Jordan's Track Talk

Category: F1 Academy

  • Amna & Hamda Al Qubaisi sign with MP Motorsport

    Amna and Hamda Al Qubaisi have became the latest drivers announced for the inaugural F1 Academy, with both sisters set to compete for MP Motorsport in the new all-female series.

    Amna, 22, made her single-seater debut in 2018, competing in Italian F4 before becoming the first Emirati and female racer to compete in the Formula 4 UAE Championship the following year.

    She also brings experience with her, having also driven in the Asian F3 Championship, Formula Regional Asian Championship and a two-round appearance in the Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine.

    Meanwhile, 20 year old Hamda began her single-seater career in 2019, driving in Italian F4 and in 2021 she made history by becoming the first female racer to claim a podium in the Championship.

    The same year, she finished fourth in F4 UAE and then went on to step up to the Formula Regional Asian and European Championships.

    I’m super excited to announce that I’ll be joining MP Motorsport for the F1 Academy. MP Motorsport is a fantastic team with decades of expertise, so I’m really happy to be a part of this family. I’m also really happy to be back behind the wheel and see where this takes us.

    Amna on her new seat.

    I’m excited to announce that I’ll be racing with MP Motorsport for the F1 Academy. I’m excited to represent MP Motorsport in this series and I’m aware of the team’s amazing past, so I can’t wait to continue with them and grow.

    Hamda added.

    We are absolutely thrilled to welcome Amna and Hamda to our F1 Academy squad. They are from a family that carries speed in their veins and have a bright future in motorsport ahead of them. I have fond memories of the Dubai 24 Hours in which we competed against their father Khaled who won it twice back in 2012 and 2013 when Amna and Hamda were still little girls, and then for a third time in 2020. It’s amazing to realize that they have grown into fierce competitors in karting and now in single seaters where they form arguably the quickest sister act in the entire world of motorsport. 2023 is going to be great with the pair of them.

    Team Principal, Sander Dorsman.

  • Chloe Chong joins PREMA

    Chloe Chong has become PREMA Racing’s second signing for the F1 Academy’s first campaign, with the British-Canadian racer joining Bianca Bustamante at the Italian team.

    After beginning competing in karts in the UK back in 2013, she made her first foray into the international karting scene in 2021, racing in the Rotax Max Euro Trophy and the IAME Ladies Cup in France.

    Last year saw Chong race in the British Kart Championships X30 Junior Class and achieve one of the four finalist spots in the FIA Girls on Track Rising Star Programme.

    Speaking about the announcement, Chong said she is excited to continue her development as she progresses from karting to single-seater racing.

    This will be my first year in cars and it’s a dream come true to have been given the opportunity to make my debut with such a renowned team as PREMA. I look forward to working with them, both in and out of the car to form some solid foundations and results in F1 Academy.

    Chloe on her new seat.

    We always relish the chance to welcome new drivers from karting and having Chloe on board for her auto racing debut in our new F1 Academy team is particularly exciting. She has been impressive so far and she demonstrated it through the FIA Girls On Track – Rising Star selections and the FDA Scouting Camp. We think we spotted some great potential in terms of driving and mentality and knowing that she has so much road ahead makes us confident about our future together.

    Rene Rosin, Team Principal.

  • Megan Gilkes sign with Rodin Carlin

    Rodin Carlin have become the second team to finalise their roster for the inaugural F1 Academy, signing Canadian Megan Gilkes.

    She will be joining Jessica Edgar and Alpine junior, Abbi Pulling at the British team for the 2023 season.

    Gilkes stepped up to single-seaters in 2017, competing in the Canadian Formula 1200 Championship, finishing third and second overall in consecutive seasons.

    In 2019, she was selected for the inaugural W Series season and won the non-Championship race in Assen. With that victory Gilkes became the youngest ever W Series race winner.

    Last year, the 22 year old finished sixth in the UK’s GB4 Championship, achieving two wins and a further podium finish.

    Alongside racing, Gilkes also works for the Aston Martin F1 Team as a trackside support engineer during her placement year at university.

