F1 Academy 2025: The Grid

F1 Academy's search for its third champion begins in Shanghai. Here's your ultimate guide to the 2025 grid.

Photo credits: F1 Academy Ltd

The third season of F1 Academy is set to begin this weekend, marking an exciting new chapter for the series as it starts its search for the next champion to succeed Marta Garcia and Abbi Pulling.

With fresh faces and returning talents, the 2025 season promises to be one of the most competitive yet, as experienced drivers aim to capitalize on their previous campaigns while an influx of rookies looks to make their mark in the all-female championship.

It is no surprise that some of the most anticipated returnees are among the favorites for the title, having already been in contention last season. However, with many drivers reaching the two-year limit in the series and departing at the end of 2024, the grid has undergone a significant transformation.

The lineup for 2025 is now almost entirely different from the one that took to the track in Austria for the inaugural F1 Academy race in 2023—except for one driver who remains from that historic starting grid.

This season sees an unprecedented number of rookies, with 10 of the 17 full-season drivers - many of whom are making their first full-time step into single-seater racing. While all entrants have at least some prior racing experience in other championships, the large number of drivers in their first or second full season of single-seater competition reflects the growing impact of the F1 Academy. The series has in fact already begun to widen the base of the pyramid, encouraging younger female drivers to make the leap from karting into formula racing.

One of the most notable developments in 2025 is the significant reduction in average driver age. In the inaugural 2023 season, the average age was 20.6 years, which then dropped slightly to 20.3 in 2024. This year, for the first time, the average age has fallen below 20, with the 17 full-time drivers averaging 19.35 years old. The youngest competitors on the grid, Alba Hurup Larsen and Joanne Ciconte, were both born in December 2008 and are just 16 years old. Meanwhile, Courtney Crone, making her F1 Academy debut at 24, is the oldest driver in the field.

The 2025 season also introduces some format changes, including a return to the reverse grid race. The weekend schedule will continue to feature two races instead of the three seen in the series' inaugural season. Race 1 however will have a reversed grid for the top eight qualifiers and will award a maximum of 10 points, with only the top eight finishers earning points. Race 2, the feature race, will see the fastest qualifier start from pole and will offer a full 25 points for the winner, with points awarded down to 10th place.

Another major development is the expansion of the grid, increasing from 15 to 17 full-time drivers, with an additional Wild Card entry at each round. The Wild Card seat will be run by new entrant Hitech GP, further diversifying the talent pool at each round with the return of the successful Wild Card introduced last year.

Two pre-season tests already provided some valuable insight into the season ahead. The first, a private test at Jerez, saw lap times remain undisclosed. The second, an official collective test at the Shanghai International Circuit—also the venue for the season opener—offered a clearer picture of what might be the order. Among the early standouts were unsurprisingly Doriane Pin and Maya Weug, who emerged as strong title contenders. Weug’s switch to MP Motorsport is one of the most intriguing moves of the offseason, positioning her as one of Pin’s main rivals for the championship.

Beyond the expected frontrunners, several other drivers demonstrated impressive pace in testing. Lia Block, continuing with ART GP as the Williams F1 Team representative, showed notable improvement. Fellow American Chloe Chambers, a race winner in her rookie season, was consistently quick and even topped one of the test sessions, making her a strong contender for the season.

Among the rookies, Alisha Palmowski and Nina Gademan have already turned heads. Both made one-off Wild Card appearances in 2024, at Lusail and Zandvoort respectively, and have now secured full-time seats. Gademan’s move to two-time team champions Prema Racing positions her as a strong challenger, given the team's track record. Meanwhile, Tina Hausmann, continuing with Prema as Aston Martin’s representative, appears to have made significant progress and will be aiming to challenge at the front.

One of the most exciting stories of the season is the return of Chloe Chong. After debuting in F1 Academy in 2023, Chong spent a season in the highly competitive British F4 championship in 2024, where she gained valuable experience in mixed-gender competitions. Now back in F1 Academy, she will be a prime example of how the series can serves as a development platform for young drivers, offering valuable insights to F1 Academy itself. Testing results suggest she has made a significant leap in performance and could be a strong contender.

Among those with prior F4 experience but new to F1 Academy, Ella Lloyd and Rafaela Ferreira have shown promise and could be consistent point scorers. Meanwhile, several rookies in their first full single-seater season have also impressed. Emma Felbermayr, who made a handful of starts in the Formula Winter Series, displayed maturity and pace in testing. Joanne Ciconte and Alba Hurup Larsen were also competitive enough to run in the top ten and should improve significantly over the course of the season.

