Nerea Martí made an outstanding debut in the F4 NACAM Championship at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, securing a victory and two podium finishes across the three races, marking her second win in F4 and her first in a mixed-gender series.
Making her debut in the Mexican-based F4 NACAM, Nerea Martí wrapped up her 2024 season with a race victory, marking her second win in F4 machinery and her first in a mixed-gender championship after a remarkable third round at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez during her maiden visit to the circuit.
Martí, who finished both her seasons in F1 Academy fourth in the drivers' standings, returned to the top step of the podium for the first time since the 2023 Le Castellet round of the all-female series.
She made a big impression on her first-ever weekend in Mexico, clinching a victory in Race 2 with a last-lap pass from fifth on the grid. Martí almost repeated the result in Race 3, starring in a stellar duel for the victory with José Carlos Hernández, as the two traded positions throughout the race before Martí finished just two-tenths short of a second win.
With F4 NACAM switching to the Tatuus F421 chassis, it in fact presented a good opportunity for an experienced driver like Martí to join Alessandros Racing team and conclude the year at Mexico City. Having raced the same car in F1 Academy, as well as in select rounds of Formula Winter Series and Spanish F4, Martí brought a wealth of experience to the championship.
However, it was Martí’s first time at the home of the Mexican GP, and she had to adapt quickly to the track. The shorter 4.3 km layout of Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez featured the iconic Peraltada corner in its full configuration, with the event serving as a support race for the Endurance 24H of Mexico City.
Martí spent the first practice session familiarizing herself with the circuit, steadily improving and eventually setting a 1:41.191 lap, which was third fastest. In the second practice session, she made even bigger strides: she led in the early stages of the session, broke the 1:40 barrier for the first time, and retained the top spot on the leaderboard for most of the session. After a pit stop midway through, lap times began to tumble, but Martí clocked a 1:37.280 that put her back in the lead. She ended the session fastest, 0.035 seconds ahead of José Carlos Hernández and three-tenths clear of the rest of the field.
Heading into qualifying, Martí proved she could contest for the top three. The Spaniard again led in the early minutes, ahead of Helio Meza. Martí stayed on top with a 1:36.245 lap until the final moments when both Meza and Hernández improved their times, with the latter claiming pole position with a 1:35.144 lap. Nerea therefore, would start from third place in her first-ever race in the F4 NACAM championship, held later that day.
Race 1 of round three of the FIA F4 NACAM began with José Carlos Hernández capitalizing on pole position. The Alessandros Racing driver had a strong launch and never relinquished the lead during the 30-minute race.
The real battle however was for second place, with Martí and teammate Meza engaging in a close contest from the first lap. Starting third, Martí executed a precise move to take second place, surprising Meza, who immediately tried to recover the position.
Martí set her personal best lap on lap 4 with a 1:36.154 and maintained consistent pace, leaving no openings for her competitor, who managed to stay close.
In an untroubled race without yellow flags, Martí defended her position well and completed 14 laps to finish second, while Hernández claimed victory and Meza settled for third in a photo-finish finale.
With a strong first race, Martí returned to the podium of a mixed-gender F4 championship for the first time since her rookie year in Spanish F4, where she was second at Navarra.
Starting Race 2 from fifth on the grid, Martí faced early drama as Helio Meza stalled on the starting grid, leading to an aborted start.
After a third formation lap, the lights finally went out: polesitter Zaky Ibrahim Jr had a slow getaway, allowing Hernández to seize the lead while Martí delivered a blistering launch to move into second place, skillfully avoiding Ibrahim's car.
Hernández and Martí tried to pull away from the pack; Nerea closed in on lap 2, setting the fastest lap on lap 3, becoming the only driver in the 1:35 range. She further lowered the benchmark one lap later. Meanwhile, Helio Meza recovered from the back of the pack to climb into third by lap 4.
Martí kept the gap to Hernández at around half a second but managed to close in by setting new personal bests, including a 1:35.175 on lap 10. With five minutes remaining, Martí went on the attack. On lap 16, she attempted a move at Turn 2 but had to back out.
She tried again on the following lap, making the move stick this time at Turn 4 to take the lead on the final lap.
Martí held on through the final corners and crossed the line three-tenths ahead of Hernández. Nerea therefore claimed victory in Race 2, her second in F4 machinery and her first in a mixed-gender championship.
She became the second female driver to win in the series, following Alexandra Mohnhaupt's two wins in the 2017-18 season.
In the final race of the weekend, Martí started third, behind main rivals Hernández and Meza, who had secured two third-place finishes in Races 1 and 2.
At the start, Meza stalled on the grid again, and Martí, while defending against Alejandro Bobadilla into Turn 1, capitalized on the opportunity to move into second behind Hernández. The top three opened a gap, with Martí keeping Bobadilla at bay while focusing on Hernández.
Faster than the championship leader, Martí prepared her attack, executing a precise move at Turn 4 after a better exit from Turn 1. She briefly took the lead, but Hernández reclaimed the position on lap 5 in a tight battle.
The race saw an intense three-way fight for the lead, but Bobadilla eventually fell a few seconds behind, leaving Martí and Hernández to battle it out. Nerea set the fastest lap multiple times, including a 1:35.272 on lap 14, giving her another opportunity for a last-lap attack.
Despite her efforts and a final attempt at Turn 4, Hernández defended brilliantly, crossing the line just two-tenths ahead of Martí. She secured second place, earning her third podium finish in three races in F4 NACAM.
After an impressive weekend in Mexico, Martí collected 61 points and climbed to sixth in the standings despite missing the first two rounds. Her 2025 racing program is yet to be announced.
Spanish driver Nerea Martí impressed with a stunning victory on her Formula 4 NACAM debut. Demonstrating exceptional skill and determination, Martí dominated the race, marking an incredible writing term papers start to her journey in this championship. Her ability to adapt quickly to new challenges highlights her immense talent and promise in motorsport. Martí’s victory not only boosts her career but also inspires young racers worldwide. This debut win is a testament to her hard work, proving she is a force to be reckoned with in the racing world. Fans eagerly await her next performance in the series.