    I’m thrilled to announce that I will be driving this season for Rodin Carlin in the inaugural F1 Academy series. I can’t wait to take my learnings from racing in GB4 last season into this exciting new international venture backed by Formula 1. The opportunity to join a truly world class team with a fantastic winning record across multiple junior formulae is amazing, and I can’t wait to get started. I want to thank Rodin Carlin and my sponsors for making this possible. And I will be proudly carrying the Maple Leaf to recognize the support I’ve received from Canada. Between now and the first event, when I’m not engineering at work with Aston Martin F1, I will be doing everything I can to make this coming season my most successful so far.

    Gilkes on her debut.

    Megan is a fantastic signing to the team. She is a proven racer on track with race wins to her name and also brings an off-track element that I think will really help the team from a set-up and engineering perspective. She is a true professional and together with Abbi and Jess we have a great combination of strengths and talent within the team that really creates the full package.

    Stephanie Carlin, Team Principal.

  • Maite Caceres completes Campos Racing’s line-up.

    Campos Racing have announced that Maite Caceres will be joining them for the inaugural F1 Academy season – with the team becoming the first to confirm their full line-up for the 2023 campaign.

    After making her single-seater debut in the 2021 Uruguayan Formula 4 Championship.

    The 19 year old switched over to the USA to compete in the 2022 USF Juniors season, Caceres then earned a best result of 11th.

    Caceres, will be getting her first experience of the series in pre-season testing in Barcelona from April 11th to 12th. With the first race in Spielberg on April 28-29.

    I’m really excited to be working with Campos Racing with such history in motorsport for this year. This past month I’ve been in close contact with them and I can really see the determination and the compromise the team have, values which I share. We will continue working to achieve our goals together.

    Caceres ahead of her F1 Academy debut.

  • Campos Racing sign Lola Lovinfosse

    Campos Racing have confirmed that Lola Lovinfosse will join the Spanish team for the first F1 Academy.

    Lovinfosse is the second driver which has been confirmed at Campos after Nerea Marti.

    The French driver started in karts in 2018 in the IAME Winter Cup X30 Juniors. She competed in the Trofeo delle Industrie in 2019, achieving a top-10 finish. She also finished inside the top 15 in the 2020 WSK Champions Cup -OK.

    The 17 year old then stepped up to single seaters in 2021. She debuted in the Spanish F4 Championship, accumulating vital experience in the junior category.

    Ahead of the F1 Academy season getting underway, Lovinfosse said that she couldn’t wait to get started with Campos.

    I’m very proud to be joining Campos Racing in the new F1 Academy. I’m so thankful and honoured to take part in this championship with such a professional and experienced team. I want to thank Campos Racing for this amazing opportunity and for believing in me. I will do my best to put the colours of Campos Racing at the top. I’m sure we will achieve great things together. We are more ready than ever for this season.

    Lola on her new seat.

    We are pleased to have Lola with us for the very first season of F1 Academy. Lola has already proved to be a strong Formula 4 contender and no doubts she is ready to take a key role in this new category. She is an excellent driver and we can set ambitious goals together.

    Adrian Campos, Team Principal.

  • Susie Wolff announced as Managing Director of F1 Academy

    Formula 1 has announced that Susie Wolff will be the Managing Director of the F1 Academy, which aims to develop and prepare young female drivers to progress to higher levels of competition.

    Announced in November, the F1 Academy is an all female driver series featuring five teams, 15 drivers and 21 races with Wolff brought in to enhance the managerial structure and offer her unique insight.

    Wolff has a wealth of motorsport experience, both as a driver and team leader. From her development role with Williams which included FP1 outings in F1 to racing in DTM and then leading the Venturi Formula E squad as Team Principal.

    In 2016, she launched ‘Dare to be Different’ a call to action aimed at driving female talent by inspiring the next generation and increasing female participation in all levels and aspects of the sport.

    As F1 Academy Managing Director, Wolff will be reporting to F1 President and CEO, Stefano Domenicali, spearheading the development of female motorsport talent and focusing on creating a successful pathway to higher categories in the F1 pyramid.