The opening round in Shanghai, local driver Shi Wei will make her debut as the Chinese round Wild Card entry. Having competed in Chinese F4 at the same circuit, she will look to use her track knowledge to her advantage as she represents her home country in F1 Academy’s first visit to China in a eye-catching white and light blue livery.

THE TEAMS

Photo credits: F1 Academy Ltd

PREMA RACING

The team champion fields again a strong trio, led by Mercedes junior Doriane Pin, alongside Tina Hausmann and newcomer Nina Gademan.

Having quickly established herself as one of the most exciting female talents in motorsport, Doriane Pin has to be one of the title favourites. The Frenchwoman successfully transitioning from endurance racing to single-seaters in 2024; after making a name for herself in GT racing with Iron Dames, where she dominated the 2022 Ferrari Challenge Europe and secured victories in prestigious endurance races such as the 24H of Spa and in ELMS, Pin took on the LMP2 class in the FIA World Endurance Championship in 2023, earning the title of FIA WEC Revelation of the Year.

To prepare her move to formula racing in 2024, Pin competed in F4 SEA and F4 UAE before her full program in F1 Academy. On her rookie season in the all-female championship, she secured three wins, eighth podiums, five pole positions and four fastest laps, ultimately securing the Vice-Champion title.

In 2025, Pin is set to continue her single-seater ascent with a multi-program campaign, returning to F1 Academy with Prema Racing while also competing in Formula Regional European Championship. The target cannot be anything less than the title for Doriane.

Doriane Pin / Photo credits: F1 Academy Ltd

In her rookie F1 Academy campaign, Tina Hausmann demonstrated consistency and growth, scoring points on debut in Jeddah and achieving a total of seven top-10 finishes. She ended the season with a career-best fourth-place finish in Abu Dhabi, marking a promising conclusion to her first year. Now returning for her sophomore season with Aston Martin and Prema, Hausmann aims to build on her experience and push for even stronger results.

Hausmann made a strong impression in her karting career before stepping up to Formula 4 in 2023, where she immediately showcased her potential with a podium finish in the Formula Winter Series at Jerez. She continued her development in the ultra-competitive Italian F4 and Euro4 Championships, steadily improving and securing a personal best of eleventh place at Monza. Her performances earned her the support of Aston Martin, who selected her to represent the team in the F1 Academy under the mentorship of Jessica Hawkins.

Tina Hausmann / Photo credits: F1 Academy Ltd

Nina Gademan is set to embark on her first full-time season in F1 Academy, joining Prema Racing as the BWT Alpine F1 Team representative. The 21-year-old Dutch racer made her single-seater debut in 2024 in the British F4 Championship, where she steadily improved throughout the season, showcasing strong racecraft and achieving a best finish of eleventh at Knockhill.

Her progress culminated in a standout Wild Card appearance in F1 Academy at Zandvoort, where she impressed with a fourth-place finish in Race 1—making her the highest-scoring wild card driver of the season.

Following her promising debut with Prema, Gademan was signed by the Italian team for the full 2025 F1 Academy campaign. In preparation, she competed in the Formula Winter Series to gain additional experience ahead of the season opener in Shanghai - and highly impressed with five top-ten results overall, consistently dominating the Female Trophy.

Nina Gademan / Photo credits: F1 Academy Ltd

RODIN MOTORSPORT

The team that brought Abbi Pulling to the 2024 title enters the 2025 season with a fully renewed drivers line up, with the returning Chloe Chong as the most experienced, alongside rookies Alla Lloyd and Emma Felbermayr.

Chloe Chong is in fact set to return to F1 Academy, backed by beauty brand Charlotte Tilbury, marking her second campaign in the all-female series. The 17-year-old British-Canadian racer made history as the youngest driver on the 2023 F1 Academy grid, stepping directly into single-seaters from karting. Racing for Prema, she impressed early by scoring points on debut at Red Bull Ring and repeating the feat in Valencia. Despite the lack of experience, she showed steady progress, setting the fastest lap at Monza and finishing in the top ten in all three races at COTA.

