F1 Academy is back for 2024 with new drivers, more F1 involvement and races on TV

F1 Academy is back, and there are plenty of changes for season two.

At its core, the all-women series features drivers between the ages of 16 and 25 who will compete in identical cars. It’s not the first all-female racing series (the other was W Series), but the difference is the buy-in from Formula One. F1 Academy is part of the F1 pyramid, the sport’s term for its minor league-type setup, and the goal is to help women to continue advancing.

Marta García won the 2023 title, and as a result, has a fully-funded seat for this year’s Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine (FRECA). A majority of the 2023 grid is returning this year, with the support of the 10 F1 teams and five companies, and there are new names competing, like Lia Block (Williams) and Doriane Pin (Mercedes).

The bigger changes pertain to how the series will be run and promoted. The 2024 F1 Academy season will see wild card entries at select rounds (regional drivers will be chosen). The calendar is aligning with F1’s schedule, super license points will be given to the top five finishers, the series will be broadcast, and a new limit will restrict how long drivers can compete in the series.

Let’s dive into what you need to know for year two.

The F1 Academy Class of ‘24 🏆

15 drivers, 7 races, 1 dream ⭐️#F1Academy pic.twitter.com/9PLQgurboe

— F1 Academy (@f1academy) March 5, 2024

F1’s involvement

F1 has been involved since the launch of the series, but with 10 teams having a driver and their livery on the grid for 2024, its commitment appears more serious.

The F1 teams’ involvement puts a bigger spotlight on F1 Academy and aligns it more with F1’s pyramid, which includes Formula Two and Formula Three. Susie Wolff, the series’s managing director, said in 2023, “I would like to see at the end of next season, first and foremost, the Formula One teams saying, ‘Wow, it was great for us to be a part of F1 Academy.’ Because I think in the end, they are all taking a leap of faith to join us on this mission, and we need to make sure we’re delivering a strong package.”

That being said, one team principal, whom Wolff did not name, said to her last year, “F1 Academy is putting a plaster on the problem. Are you actually going to try and fix it?” The answer is simple: F1 Academy must have a sustainable business model to last a while and make a real impact.

Susie Wolff (right) with Nerea Marti of Campos Racing during F1 Academy Testing at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit last month. (Alex Pantling – Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images)

“I said, ‘Yes.’ We’re not here as a flashy series that is trying to just gain exposure and give 15 young drivers a lifeline – because I’ve been there. I know how tough it is, and I know how few women are participating on all the different levels.’ So we need to figure out how we’re going to change long term.”

Red Bull’s Sergio Pérez drew a comparison to how not having a Mexican driver in F1 when he was young made his own ambition seem outlandish. “It’s like me as a Mexican thinking that I’m going to make it into F1. It’s a crazy dream,” he told The Athletic. “I think the first girl that makes it into the sport, into Formula One, it will make a lot of other girls realize it is possible.”

A look at the grid

Wolff knows she needs to reach beyond the traditional F1 channels to help make this series successful, specifically reaching “the women who stand for what we do,” she said in Austin last fall. Charlotte Tilbury, the well-known beauty brand, appears to fall in that category.

In addition to the 10 F1 teams having a driver on the grid, five companies are supporting drivers: Puma (Aurelia Nobels), Tommy Hilfiger (Nerea Martí), Red Bull (Emely de Heus) and Charlotte Tilbury (Lola Lovinfosse). F1 Academy also will have a livery on the grid, the car driven by Jessica Edgar. The 15 full-time drivers are split among five teams: Rodin Motorsport, MP Motorsport, Campos Racing, ART Grand Prix and Prema Racing.

Alongside those 15 cars, wild card entries will be fielded this season at select races. The reigning team champion, Prema, “will operate the Wild Card car in addition to their three entries, and offer support and training to the selected driver,” per F1 Academy’s announcement. Reema Juffali, Saudi Arabia’s first female racing driver, is the first wildcard entry this season.