    The F1 Academy presents an opportunity to promote genuine change in our industry by creating the best possible structure to find and nurture female talent on their journey to the elite levels of motorsport, both on and off the racetrack. There is a lot of work to be done but there is also a clear determination to get this right. In doing so, I believe the F1 Academy can represent something beyond racing. It can inspire women around the world to follow their dreams and realise that with talent, passion and determination, there is no limit to what they can achieve. This is also the start of an important new chapter in my career, combining the experience I have developed so far with my passion for diversity and empowerment, so I would like to thank Stefano for entrusting me with a role that means as much to me personally as it does professionally.

    Wolff on her new role.

    It is fantastic news that Susie Wolff is joining the F1 Academy as Managing Director. Susie is an incredible person who understands what it takes to reach the highest levels of motorsport, both as a driver and Team Principal. She has a wealth of experience and first hand knowledge that will be of huge benefit to all of us and the drivers who are on their journey to progress through the racing pyramid. We are committed to maximising the opportunities in our sport for anyone to reach their true potential and achieve their dreams and we believe F1 Academy is a very important part of our plans to be a more diverse and inclusive sport.

    Domenicali on the annoucement.

  • F1 Academy Calendar Announced

    F1 Academy has revealed the calendar and format for its inaugural season of racing, with the all-women series set to feature seven events, with 21 races in total.

    Kicking off in Speilberg, Austria on April 28th-29th, the new series will then head to the Spanish cities of Valencia and Barcelona on May 5th-7th and May 19th-21st, respectively.

    From there, June 23rd-25th will see them pay a trip to the historic Zandvoort circuit in the Netherlands. After taking on Monza’s Temple of Speed from July 7th-9th they’ll head to Le Castellet in France for the penultimate round of the year.

    Finally, the 2023 season will draw to a close at Austin’s Circuit of The Americas, as a support event to the United States Grand Prix from October 20th-22nd.

    Designed to feature as many F1 tracks as possible, the calendar provides an opportunity for the 15 drivers to compete on a variety of challenging circuits, helping to develop their technical skills and prepare them to progress to higher levels of competition.

    The grid will take to the track for the first time at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya from April 11th-12th whilst 13 additional days of testing throughout the season will also be revealed in the coming weeks.

    The race weekend format is as follows:

    • Two 40 minutes free practice sessions
    • Two 15 minute qualifying sessions
    • Three races per weekend.

    The first qualifying session will set the grid for Race 1, whilst the second will set the order for Race 3. Race 2’s grid will be set by reversing the top eight drivers from Qualifying 1, with ninth and below lining up in the positions they qualified in.

    Races 1 and 3 will be 30 minutes long and award 25 points to the winner. Whilst Race 2 will be a slightly shorter 20 minutes and offer 10 points. one point for the fastest lap will be up fr grabs in each race, provided the driver finishes in the top 10.

    Race 1 & 3Race 2
    1st – 25 points1st – 10 points
    2nd – 18 points2nd – 8 points
    3rd – 15 points3rd – 6 points
    4th – 12 points4th – 5 points
    5th – 10 points5th – 4 points
    6th – 8 points6th – 3 points
    7th – 6 points7th – 2 points
    8th – 4 points8th – 1 point
    9th – 2 points
    10th – 1 point

  • Abbi Pulling signs with Rodin Carlin

    Abbi Pulling will be racing with Rodin Carlin this season in the F1 Academy, as well as becoming a fully-fledged member of the Alpine Academy driver programme.

    Pulling was an Alpine Affiliate last season during which she achieved a seventh place finish in the 2022 W Series campaign.

    The British driver began her career at nine, racing in karting before graduating up to Ginetta Juniors. In 2020, she moved to British Formula 4 where she took four podiums on the way to P6 in the championship.

    A second British F4 campaign and a further three podiums followed. She also completed her maiden season in W Series, finishing the 2021 season seventh. The following year, she climbed to fourth place overall, achieving four top five finishes in 2022.

    It is great to be competing in the first season of the F1 Academy, especially to be working with such a successful team as Rodin Carlin. Having spent time with the team before, I can’t wait to get the season started, working alongside some incredible people. I have lots of trust in them and know they will push me to be the best I can be. I’m very thankful for the continued support of the Alpine Academy for a second season and the great work of Gazing Performance and Alice Powell behind the scenes. I’m also excited to welcome My First Alert who are supporting my programme for the first time this year.