Following her F1 Academy debut, Chong graduated to British F4 in 2024, where she adapted to mixed-gender competition. She continued to improve over the season, securing her first points in Donington’s reverse grid race and achieving a personal best finish of seventh in the final Donington round. Now returning to F1 Academy, Chong aims to build on her experience and fight at the front of the grid.

Chloe Chong / Photo credits: F1 Academy Ltd

Ella Lloyd joins the 2025 F1 Academy grid representing McLaren. The Welsh racer made her F1 Academy debut as a Wild Card entry in the 2024 Singapore round, impressing with two top-ten finishes, including a seventh-place result in Race 2. Now stepping into a full-time seat, she also joins the McLaren Driver Development Programme.

Lloyd’s transition to F1 Academy follows a strong rookie season in British Formula 4, where she secured four podiums, including three runner-up finishes, and amassed 99 points to finish 11th in the standings. She had made her single-seater debut earlier in 2024 in the Formula Winter Series with Rodin Motorsport. Before switching to open-wheel racing, Lloyd was a standout competitor in the Ginetta GT Championship, winning 10 races on her way to becoming Vice-Champion in the GT5 class in 2023.

Ella Lloyd / Photo credits: F1 Academy Ltd

Emma Felbermayr is one of the drivers set to make their single-seater debut in 2025: the 18-year-old Austrian will be representing KICK Sauber F1 Team, and comes from a motorsport family with deep ties to endurance racing. Felbermayr transitions from a strong karting background, where she competed at the highest levels, including WSK, the World Cup, and the European Championship.

In preparation for her rookie season, Felbermayr’s first outings in F4 machinery have already shown promise, with notable results in the EuroCup-4 Spanish Winter Championship, where she secured three top-20 finishes in just two weekends, including an impressive 13th place in Jerez. Despite being new to single-seaters, she has demonstrated strong racecraft and adaptability - and with a dual program in F1 Academy and Spanish F4, she is expected to develop her skills significantly over the season.

Emma Felbermayr / Photo credits: Fotocar13

CAMPOS RACING

American Chloe Chambers has the potential to be one of the 2025 contenders, having already proven her speed last year. In her sophomore F1 Academy campaign, Chambers has now joined the Red Bull Ford Academy Programme, moving from the Haas F1 Team role to another American manufacturer, Ford, stepping up its involvement in the program.

After a strong rookie campaign with Campos Racing, Chambers quickly established herself as a front-runner, securing a race win and three podiums. Chloe has extensive experience in both single-seaters and sportscars, having raced in US F4, W Series, and Formula Regional Oceania, where she made history as the first woman to win a race. In addition to her formula racing career, she has also excelled in sportscar racing, winning multiple races in the Porsche Sprint Challenge North America.

Chambers’ transition to Red Bull Ford for 2025 marks an exciting step in her career as she aims for more victories in the all-female series. In preparation, Chambers made two appearances in Formula Winter Series, where she was quickly up to speed at Valencia with a best finish of 13th place and a Female Trophy victory in Race 3.

Chloe Chambers / Photo credits: F1 Academy Ltd

After two strong seasons in Formula 4 Brazil, where she became the first woman to win a race in the championship, Rafaela Ferreira is set to join the F1 Academy grid with Visa Cash App RB, following in the footsteps of Aurelia Nobels as the second Brazilian driver in F1 Academy.

In 2024, Ferreira consistently fought for wins and remained in contention for a top-three finish in the F4 Brazil championship until the final round. Over the course of the 24-race calendar in 2024, she climbed the podium 10 times - 2 times in third place, 5 times in second place and 3 victories. Ferreira’s move to the all-female Formula 1 support series marks a significant step in her career, as she joins the Red Bull Academy Programme. Determined to build on her success, she begun her 2025 preparations with a two-race program in the Formula Winter Series.

Rafaela Ferreira / Photo credits: F1 Academy Ltd

British rising star Alisha Palmowski will make her full-time F1 Academy debut in 2025 with the Red Bull Racing Pepe Jeans Programme. After an impressive F1 Academy debut as a Wild Card in Qatar—where she secured a top-five finish and was on course for a podium before the second race was canceled—Palmowski was quickly signed for a full campaign with Campos Racing.

Her rapid adaptation to the series follows a standout rookie season in the GB4 Championship, where she claimed three victories, 11 podiums, and finished as Vice-Champion. She was also the highest-placed female driver in the series, earning a €30,000 prize toward an F1 Academy seat.

