Photo by Eric Alonso – Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images
F1 expands partnership with all-female racing series
Formula 1 debuted the F1 Academy for the 2023 season, an all-female series. Consisting of five teams with three drivers each, the aim of the F1 Academy is to “develop and prepare young female drivers to progress to higher levels of competition.”
The F1 Academy announced a seven-race schedule for the 2023 season, with the final race of the season slated for Austin the weekend of F1’s United States Grand Prix. But the new series got a massive boost on Wednesday, with the announcement that the 2024 season will have the support of all ten current F1 teams.
As outlined in the announcement, the series currently has five teams competing: ART Grand Prix, Campos Racing, MP Motorsport, PREMA Racing and Rodin Carlin. Each team has three cars in the series, along with three drivers.
Starting next season, ten of those drivers will be nominated by the ten F1 teams, and the drivers will then compete in the livery of the respective F1 team.
Susie Wolff, the Managing Director of F1 Academy, praised the decision in the announcement.
“First and foremost, I want to thank the Formula 1 teams for their support and vision as we embark on this journey together,” said Wolff. “This landmark moment not only demonstrates the depth of support for F1 Academy from across the F1 community but will inspire a whole generation of young girls to realise the opportunities both on and off track in motorsport.”
“As we join the F1 calendar for next year and host F1 Academy Discover Your Drive events in the lead up to our races, I am confident that we will have a positive impact across our sport in the long term,” added Wolff.
“We created F1 Academy to bring about real and lasting change to ensure young female talent have the right system in place to follow and achieve their dreams,” said Stefano Domenicali, the President and CEO of Formula 1. “Today is a very important moment as it shows the impact the project is having and the support it is receiving from across the F1 community. Susie, the teams, and everyone involved are working tirelessly to ensure we go from strength to strength and continue to deliver on the important objective we have set out together.
Furthermore, the schedule for F1 Academy next season will directly align with the F1 calendar, meaning F1 Academy races will join Formula 2 and Formula 3 as part of the support races on a given grand prix weekend.
“In 2024 the F1 Academy will join our race calendar, raising the awareness and profile of the series globally and to have the F1 liveries on the grid will be something very special,” added Domenicali.
According to the announcement, details of the drivers and liveries will be confirmed at a later time by the F1 teams. The five drivers who are not nominated by F1 teams “will be supported by other partners.”
The next race on the 2023 F1 Academy schedule is slated for this weekend, at Circuit Paul Ricard in France.
Perhaps the next priority of business for F1 Academy? More television coverage of the races. Currently only highlight packages are available each F1 Academy race weekend, but expanding to live coverage would be a massive next step for the series.
Hopefully that is in the works.
