F1 Academy joins F1 support bill for seven races in 2024

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F1 Academy – the all-female single-seater championship that made its debut this year – will boost its exposure next season as a support event at seven Grands Prix.

The inaugural series promoted by Formula 1 and managed by Susie Wolff aims to develop young female drivers for the upper echelons of international single-seater racing.

The championship was launched earlier this year with five participating teams - ART Grand Prix, Campos Racing, MP Motorsport, PREMA Racing and Rodin Carlin – with each outfit fielding three drivers.

The Formula 4-level category relies on Tatuus T421 chassis powered by a 165hp Autotecnica engines and runs on Pirelli tyres.

This year’s series features seven rounds – with each round including three races – and will conclude in Austin next weekend.

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But next year, all F1 Academy events will take place on Grand Prix weekends, with a campaign that will kick off in Saudi Arabia in March and which will then move on to Miami, Barcelona, Zandvoort, Marina Bay in Singapore and finally to Qatar.

“I am delighted to announce our seven-round season for 2024,” commented Susie Wolff.

“This calendar cements our ambition to become a truly global series, expanding our reach and improving visibility for our mission.

“We want to inspire young girls and women across the globe and show them that there’s a place for them in our sport, and racing alongside F1 will help us achieve this.

“I want to thank all seven promotors for supporting us in our mission and embarking on this journey with us in 2024.”

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F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali added: “It is fantastic to welcome F1 Academy onto seven rounds of the F1 calendar next year.

“This global platform, combined with the support of all 10 F1 teams, will take the series to the next level, providing not only the opportunity for the drivers to develop their skills on F1 tracks, but to inspire young girls around the world to pursue a future in motorsport.

“I want to thank our promoters, our F1 teams, and the wider motorsport community for their support of F1 Academy as we move towards our exciting second season.”

Ahead of next weekend’s finale, Prema Racing’s Marta Garcia leads the drivers’ standings with a 48-point lead over ART Grand Prix’s Lena Buhler ahead of the Austin finale.

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.