Having started karting in 2018, Palmowski progressed through the Ginetta Junior Championship before transitioning to single-seaters, where she made an immediate impact by winning her debut race in GB4 at Oulton Park. Her strong performances earned her a place among the 10 finalists for the prestigious 2024 Autosport BRDC Young Driver of the Year Award.

Alisha Palmowski / Photo credits: F1 Academy Ltd

MP MOTORSPORT

20-year-old Dutch/Belgian/Spanish Maya Weug is poised to become a leading force in F1 Academy, aiming for her first championship title as she gears up for her second season in F1 Academy - this time with MP Motorsport. After a solid rookie season in the series in 2024, where she earned eight podiums and a win to finish third in the championship, Weug is now looking to challenge for the title. She will continue to represent the Ferrari Driver Academy in the all-female championship.

Before her F1 Academy success, Weug’s journey began with a stellar karting career, which earned her a spot in the Ferrari Driver Academy in 2020 after winning the inaugural Girls on Track - Rising Stars selection. She then made the step up to single-seaters, competing in Italian Formula 4 in 2021 and 2022, where she achieved multiple point-scoring finishes. In 2023, Weug moved to the competitive Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine, where she impressed with consistent point finishes and a strong second half of the season.

Maya Weug / Photo credits: F1 Academy Ltd

16-year-old Alba Hurup Larsen will be the first-ever Danish competitor in F1 Academy, partnering with international fashion brand Tommy Hilfiger. Alba gained international recognition in 2023 by winning the FIA Girls On Track - Rising Stars selection, which was supposed to pave her way for her transition into single seaters. She eventually made her F4 debut in the Indian F4 Championship in 2024, joining the Speed Demons Delhi team. There, she secured her first points and impressed with a top-six finish on her street circuit debut in Chennai.

Alba’s progress continued in her first European outings in the Formula Winter Series, where she delivered strong performances, including two top-15 finishes at Portimão. Racing for Jenzer Motorsport, she added more experience with top-20 finishes in Valencia and Aragon, securing a personal best of 14th. One of the youngest on the F1 Academy grid, Alba will tackle her first full season of formula racing.

Alba Hurup Larsen / Photo credits: F1 Academy Ltd

Also 16 years of age, Australian Joanne Ciconte makes her debut in F1 Academy with MP Motorsport. Having previously raced part-time in various F4 series, including Australian F4, F4 CEZ, Spanish F4, and the Formula Winter Series, Ciconte is now preparing for her first full-time season in F4 machinery.

Ciconte finished second on her Australian Formula Open debut and collected strong performances in both Australian F4 and the FIA F4 CEZ, where she finished fourth overall in her debut race at Brno. Her development continued in the Spanish F4 series, where she showed further improvements and secured her first top-20 finish.

Ciconte's 2025 preparation started with her participation in the Formula Winter Series, where she displayed good racecraft, particularly in improving her qualifying pace.

Joanne Ciconte / Photo credits: F1 Academy Ltd

ART GRAND PRIX

Lia Block is entering her second season in the F1 Academy with ART Grand Prix, continuing her development as part of the Williams F1 Academy. Block started her motorsport career in rallying, where she became the youngest champion in the American Rally Association's O2WD class in 2023. Simultaneously, she made her debut in Extreme E and competed in rallycross. In 2024, Block transitioned to open-wheel racing, making her debut in the F1 Academy after a solid testing program.

Block quickly impressed with her progression, especially her single-lap pace, securing her first points at her home race in Miami and finishing fourth twice at Singapore. Despite not yet securing a podium, she ended the season in a strong position, consistently fighting in the top five.

Block’s sophomore season in F1 Academy signals her potential to be a frontrunner, especially with her continued partnership with ART Grand Prix; she has shown significant growth over her first season of open-wheel racing, having transitioned from rally disciplines to competitive single-seater racing in just one year. to further prepare for the 2025 season, Block participated in select rounds of the EuroCup-4 Spanish Winter Championship, where she secured a top-20 finish from 31st on the grid at Portimão.

Lia Block / Photo credits: F1 Academy Ltd

Brazilian/Belgian Aurelia Nobels returns to F1 Academy for her second season with ART Grand Prix, continuing her journey with support from the Ferrari Driver Academy and Puma - in a eye-catching new livery.

