DORIANE PIN & MAYA WEUG Eye F1 Academy Title as 10 Rookies Join 2025 Grid

March 20, 2025

by RACERS // from www.racers-behindthehelmet.com

GRRL! SUMMARY:

The 2025 F1 Academy season launches with an unprecedented transformation – 10 of 17 full-time drivers are rookies, dropping the average age below 20 for the first time. Championship favorites DORIANE PIN (Prema) and MAYA WEUG (MP Motorsport) lead the title fight, with PIN transitioning from her dominant endurance racing background after securing vice-champion honors as a rookie. WEUG switches teams after finishing third in 2024, positioning herself as PIN’s primary rival in what promises to be the series’ most competitive season yet.
Pre-season testing at Shanghai revealed the early pecking order, with PIN and WEUG predictably showing strong pace alongside several impressive rookies. American CHLOE CHAMBERS, now with Red Bull Ford after winning as a rookie in 2024, consistently topped sessions and remains a serious contender. Rising stars ALISHA PALMOWSKI (Red Bull Racing) and NINA GADEMAN (Prema) made immediate impacts, while returning drivers like LIA BLOCK (Williams/ART) and CHLOE CHONG showed significant improvement after gaining mixed-gender racing experience in British F4.
Format changes add strategic intrigue with the return of reverse-grid Race 1 for the top eight qualifiers, awarding 10 points maximum, while Race 2 remains the 25-point feature race. The expanded 17-driver grid plus Wild Card entries creates deeper competition, with teams like Prema fielding a powerhouse trio of PIN, TINA HAUSMANN, and GADEMAN. Notable international representation includes 16-year-olds ALBA HURUP LARSEN (Denmark’s first F1 Academy driver) and JOANNE CICONTE (Australia), plus Canadian NICOLE HAVRDA bringing Formula Regional Americas experience to the championship battle.