F1 Academy
CategorySingle-seater
CountryInternational
Inaugural season2023
Drivers15
Chassis suppliersTatuus
Engine suppliersAutotecnica
Tyre suppliersPirelli
Drivers' championSpain Marta García
Teams' championItaly Prema Racing
Official websitef1academy.com
Current season

F1 Academy is a female-only single-seater racing championship founded by Formula One. The championship is a spec series, with all teams competing with an identical Tatuus F4-T-421 chassis and tyre compounds developed by Pirelli. Each car is powered by a 165-horsepower turbocharged 4-cylinder engine developed by Autotecnica.

Its inaugural season in 2023 was won by Marta García driving for Prema Racing, who won the teams' championship.

History

The championship traces its roots back to 2004, when Formula Woman was established due to the lack of female drivers in other series. In 2018, the W Series for the same reason. The series was held for three seasons from 2019 to 2022, with the planned 2020 season being cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[citation needed] However, after the 2022 season, with the series battling financial issues, the series was liquidated as no sponsorship appeared.[1]

On 18 November 2022, Formula One announced the creation of F1 Academy, a racing series for women aimed 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.[2] The series was confirmed to consist of five teams with experience in Formula 2 and Formula 3, with each team entering 3 cars to make up a 15-car grid.[citation needed]

The five teams that took part in the 2023 season, and are set to compete in the 2024 season, are ART Grand Prix, Campos Racing, Rodin Carlin, MP Motorsport and Prema Racing.[3][4]

On 1 March 2023, Susie Wolff was appointed the managing director for the series.[5]

For the 2024 season, all ten F1 teams are set to support one driver each who will have the team's livery on their car. The remaining five drivers are to be supported by other partners.[4]

Championship format

The 2023 season consisted of seven event weekends with three races each, for a total of 21 races, plus fifteen days of official testing. The final of the seven events was a Formula One support race during the United Stated Grand Prix.[2][6][7]

On 31 March 2023, Formula One CEO Stefano Domenicali announced that the 2024 season would take place exclusively on select F1 weekends, joining Formula 2, Formula 3 and the Porsche Supercup as part of the support bill.[8]

Cars

Prema Racing's car being driven by Bianca Bustamante in 2023.

The cars used for the 2023 season were the Tatuus F4-T421 chassis used in Formula 4 championships globally since 2022, with tyres provided by F1 partner Pirelli. For the 2023 season, Formula One subsidised the cost of each car, with drivers having to contribute €150,000.[2] This will be reduced to €100,000 for 2024.[9] The engine for the 2023 season was provided by Autotecnica and consisted of a 1.4-liter turbocharged 4 cylinder, capable of delivering 174 horsepower at 5500 rpm.[10]

Champions

Drivers

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 [11]

Teams

Season Team Poles Wins Podiums Fastest laps Points Margin Ref(s)
2023 Italy Prema Racing 5 9 16 7 419 8 [12]

Circuits

Number Circuits Rounds Years
1 Austria Red Bull Ring 1 2023
Spain Circuito Ricardo Tormo 1 2023
Spain Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya 1 2023–present
Netherlands Circuit Zandvoort 1 2023–present
Italy Monza Circuit 1 2023
France Circuit Paul Ricard 1 2023
United States Circuit of the Americas 1 2023
0 Saudi Arabia Jeddah Corniche Circuit 0 2024
United States Miami International Autodrome 0 2024
Singapore Marina Bay Street Circuit 0 2024
Qatar Losail International Circuit 0 2024
United Arab Emirates Yas Marina Circuit 0 2024
Source:[13][14]

References

  1. ^ Coleman, Madeline (25 January 2024). "Debut season behind it, F1 Academy strives to become more than a racing series". The Athletic. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  2. ^ a b c "F1 Academy: Formula 1 announces F1 Academy, a new all-female driver series for 2023". Formula1.com. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
  3. ^ "F1 Academy announces the five teams entering 2023–2025 seasons | Formula 1". www.formula1.com. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
  4. ^ a b "F1 Academy: All 10 F1 teams to have drivers and liveries for 2024 season in all-female single-seater series". Sky Sports. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  5. ^ "Susie Wolff appointed managing director of F1 Academy". Autosport.com. March 2023. Retrieved 1 March 2023.
  6. ^ "F1 Want Women in the Cockpit for First Time Since 1976". Bloomberg.com. 9 January 2023. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
  7. ^ "F1 Academy announces 2023 calendar and race weekend format". Formula1.com. 23 February 2023. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  8. ^ "F1 Academy: All-female racing series to feature exclusively at Formula 1 weekends in 2024". Sky Sports. Retrieved 31 March 2023.
  9. ^ "F1 Academy Champion Marta Garcia to receive FRECA seat". www.formula1.com. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
  10. ^ "The Car and Engine". F1 Academy. Retrieved 30 April 2023.
  11. ^ "F1A Motorsport Stats". Motorsport Stats. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
  12. ^ "Prema Racing Statistics and Results | Motorsport Stats". Motorsport Stats. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
  13. ^ "F1 Academy announces 2023 calendar and race weekend format". Formula1.com. 23 February 2023. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
  14. ^ "F1 Academy announces calendar for 2024 season". Formula 1. Retrieved 9 February 2024.

External links

F1 Academy
FIA Formula 4 Championships
Female motorsport series
Categories