At the end of 2022, Formula 1 established an all-female F4-level racing series as its counterpart W Series collapsed. In its second season in 2024, F1 Academy will hold races across nine months and three continents, all in support of F1 grands prix. Feeder Series tells you everything you need to know about the 2024 F1 Academy season. 

By Calla Kra-Caskey

After a successful 2023 season that saw Marta García crowned the inaugural F1 Academy champion and two drivers promoted to 2024 FRECA seats, F1 Academy returns for a sophomore season. Helmed by former Williams test driver Susie Wolff, the series will continue its efforts to help women up the developmental ladder. 

Three major regulatory changes will aid in this goal. First, the series is introducing a two-season limit for drivers in order to continue promoting young talent into single-seaters. The top five drivers in the drivers’ standings will receive FIA Super Licence points. To highlight regional talent, F1 Academy will also introduce wild card entries, which will be operated and supported by Prema Racing. 

The calendar

This year, all seven rounds of F1 Academy will be part of the support bill for Formula 1. Only two circuits from last year, Zandvoort and Barcelona, will return to the calendar, as F1 Academy will accompany the F1 paddock to Asia and North America. Drivers will also gain valuable experience on permanent racetracks and, for the first time, temporary street circuits. The calendar will be spread across the entire year, lasting from March to December: 

• Round 1: Jeddah Corniche Circuit, Saudi Arabia (7–9 March)
• Round 2: Miami International Autodrome, Miami (3–5 May)
• Round 3: Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Spain (21–23 June)
• Round 4: Circuit Zandvoort, Netherlands (23–25 August)
• Round 5: Marina Bay Street Circuit, Singapore (20–22 September)
• Round 6: Losail International Circuit, Qatar (29 November–1 December)
• Round 7: Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi (6–8 December)

The format

Each round consists of one or two 40-minute free practice sessions, one qualifying session, and two 30-minute races. Each driver’s fastest lap in qualifying will set the grid for race one, while their second fastest lap will determine their position for race two. 

Two points will be awarded for pole position in each race. One point will be awarded for setting the fastest lap of each race, provided the driver finishes in the points.

Where to watch

Last year’s final race, the only one taking place on an F1 weekend, was broadcast on YouTube. Joining the F1 support bill for 2024 means all F1 Academy weekends will be broadcasted on F1 TV and Sky Sports. Live timing is also available for all sessions on the F1 Academy website. 

Teams and drivers

As in 2023, five teams will participate in the series, running three cars each. The graduation of 2023 champion García and runner-up Léna Bühler to FRECA, as well as the departure of several other drivers, prompted a shake-up of the grid. Several drivers will be returning with different teams for 2024.

In a groundbreaking partnership, each Formula 1 team will nominate one driver and run their livery on her car. Several of these nominations include seats in the respective teams’ development programmes. Remaining drivers will be supported by F1 Academy’s other partners.

Drivers may also select their own race numbers this year. In 2023, each team was assigned three numbers.

Prema Racing

Prema won F1 Academy’s first season, collecting nine wins and 419 points on their way to the title. However, with García promoted to FRECA, Chong departing for British F4 and Bustamante switching to ART GP, the Italian team has turned to an exciting trio of rookies to defend their title. Despite this complete driver overhaul, they have a strong case for both the drivers’ and teams’ championships, with two of their racers already emerging as favourites.

Mercedes junior driver Doriane Pin (#28) is already a title favourite. She has an impressive sportscar résumé: in 2022, she won the Ferrari Challenge Europe with Iron Lynx and took class victories in the European Le Mans Series and the 24 Hours of Spa. Recently, she finished sixth in class at the 2024 24 Hours of Daytona with the all-female Iron Dames squad. Her budding open-wheel career is also impressive. After taking her first victory in only her sixth F4 race ever during the 2023 F4 South East Asia Championship, Pin placed 10th in the more competitive F4 UAE Championship this past winter, with one win and one pole position. She will race in the World Endurance Championship and F1 Academy concurrently.  

Maya Weug (#64), the first-ever woman in the Ferrari Driver Academy, also makes her F1 Academy debut. In 2022 she finished 14th overall for the Iron Dames in Italian F4, while in 2023 she placed third in the FRECA rookies’ championship and claimed all 27 of KIC Motorsport’s points. Although her move to F1 Academy is regarded as a step down on the development ladder, an overall podium finish could help her secure a competitive seat in coming years. 

Prema’s team is completed by Aston Martin–nominated Tina Hausmann (#19). With only one year of single-seater racing under her belt, the 17-year-old Swiss driver is one of the least experienced – and youngest – drivers on the grid. She managed a podium in the 2023 Formula Winter Series but failed to score points in both Italian F4 and Euro 4. This winter, she appeared in one round of F4 UAE, with a best result of 21st. 

