JOANNE CICONTE & AIVA ANAGNOSTIADIS Make F1 Academy History at Shanghai Debut

March 25, 2025

by Thomas Miles // from autoaction.com.au

• JOANNE CICONTE announced herself as a force to watch by qualifying sixth on her F1 Academy debut, becoming the youngest driver in championship history at just 16. Her 2:04.146 lap time put her third on the Sprint grid, but team-inflicted tire pressure penalties completely derailed what should have been a breakthrough weekend.
• AIVA ANAGNOSTIADIS delivered where it mattered most, climbing eight positions from 16th to eighth in the Sprint race to score Australia’s first-ever F1 Academy points. The 17-year-old HiTech driver showed the racecraft that got her to this level, finishing just one second behind seventh place after a masterful charge through the field.
• Both Aussie rookies faced the harsh reality of F1 Academy’s learning curve in the Feature race. CICONTE’s weekend went from bad to worse when she was rear-ended by Chloe Chong, triggering a multi-car incident that ended her race prematurely. ANAGNOSTIADIS avoided the chaos but struggled for pace, finishing 13th as she continues adapting to the series’ demands ahead of the next round in Jeddah.

all-female f1 academy, chinese grand prix, hitech, mp motorsport