Another big change for 2024 is that drivers have a two-season limit to compete in F1 Academy.

How did the schedule come together?

F1’s involvement extends beyond drivers and liveries. F1 Academy will align with F1’s calendar this season for all seven races. Some of the host cities may surprise fans, like the high percentage of races in the Middle East. When it came to figuring out where F1 Academy would compete, a number of factors weighed in, and Wolff didn’t have “the luxury of choosing.”

“The first and the last were easy because we had to start somewhere,” F1 Academy’s managing director said during a media roundtable in Austin last year. “Where I was quite vocal, I want enough track time.”

There are other series that compete on the same weekend as a F1 grand prix, such as F2, meaning Wolff “had to juggle logistics.” The season needed to also begin early, and all factors combined, that left Saudi Arabia as the opening race. Saudi Arabia didn’t allow women to drive until 2018, but Wolff said it “was one of the most engaged” hosts. Ending in Abu Dhabi was a no-brainer because there are two Emirati sisters competing on the grid — Amna and Hamda Al Qubaisi. Wolff called Qatar “a natural fit” because it’s the week before Abu Dhabi.

“It’s a tough calendar for drivers,” Wolff said, pointing to how there are two European races and street circuits on the slate. The hope is that “as we progress, we can have a little bit more of a balanced calendar.” The bottom line was that F1 Academy needed to put together a schedule that was in different regions and gave the series enough track time.

Here’s when and where F1 Academy is competing in 2024

• Round 1: Jeddah, Saudi Arabia at Jeddah Corniche Circuit on March 6-8
• Round 2: Miami, Florida at Miami International Autodrome on May 2-4
• Round 3: Barcelona, Spain, at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on June 20-22
• Round 4: Zandvoort, Netherlands, at Circuit Zandvoort on Aug. 22-24
• Round 5: Singapore at Marina Bay Street Circuit on Sept. 19-21
• Round 6: Lusail, Qatar at Lusail International Circuit on Nov. 28-30
• Round 7: Yas Island, Abu Dhabi at Yas Marina Circuit on Dec. 5-7

Let’s break down the race weekend

In 2023, race weekends featured two 40-minute practice sessions, two 15-minute qualifying sessions, and three races. The practice sessions will remain the same for 2024, but there will now only be one qualifying session that’s 30 minutes long and two races.

How the grid is determined also changed. Last year, the first qualifying session determined Race 1 and Race 2, with the top eight were reversed in the second race. The second qualifying round determined Race 3. Now, each driver’s fastest lap will determine their place for Race 1, and their second fastest lap will determine their place for Race 2.

It’s worth noting that super license points will be available this year to the top five finishers: 10 points, 7, 5, 3 and 1. According to the regulations, any driver needs to acquire 40 points in a three-year span to qualify for a FIA super license, which is required to compete in F1.

How can I watch F1 Academy?

One of the biggest criticisms last year was that the series was not broadcast. Fans could only follow along on social media for “live multi-media updates” as well as the live timings via F1 Academy’s website during the sessions. A highlights video was released on Mondays, and they had to wait until mid-week for a 15-minute program.

This year, the series will be broadcast, but specific platforms have yet to be announced, per F1 Academy’s website. ESPN has announced live coverage will be available on its platforms for practice, qualifying and the races for every F1 Academy round.

You asked and we listened…

Here's everywhere that you can watch the 2024 season of F1 Academy, including our brand new YouTube channel 🥳

Who's excited? 🔥#F1Academy pic.twitter.com/m0RuRIj9pv

— F1 Academy (@f1academy) March 6, 2024

Required reading

• Undaunted, Abbi Pulling forges her own path to Formula 1: ‘It was all my choice’
• F1 Academy strives to be more than a racing series after its inaugural season
• Breaking taboos and barriers, Emirati sisters boost each other up the F1 ladder

(Lead photo of Jessica Edgar and Abbi Pulling: Alex Pantling – Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images)