Jordan's Track Talk

Tag: Wild card

  • Kosterman as Wild Card entry in Zandvoort

    F1 Academy has announced Esmee Kosterman as the Wild Card entry for Round 5 of the season at Circuit Zandvoort, representing TeamViewer, the global leader in remote connectivity and digital workplace solutions.

    The 20 year old Dutch driver will debut with F1 Academy in a special edition livery that highlights innovators and changemakers driving progress – on and off track.

    Hailing for Wijk bij Duurstede in the Netherlands, Kosterman stepped up into car racing in 2021, cmpeting in the Ford Fiesta Sprint Cup Benelux.
    Two years later, she became the first woman to win in the series before going on to finish second in the Junior Cup and third in the overall standings.

    Kosterman continued to broaden her racecraft in the Dutch Supercar Challenge, BMW M2 Cup and the Lamera Cup.
    After scoring points on her Indian F4 debut last year, this season has seen her race in British F4 with appearances at Silverstone, Snetterton and Zandvoort.

    Our sport has the power to inspire change, and we are incredibly proud to be championing women both on and off track. We know that creating female role models in motorsport is already helping to improve participation at the junior level of racing, and working with TeamViewer, we are excited to take this further and inspire the next generation of women in STEM. Together our mission is to empower the next generation of female leaders and send a clear message: your presence matters, you are driving change.
    Karin Fink, Head of Commercial Operations, F1 Academy.

    It is our ambition to drive meaningful change both on and off the track. The opportunity to support Esmee in her F1 ACADEMY debut while driving a car featuring role models is the next step in achieving this. Our research found that not being able to see someone like you in a senior role made it harder to see a career in your chosen field. This is why it was so important to showcase so many role models on the car. Working with the F1 ACADEMY to see this come to life has been a highlight of the partnership so far. We look forward to supporting Esmee in person at her home race.
    Faith Wheller, VP of Brand, Integrated Marketing and Sports Partnerships, Teamviewer.

  • Wild Card announced for Round 2

    Farah AlYousef will make her F1 Academy debut this weekend, as the Saudi Motorsport Company, the Promoter of the Formula 1 STC Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2025, have announced that she has been selected as the Wild Card entry for Round 2 in Jeddah.

    AlYousef follows in the footsteps of Reema Juffali, who became the series’ first Wild Card driver when she competed at the opening round last year.
    The 22 year old will be getting behind the wheel of the #4 car operated by Hitech TGR.

    After being crowned champion at the Saudi Women’s Karting Championship in 2022, AlYousef secured 26th place at the Karting World Finals and is set to represent Saudi Arabia at the FW Nations Cup Finals in Dubai this May.

    In preparation for her F1 Academy debut, she has also race in the F4 Middle East Championship and has completed extensive testing at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, including three days of in-season testing in F1 Academy machinery.

    Nominated by SMC, AlYousef, a rising talent in Saubi motorsport, was selected as part of a continued commitment from the promoter to empower local talent and create new opportunities for Saudi women to compete and thrive at the highest levels of international motorsport.

    Racing as a Wild Card entry in the F1 ACADEMY on home soil here in Jeddah is truly a dream come true. Motorsport has been my passion for as long as I can remember, and to line up alongside some of the most talented young drivers in the world at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit is an incredibly proud moment. I hope my participation inspires young girls across Saudi Arabia to believe in themselves and chase their dreams. The journey hasn’t always been easy, but moments like this remind me why I love racing. I’m ready to give it my all and represent my country with pride.
    The Saudi driver on the news.

  • Shi Wei confirmed as Wild Card for RND 1

    F1 Academy has announced that Shi Wei, also known as ‘Tie Dou’ will be the first F1 Academy Wild Card entry for 2025, joining the grid for the opening round of the season at the Shanghai International Circuit.

    Shi Wei has achieved impressive results in various racing series in China. In 2024, she won the Challenge Cup at the FIA F4 Chinese Championship in Shanghai and finished third in the CFGP category.

    Shi will be the first Chinese driver to feature on an F1 Academy grid when she takes to the stage during Round 1 of the F1 Academy season.

    Introduced for the 2024 season, the Wild Card initiative was created to help strengthen the talent pool in the regions where F1 Academy races and prioritises talented young drivers from each race region.

    It’s an incredible honour to receive the Wild Card for F1 ACADEMY, giving me the opportunity to compete and learn alongside top drivers on a larger stage, making a dream that once seemed out of reach come true. Hopefully, I can inspire the young generation and raise greater attention to motorsport and the development of the automotive industry.
    Shi Wei on the news.

