As F1 Academy enters its sophomore season, the series welcomes a grid of 15 drivers with a mix of returning and new faces. As last series winner Marta Garcia and runner up Léna Bühler leave F1 Academy as part of the series new partnership with FRECA, a new winner will be crowned. Take a look at the drivers racing in 2024 and what to expect ahead of the series opener in Jeddah.
PREMA RACING
Doriane Pin
One of the most exciting young talents in motorsport, Pin has already shone in the world of endurance racing, being crowned FIA WEC Revelation of the Year. Pin has now made the jump across to single seater racing. A highly successful debut series in the Formula 4 South East Asia Championship has already established Doriane Pin as a frontrunner for the 2024 F1 Academy before racing has begun. Having followed up with a partial campaign in F4 UAE, Pin walked away a consistent points scorer and a race winner having converted from pole in Abu Dhabi.
While Pin may lack the single seater experience of other competitors, her pace and reputation speaks for itself. She is now a Mercedes Junior Team Member and expectations for the season are high. However, given Pin’s plans to run a dual-campaign alongside endurance racing, where F1 Academy ranks in her priorities is unclear.
Maya Weug
The Ferrari sponsored driver’s entry into F1 Academy has already raised questions given the apparent step downwards from Weug’s previous racing in the Formula Regional European Championship. Despite racing in a backmarker car, Weug managed to secure multiple points in the competitive series. Top 3 is therefore a clear goal for Weug who will be hoping to gain eligibility for a competitive 4th FRECA seat. A seat she nearly achieved before the rule change in 2023.
While Top 3 may be a minimum expectation, Weug is capable of so much more. She comes into the series as one of the most experienced and proven drivers on the grid. Having previously won the ‘Girls on Track – Rising Stars’ programme, Weug’s involvement in the Ferrari Academy is more than just a formality. Expect to see Weug as a contender from the outset.
Tina Hausmann
The first F1 Academy rookie to be announced, Hausmann is Aston Martin’s supported driver for the 2024 season. Having raced in various F4 series – primarily the Italian F4 Championship – Hausmann enters F1 Academy with some experience but is still very much in the beginning stages of her racing career. As part of the Aston Martin Development Programme, Hausmann will be assisted by fellow racing driver Jessica Hawkins who has been appointed Aston Martin’s Head of Racing for F1 Academy.
Hausmann has been open about expectations for this season. At 17 she is one of the younger drivers on the grid and the season has been set as one for learning with anything else a bonus. Good results and potential podiums are not out of the question having previously shown herself to be on a level with other female drivers – taking the Women’s Championship in Italian F4 Championship.
ART GP
Bianca Bustamante
The first driver announced for the 2024 grid, returns to the grid albeit with a new team after securing two wins and four podiums in 2023. Previously racing for Prema, Bianca has switched teams to ART GP and will be supported by Mclaren having joined the McLaren Driver Development programme in October 2023.Bustamante has worked through the off season to develop more single seater experience and enters the series in a stronger position than in 2023. Having raced at the prestigious Macau GP, she put in a strong qualifying performance but was taken out as collateral damage by another driver in the main race.
Despite strong performances in individual races in F1 Academy in 2023, Bustamante fell short of teammate and series champion Marta Garcia and will be hoping the additional experience gives her a more competitive edge this season.
Lia Block
Block was chosen as the Williams supported driver for the 2024 season. While the series marks her first full season campaign into single-seater racing, Block still comes with a wealth of racing experience through her success in rallying. Aged 16, she won the open two-wheeled drive championship with two races to spare to become the youngest person to win an ARA National Championship.
F1 Academy will likely serve as an opportunity for a learning curve for Block rather than a title charge given her only single seater experience is limited to the Formula Winter Series. However given her proven record with speed, it would be a mistake to ignore her before the season has even begun.
Aurelia Nobels
Another debutant, Nobels enters the series following experience across multiple F4 series including the Italian, Danish, Spanish and Brazilian series. Despite having been a member of the Ferrari Drivers Academy since 2023, Nobels will not be F1 team’s sponsored driver and instead will be driving as a Puma sponsored driver.
As one of the younger drivers in the series, Nobels will likely be targeting points not podiums this season. The potential for her is high though having narrowly missed out on points in the competitive Italian F4 Championship in 2023. Another winner of the ‘Girls on Track – Rising Stars’, Nobels is by no means unproven and could be an outside contender for strong points finishes.
RODIN MOTORSPORT
Abbi Pulling
Pulling was confirmed to be retained by Rodin Motorsport for the 2024 season after having finished 5th in the inaugural F1 Academy season and will represent Alpine in the series. Pulling came into last season as one of the favourites for the championship having impressed as a guest driver in W Series in 2021 and following up with a strong full season in 2022. However Pulling started the season on the back foot after a qualifying disqualification and she was unable to make up ground on her competitors finishing 5th overall and failing to take a win throughout the season.
As she enters her second season with the team, Pulling will be hoping to establish herself as a title contender once again while also running a programme in the ROKiT F4 British Championship.
Lola Lovinfosse
Lovinfosse was confirmed to be racing for the Rodin Motorsport team in a car sponsored by Charlotte Tilbury as part of a landmark partnership. Prior to last season in F1 Academy, she primarily raced in Spanish F4. Lovinfosse was unable to score points within this series, although she was more successful in this regard in the Formula Winter Series.
