As with most junior racing series’, driver changes are commonplace but in F1 Academy the rules are a little different.
Where in the likes of F3, FRECA and F2 we see drivers stay for often three or more seasons - in F1 Academy, it’s capped to two seasons only.
As a result of this, a MINIMUM of nine of the current grid will depart at the end of the year with Abbi Pulling, Nerea Marti, Hamda & Amna Al Qubaisi, Bianca Bustamante, Jess Edgar, Carrie Schreiner, Lola Lovinfosse and Emely de Heus reaching the two season limit.
📸 Championship leader Abbi Pulling(centre) will leave the series at the end of the season, title win or not.
Rumours have linked Doriane Pin with taking a step up to FRECA with PREMA. That happening, that would leave F1 Academy with just seven drivers; Williams’ Lia Block, Ferrari’s Maya Weug, Aurelia Nobels, Tina Hausmann of Aston Martin, Chloe Chambers - who is switching from Haas to Red Bull, McLaren’s Ella Lloyd, as well as newly announced Rafaela Ferreira who’ll represent VCARB in the series.
📸 Welsh driver Ella Lloyd is confirmed as a new F1 Academy driver for 2025.
So, with potential for as many at least seven and as many as eight new faces potentially needed, who could race in the series in 2025?
2024 Wildcards
The Wildcard has allowed drivers to partake in a round as a guest driver to the series in an attempt to help showcase more talent round by round.
Reema Juffali, Courtney Crone, Nina Gademan and Ella Lloyd have all figured, with Gademan and Lloyd likely candidates to get a full time seat - Lloyd of course already confirmed for 2025 representing McLaren.
📸 Nina Gademan(pictured) impressed as the wildcard in Zandvoort and could race in the series in 2025.
Some other names who could be there too; GB4 vice champion Alisha Palmowski - who’s rumoured to be the Wildcard entry in Qatar - and her GB4 rival Megan Bruce.
The Potential 15
Already confirmed:
🏴Ella Lloyd - 2024: British F4
🇧🇷Rafaela Ferreira - 2024: Brazilian F4
🇺🇸Chloe Chambers - 2024: F1 Academy
📸 Chloe Chambers switched from Haas to Red Bull.
Potential returnees:
🇩🇪Tina Hausmann 🇺🇸Lia Block 🇫🇷Doriane Pin 🇧🇷Aurelia Nobels 🇳🇱Maya Weug
📸 Lia Block will be a likely returnee for her second year in single seater racing.
Potential newbies:
🇬🇧Alisha Palmowski - 2024: GB4 Championship
🇬🇧Megan Bruce - 2024: GB4 Championship
🇩🇪Mathilda Paatz - 2024: French F4
🇳🇱Nina Gademan - 2024: British F4
🇦🇺Joanne Ciconte - 2024: F4 CEZ
🇵🇱Kornelia Olkucka - 2024: F4 CEZ
🇺🇸Ava Dobson - 2024: USF Juniors/GB4 C’ship
🇦🇺Imogen Radburn - 2024: Australian F4
🇧🇷Cecelia Rabelo - 2024: Brazilian F4
📸 Alisha Palmowski is very highly regarded and is rumoured to be stepping in for the Qatar Wildcard slot.
All these names would take us to 17 out the 15, so should the likes of Pin depart, spaces would be open for some new stars! Could the above newbies be F1’s first female driver?
📸 Image credits: F1 Academy, Formula Motorsport Limited, GB4 Championship.
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