The Formula 1 racing world has experienced an important expansion, especially with the rise of female racers who have been making headlines in the traditionally male-dominated sport. One major person associated with this movement is Susie Wolff, the spouse of Toto Wolff, the principal of the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team. Her initiatives to push for gender equality and bring female racers in F1 motorsport have drawn attention. Let’s explore the developments in the upcoming F1 academy races in 2024.
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What is F1 academy?
In November 2022, F1 announced the establishment of F1 Academy, receiving considerable backing from the organization, and appointed Susie Wolff as the managing director. The F1 Academy is a single-seater group exclusively for female drivers. Its main goal is to ease the transition from karting to the single-seater ladder for female drivers.
The F1 Academy aims to develop the skills of young female talent by offering them an exclusive opportunity and training them for competition at higher levels, such as Formula 3 and beyond. This thoughtful approach offers female drivers great opportunities to succeed on the international circuit while also promoting diversity within the motorsport community.
The goal of the female-only Academy championship is to give women in motorsport more opportunities and to increase the number of female drivers in the 16–25 age in this industry.
THE 2024 F1 ACADEMY CALENDAR
| ROUND | VENUE | DATE |
| 1 | Jeddah, Saudi Arabia | March 7 – 9 |
| 2 | Miami, United States | May 3 – 5 |
| 3 | Barcelona, Spain | June 21 – 23 |
| 4 | Zandvoort, Netherlands | August 23 – 25 |
| 5 | Marina Bay, Singapore | September 20 – 22 |
| 6 | Lusail, Qatar | November 29 – December 1 |
| 7 | Yas Marina, Abu Dhabi | December 6 – 8 |
How many teams and drivers are there in the F1 academy?
Academy has five teams—ART, Campos, Rodin Carlin, MP Motorsport, and Prema. Each team consists of three cars each from F1 Academy to have a 15-car grid.
F1 Academy 2024 driver line-up
| Driver | Team |
| Lola Lovinfosse | Rodin Motorsport |
| Abbi Pulling | Rodin Motorsport |
| Jessica Edgar | Rodin Motorsport |
| Emely de Heus | MP Motorsport |
| Hamda Al Qubaisi | MP Motorsport |
| Amna Al Qubaisi | MP Motorsport |
| Chloe Chambers | Campos Racing |
| Carrie Schreiner | Campos Racing |
| Nerea Marti | Campos Racing |
| Bianca Bustamante | ART |
| Aurelia Nobels | ART |
| Lia Block | ART |
| Tina Hausmann | Prema Racing |
| Doriane Pin | Prema Racing |
| Maya Weug | Prema Racing |
Race format
| Session | Length |
| Free Practice 1 | 40 minutes |
| Free Practice 2 | 40 minutes |
| Qualifying 1 | 15 minutes |
| Qualifying 2 | 15 minutes |
| Race 1 | 30 minutes |
| Race 2 | 20 minutes |
| Race 3 | 30 minutes |
As F1 evolves, so too does its approach to gender diversity. The efforts by Susie Wolff for the 2024 F1 calendar and her initiatives, assures a promising future for female participation in motorsport.
By promoting equality and providing platforms for talents, Academy is not only breaking barriers but also enhancing the sport for fans worldwide. As we look ahead, it’s clear that the drive towards equality will continue to drive positive change within Formula 1 and beyond.
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Fiza is a writer at The Sports Orbit, focusing on F1 coverage. She is currently pursuing her master’s in broadcasting journalism and has a profound love for motorsports. She finds F1 to be the most engaging among others due to its adrenaline rush. She got interested in the sport after watching an F1 race with her brother and uncle, and she’s been hooked ever since. Her favorite team is Mercedes and she is a fan of Lewis Hamilton. Besides her dedication to F1, she enjoys activities like reading, practicing her calligraphy skills, and experimenting with cooking.
