What is F1 Academy?
F1 Academy is an all-female racing championship that was launched in 2023 by Formula 1. The goal of this series is to help prepare and develop female drivers to advance to the higher levels of motorsports. Susie Wolff is the current managing director of F1 Academy. Wolff raced in Formula Renault and Formula 3 between 2001 and 2005. She was also a Formula 1 test driver for Williams during practice in 2012. This has made her one of the few women to have driven F1 cars at official events during race weekends.
So, How does it work?
Currently, the grid is made up of six teams, consisting of 18 identical cars with one wild card entry. In 2025, there are seven rounds, all of which take place on a selection of Formula 1 weekends. The academy is open to female drivers who are between the ages of 16 and 25 at the start of the season. They can spend a maximum of two years in the championship.
Like F1, each team is competing for points towards the championship, although the qualifying process is complicated in the F1 Academy. After the practice on Friday, there will be a qualifying session to set the fastest lap for Race 2, which happens on Sunday. However, in Race 1 on Saturday, the top eight qualifiers have their order reversed on the grid. This means whoever is in 8th in qualifying will be at the front of the grid. The racers who qualified 9th to 18th will stay in their qualifying positions.
The F1 Academy’s mission statement aims “to inspire and support young girls and women to embark on their own journeys. Academy, 2025” The academy aims to provide an even playing field so that girls have a better chance in the male-dominated motorsport world.
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