    Shi Wei’s Wild Card entry into F1 ACADEMY represents not only a historic breakthrough for Chinese motorsport but also a powerful reflection of the power that defines Chinese women. We look forward to seeing her shine on the global stage and to the exciting opportunities this will create for future generations of female drivers.
    Huang Ming, General Manager of Shanghai Juss Sports Development.

  • Alisha Palmowski confirmed as Wild Card

    Alisha Palmowski will line up on the F1 Academy grid as the Wild Card entry for Round 6 of the 2024 season in Qatar.

    The British racer will take to the track at the Lusail International Circuit off the back of a successful debut season in single-seaters.

    Competing in the 2024 GB4 Championship, the 18 year old clinched the Vice Champion honours with three wins, two pole positions and 11 podiums – more than any other driver in the field.

    Palmowski will be in action in the number 6 F1 Academy Discover Your Drive – liveried car, operated by PREMA Racing, to highlight the success of the global programme which aims to increase the talent pool of young women entering motorsport.

    So far, four Wild Cards have featured on an F1 Academy grid – Reema Juffali, Courtney Crone, Nina Gademan and Ella Lloyd, with the drivers gaining valuable experience and exposure from the series’ global platform.

    I’m very excited to be the Wild Card Entry in Qatar, it’s an incredible opportunity and one I never could have dreamt of 12 months ago. This will be my first race outside of the UK, and for it be on the F1 ACADEMY grid as a support series to Formula 1 is a dream come true. I’d like to say a huge thank you to the team at F1 ACADEMY, and of course Susie Wolff, for giving me this opportunity to learn and hopefully secure a seat on the grid for next year.
    Palmowski on her F1 Academy debut.

    Our global F1 ACADEMY DISCOVER YOUR DRIVE programme identifies, supports and nurtures future talent, both on and off track. On track, the programme provides opportunities for talented young drivers to develop their skills and performance, as well as a platform to showcase their potential on an international stage. We’re delighted to welcome Alisha as our Round 6 Wild Card, and we look forward to seeing her in action in the F1 ACADEMY DISCOVER YOUR DRIVE livery.
    Katie Denver, F1 Academy Driver Development Lead.

  • Ella Lloyd announced as Wild Card for Singapore

    F1 Academy has announced that British racer Ella Lloyd will join the grid as the Wild Card entry for Round 5.

    Lloyd is currently competing in ROKiT FIA British Formula F4 with JHR Developments and has registered three podium finishes this season, sitting ninth in the standings out of 29.

    Singapore will see her get behind the wheel of an F1 Academy car for the first time under the lights at the Marina Bay Street Circuit.

    The Wild Card initiative was introduced to help strengthen the talent pool in the regions in which F1 Academy races and prioritises talented young driver from each race region.
    At races where a driver from the local region is not available, the opportunity is made accessible to drivers from other regions who aspire to compete in F1 Academy in the future.

    The 18 year old will compete in a special-edition livery and race suit to spotlight F1 Academy Discover Your Drive, the series’ global programme aimed at changing perceptions of motorsport and inspiring the next generation of female talent.

    I am very excited and honoured to be given the opportunity to be the F1 ACADEMY Wild Card entry in Singapore. My hard work and dedication throughout my rookie season in single seaters have led me to this amazing moment in my career and I am looking forward to putting everything I have learned into practice and making the most of the weekend. I will show everyone what I can do behind the wheel while making the most of the experience and hopefully inspiring other young female drivers to push for their dreams. I would like to thank Susie Wolff, F1 ACADEMY and everyone involved for making this possible.
    Ella Lloyd on being the Wild Card Entry.

  • Courtney Crone announced as Wild Card for Miami

    F1 Academy has announced that American racer Courtney Crone will join the grid as the Wild Card entry for Round 2 of the F1 Academy season in Miami, in a deal that will see her team up with reigning Teams’ Champions PREMA Racing and shoppable entertainment retailer QVC.

    The Wild Card initiative, introduced to help strengthen the talent pool in the regions where F1 Academy races, sees Wild Card entries presented by partners at select rounds of the calendar.

    Crone will take to the track at the Miami International Autodrome in a QVC-branded livery and race suit as the series takes its place alongside Formula 1.

    The 23 year old driver’s preparation for the entry began two weeks ago in Zandvoort as she got behind the wheel of an F1 Academy car for the first time as part of a two-day Official test event.

    Hailing from California, Crone started racing karts at 3 year old and has achieved success in multiple racing disciplines including Sprint Cars, LMP3 prototypes, speedway motorcycles, and most recently Lamborghini Super Trofeo.

