F1 Academy Expands to 18 Cars with Fresh Talent Including ELLA LLOYD & ALBA LARSEN

March 20, 2025

by Hannah Newman // from www.autosport.com

• F1 Academy expands from 15 to 18 cars with new team Hitech joining the grid, creating more opportunities for talented female drivers to compete on motorsport’s main stage. ELLA LLOYD takes over McLaren colors from GB3-bound Bianca Bustamante after impressive British F4 performances, while ALBA LARSEN becomes Tommy Hilfiger’s new representative following Kevin Magnussen’s mentorship and strong Indian F4 showings.
• Second-year drivers are positioning themselves for championship runs, with Doriane Pin (Mercedes/Prema) leading the charge after her runner-up 2024 finish that included four race wins. CHLOE CHONG returns to the series with Rodin after a strategic year developing skills in British F4, declaring her testing pace shows she’s “one of the quickest, if not the quickest” and targeting multiple podium visits.
• Championship favorites emerge with proven performers like Chloe Chambers moving to Red Bull Ford after her 2024 success with Haas, and MAYA WEUG switching from Prema to MP while maintaining Ferrari backing following her breakthrough Abu Dhabi victory. The grid features fascinating storylines from 16-year-old rookie JOANNE CICONTE to rally crossover star LIA BLOCK continuing her impressive single-seater transition with Williams.

all-female f1 academy, hitech, mclaren, tommy hilfiger