    Abbi Pulling on her F1 Academy seat.

    We’re delighted to welcome Abbi to the team for this first season of F1 Academy. Our paths have crossed in the past before and Abbi is a driver we’ve wanted to work with for some time now. We’re really excited that we are able to work on this programme together and have no doubt that Abbi will be a huge asset to the team. Thank you to the Alpine Academy for entrusting us with this next stage of Abbi’s career. We can’t wait to get on track.

    Rodin Carlin Team Principal, Stephanie Carlin.

  • Carrie Schreiner announced as second ART GP driver

    ART Grand Prix have confirmed their second of three drivers for the inaugural F1 Academy season, with Carrie Schreiner joining Lena Buhler.

    Schreiner, began her career in karting, where she become the first female to win the 2012 ADAC Kart Masters in the X30 Junior Category.

    After competing in British and German F4 in 2016, she switched to GT and endurance racing, claiming both the Lamborghini Super Trofeo Middle East (Pro-Am) and DMV Gran Turismo Touring Car Cup (GT3 Class) titles in 2018.

    The 24 year old also became the first woman to win a race in the selective Porsche Sports Cup and in 2021, she finished fifth in the Italian GT Championship.

    It’s a great honour to be driving for ART Grand Prix. Not many teams have the amount of records they do, or have been champion so many times. I am proud to be joining the list of their drivers and excited about what we can achieve together. I think it’s an important step that F1 has its own championship for women. The car is quite similar to an F4 car and I had some experience in this category a few years ago. It will certainly be fun to drive the car with the new aero and with a team like ART. I have the best requirements I need to perform well. I will give everything to achieve the best results and compete for front positions.

    Carrie on her move to the F1 Academy.

    I’m happy to welcome Carrie into our team. Her experience and technical background will be important pillars for building a strong career in the new F1 Academy championship. She has already proven that she can adapt to some very different championships and I have no doubt she will find her feet right from the start of the season.

    ART Team Principal, Sebastien Philippe.

  • Nerea Marti joins Campos

    Campos Racing has confirmed Nerea Marti as the team’s first driver to the inaugural F1 Academy.

    The Spaniard graduated from karting to single seater racing in 2019, and has since campaigned in both Spanish F4 and W Series.

    Marti, scored a maiden podium in her first Spanish F4 race, where she ended the campaign 16th overall. In 2021, Marti moved to the W series after the cancelled 2020 season. She finished the season as the highest-placed rookie, 4th in the standings.

    In the 2022 season, Marti took her maiden pole position at the first round in Miami and scored two podiums across the season, finishing the season 7th. Not only this, the Spanish driver took part in the all-woman’s FIA Formula 3 test at Magny-Cours in November.

    I’m extremely happy joining Campos Racing for the very first season of F1 Academy. It provides an excellent new opportunity to continue taking steps forward in my racing career and I have no doubts that together I and Campos Racing will manage to meet all our goals.

    Marti on her seat for 2023.

    We are proud to have Nerea for the first season of F1 Academy. She has regularly been one of the most competitive female drivers in the last seasons, I am sure we will manage to achieve strong results together. It’s exciting to have a driver from Valencia at a Valencian team and fighting for an international championship. Nerea has enjoyed the support of Formula de Campeones and the Circuit de Valencia Ricardo Tormo since she embarked on her single-seater career and we hope she will have their support to continue making progress at the highest international level.

    Team Principal, Adrian Campos Jr.

  • Rodin Carlin sign Brit, Jessica Edgar

    Rodin Carlin, have announced their first of three drivers for the inaugural F1 Academy – signing Briton Jessica Edgar.

    Edgar, cousin of Formula 3 racer Jonny Edgar, began karting at the age of five and in 2021 made the longlist for the FIA’s Girls on Track Rising Stars Programme.

    The 17 year old took her first steps on the single-seater ladder last year, competing in the GB4 Championship in the UK where she finished seventh overall with one podium finish.