    The Wild Card entries are designed to promote regional talent and show young women in all our race locations that there is a clear pathway into our sport for anyone who is committed and talented. We’ve had a huge amount of interest in the Wild Card since it was introduced in Jeddah and I’d like to thank QVC for supporting our vision and joining us to present our Wild Card entry, Courtney Crone, for the second round of our season alongside Formula 1 at the Miami Grand Prix.
    Susie Wolff, MBE, F1 Academy Managing Director.

    It’s a huge opportunity that F1 ACADEMY is giving drivers through Wild Card entries, especially in America. It can be difficult for young girls from outside Europe to know how to get into international series like this, and the support that I’ve been given by F1 ACADEMY, and the PREMA Racing team, has been hugely positive for me. I’d also like to say thank you to QVC for their support of the Wild Card initiative here in Miami. I think this is an amazing opportunity to grow both this series and the sport.
    Courtney Crone, speaking about being the F1 Academy Wild Card.

    QVC is a leader in live shoppable entertainment, bringing our customers — largely women over the age of 50 — to unexpected places to discover new finds and experiences. Our new Age of Possibility campaign is all about supporting our customers to live their best and most empowered lives. F1 has been innovating and influencing live sports for more than 70 years. The launch of the all-female driver category, F1 ACADEMY, is a testament to their commitment of elevating women in the sport and we are proud to support this vision and Courtney Crone in the race.
    Annette Dunleavey, VP, Brand Marketing from QVC said.

  • Reema Juffali confirmed as Wild Card entry for Jeddah

    Reema Juffali has been announced as the first F1 Academy Wild Card entry for the 2024 season, joining the grid for the first round.

    Developing a passion for racing as a child, Juffali made history in 2018 as the first-ever female racing driver from Saudi Arabia.
    After a points-scoring debut season in the F4 British Championship the next year, she became the first Saudi Arabian woman to compete in an international race in her home country, racing in the Jaguar I-PACE eTROPHY on the streets of Riyadh.

    In 2021, she had a stint in the GB3 Championship which was followed up with a successful endurance racing debut, with Juffali finishing second in her class at the 2022 Dubai 24 Hours.
    Alongside this she founder her own team, Theeba Motorsport, to improve Saudi Arabian access and participation in motorsport through educational and internship programmes.

    The team secured victory on debut in the 2022 International GT Open, making Juffali the first Saudi Arabian woman to win an international motor race. The team went on to bring home the Vice Championship title in the series’ Prom-Am class.

    Last year saw her continue to break new ground, as she became both the first female and first Saudi Arabian driver to claim pole position in the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup.

    It is an honour and a privilege to be representing my country, especially in my hometown. The day F1 arrived in Jeddah was the clash of both my worlds and now I am actually going to be participating! I’m really looking forward to it and happy to share the experience with my friends and family who are based here. As the saying goes: ‘if you can’t see it, you won’t believe it’. So, hopefully Saudi fans can see that there is a Saudi racing driver out there and it will get them to thinking that ‘this is something I can do!’. It is for this reason I have decided to take this challenge on. This is just the beginning!

    Juffali on the news.

  • F1 Academy Drivers to get super licence points

    F1 Academy has announced that the top five classified drivers in the 2024 Drivers’ Standings will get FIA Super Licence points.
    This important development represents recognition of F1 Academy’s competition structure, commitment to driver development and the technical skills required to race in the series.

    The Champion of the 2024 season will receive 10 Super Licence points, while the drivers in second and third place will collect seven and five points respectively. Three points will go to fourth and fifth place gets 1 point.

    A further initiative designed to help strengthen the talent pool in the regions in which F1 Academy races, from this season the series will also introduce Wild Card entries at select races across its calendar.
    Working with race promoters, F1 Academy will identify talented young women from the host region and offer the Wild Card entry for a specific weekend.

    At races where there is a Wild Card entry, reigning Team Champions, Prema Racing, will operate the wild card car in addition to their three cars and offer support and training to the selected driver.
    Further details of Wild Card entries will be announced in due course.

    Not only this, but an additional update has been made to the Sporting Regulations to specify that drivers may only compete in two seasons of F1 Academy.
    The introduction of this rule will ensure that every year there are opportunities for the most talented young women coming through the karting and single seater ranks to compete in the series.

    After a positive inaugural season we are making two significant steps forward for 2024. Our top five drivers receiving FIA Super Licence points is testament to the strength of F1 Academy’s on track proposition and will help fuel their progression as they move up the single seater pyramid. The introduction of the Wild Card entrants will promote regional talent, engage with local communities, and increase the talent pool in the regions in which we race which will be important for our long-term growth and ensure we are creating even more opportunities for women to get involved in our sport.

    Susie Wolff, F1 Academy Managing Director.