Returning to the series after a 10th place finish in 2023, Lovinfosse will be looking to build on the previous season having taken 3 podiums. Moving to Rodin from Campos, the hope is the team will provide a more competitive basis with regular top 5 finishes a likely aim.
Jessica Edgar
One of last year’s surprise revelations, Edgar came to the series with limited experience having not long progressed from karting to the GB4 Championship. After taking a podium on debut, Edgar continued the season with an impressive haul of points and podiums before taking her maiden win in the last round of the season.
Remaining with Rodin Motorsport for the upcoming season, Edgar will be looking to improve on her overall finish from last year. While she finished 8th overall, just 1 point separated her from 6th place. Consistent podiums are a must for Edgar if she wants to show progress from last year.
MP MOTORSPORTS
Emely de Heus
After finishing 9th last season, Emely de Heus returns to F1 Academy for the 2024 season. A mixed set of results last season showed that there was still more to come from de Heus as a driver but the promise was clearly there. Red Bull have formed an Academy Programme for which all 3 MP Motorsports drivers will be in including de Heus. While she will not be acting as one of the 10 F1 team sponsored drivers, de Heus will be sponsored by the energy drink branch of the company.
Her previous campaign saw strong peaks, converting from pole in Barcelona to take her first race win and following up with a second place finish at her home race. If she can find a more consistent level this season, she may prove to be one to watch with the ability to take multiple podiums and perhaps another race win.
Hamda Al Qubaisi
With Marta Garcia and Léna Bühler taking advantage of the new rule to graduate to FRECA, Hamda Al Qubaisi’s 3rd place ranking makes her the highest returning driver from last season. She has experience and success in multiple mixed gender series including 7 race wins in Formula 4 UAE Championship and podiums in Italian F4 and F4 Saudi Arabian Championship. Like her teammates, Al Qubaisi will be part of the Red Bull Academy Programme but will be the designated driver for Red Bull Racing in F1 Academy having impressed in 2023.
Although Hamda Al Qubaisi was the highest placed returnee, a new year and fresh competitors means the title is by no means guaranteed. Al Qubaisi’s prior experience in F1 Academy does give her a competitive edge in the opening rounds which could prove decisive in the overall championship.
Amna Al Qubaisi
The final of Red Bull Academy Programme drivers, Amna Al Qubaisi will be sponsored by Visa Cash App RB (formerly Alpha Tauri). The sister of teammate Hamda Al Qubaisi, Amna also raced in F1 Academy last season taking 2 wins and a further 2 podiums. Having competed in multiple regional F4 and Formula Regional series, Al Qubaisi returns to the series as a highly experienced racer.
While unlikely to become a title contender, as shown last year, Al Qubaisi is more than capable of both podiums and wins and will likely try to replicate last season. Given the rising level of competition, the season would likely be seen as a success should she be able to match her 6th place finish from 2023.
CAMPOS RACING
Carrie Schreiner
At 25, Schreiner is the eldest of this year’s competitors with experience to match. However, much of this experience comes from outside Formula racing having instead focused on GT and endurance racing with great success including a class win in the 24 Hours of Nürburgring. She made a return to single seater racing for F1 Academy last year where she finished 11th overall but managed to take a race win.
Schreiner returns to the series with sponsorship by the Kick Sauber F1 team. After a year adapting to single seater, the 2024 season will prove decisive in determining Schreiner’s level. Replicating last season’s win seems like an outside shot but expect a more consistent level from Schreiner.
Chloe Chambers
The final rookie of the 2024 season, Chambers enters the series as the Haas sponsored driver. Chambers has previously raced in the W Series in 2022 where she took one point across the shortened season. Having made the step up to Formula Regional Oceania, Chambers showed clear progress taking a win and outsourcing teammates to finish 9th overall.
While clearly improved since her 2022 W Series run, Chambers challengers in Formula Regional are not the easiest benchmarks. She therefore comes into the series as something of a wildcard. Chambers is certainly one to watch in the opening rounds – if only to determine where she stands against her competitors.
Nerea Martí
Martí comes into the series with a range of experience. She has taken points in every series she has raced in, including the F4 Spanish Championship where she picked up a podium on her debut weekend. Last year in F1 Academy was no different with Martí picking up 6 podiums including a win. Martí’s consistency stood out last season, only failing to score points on two occasions – one of which was a technical disqualification.
After finishing 4th overall, Martí comes into the series as one of last years strongest racers. Another beneficiary of a landmark sponsor, she will race in a car sponsored by Tommy Hilfiger. Hoping to replicate last season’s result, anything outside of consistent points scoring would be a disappointing season for Martí. If she can continue her consistency, another high overall placing is likely.
The F1 Academy Class of ‘24 🏆
15 drivers, 7 races, 1 dream ⭐️#F1Academy pic.twitter.com/9PLQgurboe
— F1 Academy (@f1academy) March 5, 2024
F1 Academy begins on Thursday 7th March with the first practice session and the race taking place on the Saturday. The 15 regular drivers will also be joined by a wild card entry each week with the aim of promoting local racers. Saudi Arabian driver Reema Juffali will join the grid for the first race in Jeddah as the first wild card entry.
To read more women’s motorsport related content, click here.
Follow Sporting Her on social media: Instagram // Twitter // Facebook
