to be broadcast in over 160 territories and streamed live globally".F1® Academy.Retrieved13 June2024.
- ^"F1 Academy Champion Marta Garcia to receive FRECA seat".www.formula1.com.Retrieved26 October2023.
- ^Weprin, Alex (3 May 2023)."Hello Sunshine, Formula 1 Developing F1 Academy Docuseries (Exclusive)".The Hollywood Reporter.Retrieved13 June2024.
- ^Carson, Lexi (3 May 2024)."Hello Sunshine's F1 Academy Docuseries on Female Drivers Lands at Netflix (EXCLUSIVE)".Variety.Retrieved13 June2024.
- ^"F1 Want Women in the Cockpit for First Time Since 1976".Bloomberg.com.9 January 2023.Retrieved2 February2023.
- ^"F1 Academy announces 2023 calendar and race weekend format".Formula1.com.23 February 2023.Retrieved29 January2024.
- ^"F1 Academy: All-female racing series to feature exclusively at Formula 1 weekends in 2024".Sky Sports.Retrieved31 March2023.
- ^Series, Feeder (18 February 2024)."F1 Academy weekends cut to two races in format overhaul".Feeder Series.Retrieved14 June2024.
- ^ab"F1 ACADEMY drivers to get super licence points".Formula 1® - The Official F1® Website.Retrieved14 June2024.
- ^"F1 Academy Champion Marta Garcia to receive FRECA seat".Formula 1® - The Official F1® Website.Retrieved2 October2024.
- ^"F1 Academy Champion Marta Garcia to receive FRECA seat".Formula 1® - The Official F1® Website.Retrieved14 June2024.
- ^"The Car and Engine".F1 Academy.Retrieved30 April2023.
- ^"F1A Motorsport Stats".Motorsport Stats.Retrieved9 February2024.
- ^"Prema Racing Statistics and Results | Motorsport Stats".Motorsport Stats.Retrieved9 February2024.
- ^"F1 Academy announces 2023 calendar and race weekend format".Formula1.com.23 February 2023.Retrieved9 February2024.
- ^"F1 Academy announces calendar for 2024 season".Formula 1.Retrieved9 February2024.