    Jessica is the third driver to be announced for the F1 Academy this year, after Swiss race Lena Buhler was confirmed for ART Grand Prix and Bianca Bustamante joined Prema.

    I’m very happy to have signed with Rodin Carlin for F1 Academy. As soon as I heard about the series, the backing of Formula 1 and the teams and people involved, I was extremely keen to be part of this first historic season. I know the Rodin Carlin team pretty well and to go into this first season together is a dream come true. I’m really excited to get the season under way.

    Jessica on her new seat.

    We’re very proud to announce our first driver in F1 Academy ahead of what we expect to be an exciting and historic season. Jess was already well known to us, and the opportunity to work with her in F1 Academy came at exactly the right time in her career. With only one season in car racing to her name, there is still plenty to learn, but Jess is extremely motivated, and we look forward to unlocking her potential in the season ahead.

    Team principal, Stephanie Carlin.

  • Bianca Bustamante joins F1 Academy

    PREMA Racing have announced that Filipino driver, Bianca Bustamante is the first driver in their three-car line up for the F1 Academy season.

    Bustamante made her single-seater debut last year, competing in W Series, scoaring points in her first race with a ninth-place finish in Miami.

    The 18 year old went on to end the season 15th in the drivers’ standings, claiming the top rookie honours.

    Bustamante is currently competing in the Formula 4 UAE Championship with PREMA ahead of her debut in the all-female series, where she scored her first points of the season at the third round in Kuwait.

    I’m very excited to be joining PREMA for the 2023 season. As a rookie in formula cars, 2022 was a year full of challenges, but today is definitely a big step up in my career. PREMA is one of the most prestigious racing organisations in the world, and I’m incredibly grateful to join their family of drivers. With PREMA, I’m joining a top driver development programme both on and off the race track, and most importantly, I will have a rigorous race and test programme, giving me the much-needed seat time to perform at my best in competition. Thank you PREMA for bringing me into the programme, and Formula 1 for launching this series to support young female drivers. Most importantly, thanks to Laurence Escalante for believing in me and supporting my journey, getting me one step closer to my F1 dreams.

    Bustamante on her seat.

    We are happy to announce Bianca for our new F1 Academy programme. We enjoy working together in the F4 UAE Championship and we feel there is great potential we can build on for the future. I think she will be an outstanding fit right from the start, especially considering what she was able to achieve in her first experiences, and we are determined to provide her with our best support.

    Rene Rosin, Team Principal.

  • First F1 Academy driver announced

    Leah Buhler has become the first driver announced to be racing in the F1 Academy – Formula 1’s new all female driver series – with confirmation that she will join ART Grand Prix.

    The 25 year old racer first began competing in BMX at an international level, before switching over to karting in 2016. Four years later, Buhler made her single-seater debut, claiming six top 10 finishes in the Spanish Formula 4 Championship.

    She then became the first female driver to race in the Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine in 2021, recording a best result of 20th, but was forced to end her second campaign early last year.

    Buhler is currently driving in the Formula 4 UAE Championship ahead of her F1 Academy debut.

    The first of ART’s trio of drivers to be announced, Buhler will be competing in a 15 car grid with Campos Racing, Carlin, MP Motorsport and PREMA Racing also all fielding three cars each.

    It’s with great pleasure that I will be able to discover the first F1 Academy championship and even more so with ART Grand Prix, a team with a fantastic record. It will be a great challenge for me and for the team as we learn more about this new single-seater. I am looking forward to coming to grips with it. This will only be my fourth year in motorsport and I still have a lot to learn, but I am ready to give 100% both mentally and physically to honour the trust ART Grand Prix has in me, together with that of my partners, without whom this adventure would not be possible.

    Buhler on her seat.

    We are happy to welcome Lena to our team. She will be one of the first 15 drivers to write her name in the history books of the F1 Academy. This corresponds perfectly to the philosophy of ART Grand Prix, which is to help young drivers climb the ladder of the junior formulas which lead to the highest level of motorsport. The team will do everything sportingly, humanly and technically possible to take up this new historic challenge with Lena.

    ART Team Principal, Sebastien Philippe.