Nobels' motorsport career began in karting, before moving to single-seaters in 2022. She made her F4 debut in the Brazilian F4 championship, quickly scoring points and further expanding her experience in Danish and Spanish F4. Aurelia's success in the Girls On Track - Rising Stars selection led to her joining the Ferrari Driver Academy in 2023, where she competed in the highly competitive Italian F4 and Euro4 series, showing promise despite some setbacks, including a few accidents and injuries.

In 2024, Nobels became the first Brazilian F1 Academy driver, securing personal bests of a seventh and fifth-place finish at Zandvoort and added several top-ten finishes in Lusail and Abu Dhabi. Nobels continued to prepare for the 2025 season with select rounds in the Eurocup-4 Spanish Winter Championship. In her sophomore campaign, Nobels will aim to build on her many F4 starts over the last three years.

Aurelia Nobels / Photo credits: F1 Academy Ltd

Californian Courtney Crone made her debut in F1 Academy at the 2024 Miami Grand Prix, driving for Prema Racing as part of the series' Wild Card initiative. The US American is now set to make her full-time debut with ART Grand Prix, as she represents Haas F1 Team.

On her F1 Academy appearance, Crone made improvements over the weekend and finished 14th in race 1, then almost reached the top ten in Race 2 with an eleventh place finish.

Crone’s motorsport journey began at the age of three, and she has since competed in a variety of disciplines, including speedway motorcycles, USAC Midget and Sprint Cars, and junior formula cars, including rounds of F1 US Championship and the W Series selection process in 2018 and 2019. In recent years, she had focused on LMP3 racing, achieving promising results in the VP Racing SportsCar Challenge and the Prototype Cup Germany. In 2022, she secured six podium finishes and was named a recipient of the IMSA Diverse Driver Development program. Crone's most recent venture before her single seater return was a round in the Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America.

Courtney Crone / Photo credits: F1 Academy Ltd

HITECH GRAND PRIX

Canadian racer Nicole Havrda is set to make her debut in F1 Academy with Hitech Grand Prix. At 19 years old, Havrda comes off a strong 2024 season in the Formula Regional Americas championship, where she finished sixth overall and earned four podium finishes, including her first at Road America and Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Her strong performance in Formula Regional, alongside her consistency throughout the season, helped her secure a spot in F1 Academy, where she will race with support from American Express, continuing their partnership with the Shop Small initiative.

Havrda began her motorsport journey in karting in 2018, before transitioned to formula cars in 2021, where she gained experience in F3 and F4 machinery and entered the W Series selections in 2022. In 2023, she dominated the Formula Pro US series with 11 podiums and 9 wins, securing the championship title, alongside making her debut in Formula Regional Americas. While she will have to learn all the circuits from the 2025 F1 Academy calendar, Havrda has solid foundations to build upon and already made notable gains in between sessions in pre-season testing, significantly closing the gaps.

Nicole Havrda / Photo credits: F1 Academy Ltd

Australian driver Aiva Anagnostiadis will tackle her full-season single seater debut in F1 Academy, joining Hitech Grand Prix. The 17-year-old, who will race with support from luxury watchmaker TAG Heuer, will sport a striking new red, black and white livery with the phrase 'It's not a man's world anymore'.

Aiva's motorsport journey began in karting, where she made significant progress between 2018 and 2024, competing in both national and international events. She raced in the Australian Championship and Rotax Pro Tour, earning success in the Light category, and represented Australia in the 2022 FIA Motorsport Games in karting. In 2024, Anagnostiadis transitioned to formula racing, joining the Indian F4 Championship with Goa Aces JA Racing. She scored multiple top-ten finishes and a top-five result, ultimately finishing tenth in the championship.

Anagnostiadis continued her development with testing and racing in both the Formula Winter Series and EuroCup-4 Spanish Winter Championship, where she gained valuable experience.

Aiva Anagnostiadis / Photo credits: F1 Academy Ltd

The first of seven double-headers, the Chinese round at the Shanghai International Circuit will be making its debut on the F1 Academy calendar and it will be a new circuit for all drivers except for Wild Card Shi Wei. Opened in 2004, it hosted the Formula 1 Chinese Grand Prix from that same year until 2019 and returned in 2024. The 5.451 km track features 16 corners, many of them high-speed, generating significant lateral forces, along with a long straight exceeding one kilometer in length.

With an exciting mix of returning stars, promising rookies, and format changes, the 2025 F1 Academy season is set to be a thrilling battle for the championship.

Photo credits: F1 Academy Ltd