MP Motorsport

With all three of their 2023 drivers returning to MP Motorsport as members of the newly formed Red Bull Academy Programme, the Dutch outfit will make a strong push for the 2024 teams’ title. Last year, MP Motorsport had a strong start to the season, with six of their seven wins coming during the first four rounds. Though the team’s form faded in the second half, the drivers’ combined experience could give them a leg up on the competition. 

Leading the charge is Hamda Al Qubaisi (#8), backed by Red Bull Racing, who won four races en route to a third-place overall finish in F1 Academy last year. The highest-placed returning racer has also taken victories in F4 UAE and F4 Saudi Arabia and was the first woman to finish a race on the podium in Italian F4. 

Amna Al Qubaisi (#88), who finished sixth with two victories last year, is backed by the rebranded RB team. Although the Emirati driver struggled in previous Formula Regional campaigns in Europe and Asia, she scored six points over one round of the 2024 F4 Saudi Arabia Championship. 

Rounding out the team is Dutch driver Emely de Heus (#7), backed by Red Bull. She finished ninth in last year’s championship with one victory. Previously, she managed a 10th-place finish in a 2022 W Series race.

Rodin Motorsport

Rodin Motorsport’s 2024 entry features three drivers returning for their sophomore seasons in F1 Academy. The team rebranded from last year’s name, Rodin Carlin, after the Carlin family’s departure. 

Rodin will be led once again by Abbi Pulling (#9), who will continue her partnership with Alpine for a third year. The British driver was a heavy favourite in last year’s F1 Academy season but only managed fifth with seven podiums. Her career has included a fourth-place finish in W Series in 2022 and a sixth-place finish in 2020 in the British F4 Championship, to which she will return this year.

Joining Rodin for her second season in F1 Academy is Lola Lovinfosse (#3), sporting the livery of new sponsor Charlotte Tilbury. The French driver finished 10th for Campos last year with three podiums. 

Returning to the British team is Jessica Edgar (#17), who finished eighth last year after winning the final race of the season. Edgar previously placed seventh in the 2022 GB4 Championship. For the opening round, she will race under an unsponsored F1 Academy livery.

ART Grand Prix

After an underwhelming fourth-place finish in the teams’ championship last year, the French team will attempt to improve with new drivers. With two rookies, they field one of the least experienced lineups on the grid. 

McLaren junior driver Bianca Bustamante (#16) makes the switch to ART Grand Prix after a seventh-place finish in F1 Academy in 2023 with Prema, a campaign in which she won two races and finished second in two others. During an eight-race appearance in the 2024 Formula Winter Series, Bustamante reportedly struggled with technical issues and had a best result of 17th.  

Joining Bustamante is 17-year-old American Lia Block (#57), who signed with Williams’ junior programme for the 2024 season. Although this will be her first full year in open-wheel racing, she already has an impressive rally résumé. In addition to appearances in Extreme E and Nitrocross, she also became the youngest-ever American Rally Association champion after a 2023 victory in the Open Two-Wheel Drive class.  Block made her F4 debut in the 2024 Formula Winter Series, with a highest finish of 25th.

Ferrari Driver Academy member Aurelia Nobels (#22) will join the championship running Puma’s livery. In last year’s Italian F4 and Euro 4 championships, Nobels finished 26th and 22nd respectively with a best result of 11th in each . She also appeared in two rounds of F4 UAE this year with Saintéloc, with a best finish of 19th. 

Campos Racing

Following a last-place finish in 2023, Campos Racing will attempt to blend experience with fresh blood. 

The Spanish entry will be led by Spanish driver Nerea Martí (#30), who finished fourth in the series with one win for Campos in 2023. Her car will be fitted with Tommy Hilfiger’s livery. In 2022, Martí finished seventh in W Series with two podiums. She also scored points for Campos in the 2023 Formula Winter Series. 

Joining her is Sauber-sponsored Carrie Schreiner (#15), who finished 11th and won one race during her 2023 F1 Academy campaign with ART GP. This winter, Schreiner appeared in two rounds of the F4 UAE championship with a best finish of 21st and two rounds of the Formula Winter Series with a best finish of 17th. 

New to the series is American Chloe Chambers (#14), racing with Haas’ livery. Previously, she scored one point in W Series’ 2022 season. She also finished ninth with one win in the 2023 Formula Regional Oceania Championship, becoming the first woman to take a victory in the series.

Header photo credit: Circuit Ricardo Tormo