F1 Academy: All you need to know ahead of all-female series’ inaugural season

F1 Academy’s inaugural season will get underway with 5 groups and 15 drivers (Credit score: F1 Academy)

The inaugural season of F1 Academy, the brand new all-female racing sequence, will get beneath approach in Austria this weekend.

The drivers and groups have had 4 days of pre-season testing in Barcelona and at Circuit Paul Ricard, with British driver Abbi Pulling topping each days of testing in France.

F1 Academy will race at seven areas in 2023, with the season concluding at Components 1’s US GP in October. Three races might be held at every venue over the course of the weekend.

Right here Sky Sports activities F1 breaks down the brand new sequence.

What’s F1 Academy?

F1 Academy was launched in November 2022 by Components 1 and goals to arrange and develop feminine drivers to progress to increased ranges of competitors.

The class is designed to “give extra entry to trace time, racing and testing, in addition to assist with technical, bodily, and psychological preparations”.

It’s hoped the F1 Academy will present the expertise to progress to Components 3, and assist Components 2 and Components 1 alternatives sooner or later.

Susie Wolff, the previous Williams F1 improvement driver and most just lately group principal of Components E group Venturi, was named managing director of the sequence in March.

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F1 Academy managing director Susie Wolff explains what she hopes the obtain with the brand new all-female sequence

Who’re the drivers and groups?

F1 Academy options 5 groups – ART, Campos, Rodin Carlin, MP Motorsport and Prema – every coming into three automobiles to make up a 15-strong grid.

All 5 groups additionally race in Components 3 and Components 2 and have pedigree for bringing by younger expertise: Lewis Hamilton and George Russell are ART alumni, Lando Norris was given his F2 debut by Campos earlier than racing for Carlin, Charles Leclerc and Mick Schumacher each gained the F2 title with Prema whereas MP Motorsport had final season’s F2 champion Felipe Drugovich.

Various drivers have joined F1 Academy having beforehand raced in W Sequence. Amongst these is Pulling, who completed fourth in final season’s W Sequence standings.

Talking to Sky Sports activities about her ambitions for her first season in F1 Academy, Rodin Carlin’s Pulling mentioned: “I need to win races and present consistency and present that I generally is a entrance runner.

“I believe I confirmed that at occasions final 12 months (in W Sequence) and I simply need to solidify that. The group have gotten a very good package deal. There may be a variety of work occurring behind the scenes and I believe it would all add up and quantity to success.”

Abbi Pulling is one in all 4 British drivers on the F1 Academy grid

Prema’s Marta Garcia is a former winner in W Sequence whereas Campos’ Nerea Marti was on the rostrum thrice.

And a number of the youngest abilities on the F1 Academy grid are British with 17-year-old Chloe Grant, 18-year-old Jessica Edgar and 16-year-old Chloe Chong becoming a member of Pulling on the grid.

Pulling is one in all two drivers on the grid affiliated already to an F1 group, with the 20-year-old a part of Alpine’s academy. Lena Buhler is a part of the Sauber Academy.

What automotive will they be driving?

F1 Academy is utilizing the identical chassis as Components 4

F1 Academy will see all drivers race in similar automobiles – a Tatuus T421 chassis that can be utilized in Components 4.

The automobiles are powered by turbo-charged engines provided by Autotecnica and able to 174 horsepower, whereas Pirelli will provide tyres.

The automobiles can have a high velocity of 240 kph (149mph).

The place will F1 Academy be racing?

F1 Academy will race at six European tracks in its inaugural season earlier than its finale on the US GP in October.

The season begins with a two-day occasion on the Crimson Bull Ring this weekend, April 28-29.

Spain will then host two occasions at Valencia and Barcelona in Might earlier than summer time stops within the Netherlands (Zandvoort), Italy (Monza) and France (Le Castellet).

Whereas solely the season-finale is a part of an F1 weekend in 2023, F1 president Stefano Domenicali has already confirmed F1 Academy might be held solely at Components 1 race weekends in 2024.

What’s the weekend format?

Every race weekend will function seven classes of monitor motion.

They are going to start with two 40-minute apply classes earlier than two qualifying classes later within the day, every lasting quarter-hour.

Qualifying 1 will set the grid for Race 1 whereas Qualifying 2 units the grid for Race 3.

Race 2’s grid might be set by reversing the highest eight drivers from Qualifying 1.

Races 1 and three will each be half-hour lengthy plus one lap. Race 2 is a shorter, lasting 20 minutes plus one lap.

“The format is big for improvement,” Pulling instructed Sky Sports activities. “I have been combating to get some seat time and this 12 months it seems to be like it will likely be actually good.

“Seven weekends with three races per weekend – two 30-minute and one 20-minute reverse grid race in order that throws some race craft into the combo as even when somebody is driving away with it, they will have to return.

“The testing that they supply…is nice for growing drivers at a younger age.”

What’s the factors system?

F1 Academy can have the identical factors scoring system as Components 1 for Races 1 and three, with 25 factors being awarded to the winner and factors being awarded right down to P10.

The factors in descending order might be: 25, 18, 15, 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2, 1.

The shorter Race 2 will see 10 factors awarded to the race winner and factors being awarded right down to P8.

The factors in descending order for Race 2 might be: 10, 8, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.

In all three races, a driver will obtain an extra level in the event that they set the quickest lap, supplied they end within the high 10.

The driving force who claims pole place in every qualifying session will even be awarded two factors.