What next for these F1 Academy stars?

Since its debut season in 2023, F1 Academy has offered a well-deserved highlight to quite a few gifted feminine drivers, together with 2024 champion Abbi Pulling and race winners Chloe Chambers, Maya Weug, and Bianca Bustamante.

Every spoke to Autosport about their final objectives, the alternatives they gained from being within the collection, and what their futures maintain, with some persevering with into their second season in F1 Academy and others stepping as much as the subsequent rung of the motorsport ladder.

Chambers will full her second and closing yr in F1 Academy as a Crimson Bull Ford-affiliated driver in 2025, remaining with Campos as she makes the many of the collection’ two-year restrict.

“In the end I’m capable of do a second yr in F1 Academy, so why not use each of these years and make the most effective out of them?” mentioned Chambers, who raced in Haas colors final season.

“Lots of people had been capable of see how my yr was going up till that time, and we’re pleased with the outcomes and the progress being made. In order that drew in among the larger names in F1, which then led me to the Crimson Bull Ford Academy programme.”

It’s but to be confirmed whether or not Ferrari junior Weug will proceed with Prema in F1 Academy this season, however the 20-year-old instructed Autosport she wished to participate in additional racing and monitor time within the upcoming yr.

She mentioned: “I can’t say a lot, however you’ll most likely see me once more someplace.

Maya Weug, F1 Academy driver

Photograph by: Andrew Ferraro / Motorsport Pictures

“I’m making an attempt to do as a lot racing as I can this yr; I felt like I didn’t have sufficient races. I solely did seven races with F1 Academy and I felt like I used to be missing a little bit of monitor time.

“I’m pushing to attempt to discover a approach to do extra races and to search out the finances for subsequent yr to do extra races and extra take a look at days.”

Each champion Pulling and Bustamante, having accomplished the utmost two seasons within the collection, are shifting up into GB3; Pulling with Rodin Motorsport and Bustamante with Elite Motorsport. Each anticipate powerful competitors because the championship strikes to a new Tatuus-built car which is estimated to produce 35% more downforce than its predecessor, however are trying ahead to taking the subsequent step of their careers.

Pulling, an Alpine Academy driver, mentioned: “By way of the automobile, it’s fairly a giant leap from the F1 Academy automobile and the British F4 automobile that I’ve been racing this yr. In GB3 there’s much more downforce, so it’s a little bit of a distinct driving model that I must adapt to.

“I’m hoping that I do go well with it although, as I feel it might be fairly a easy driving model, and that’s how I prefer to drive, however solely time will inform.

“The competitors goes to be actually excessive, because it’s a brand new automobile and we’re all going to be figuring issues out. However so long as I come away from each weekend progressing and maximising what I can, I feel I’ll be blissful.”

Bustamante echoed these sentiments: “It’s going to be the quickest automobile I’ve ever pushed in my profession.

“Particularly GB3 coming in with a brand new automobile subsequent season, extra aero, extra horsepower in addition to DRS. So successfully a giant step up within the automobile, physicality sensible.

Bianca Bustamante, ART Grand Prix

Photograph by: Dom Romney / Motorsport Pictures

“Simply been spending my off season actually coaching laborious – been within the health club each single day, twice a day among the days – simply to essentially step up my bodily power this season.”

However regardless of the bodily step-up, Bustamante doesn’t see that as a barrier.

“Realistically, women have pushed F3 automobiles – Tatiana Calderon, Jamie Chadwick,” she mentioned. “I don’t assume it’s a matter of ‘we are able to’t do it’, ‘the championship has to make a distinction’.

“It’s all the time as much as us to higher ourselves to match what the male drivers are driving. I feel that’s why GB3 is such an ideal championship, as a result of it’s an equal enjoying area.

“I don’t assume there must be any adjustments finished, I feel there must be an enormous deal with build up power for feminine drivers. That’s what I’ve recognised and I’m undoubtedly engaged on.”

That is one thing Weug agreed with: “For me it’s by no means been a limiting issue, the bodily facet.

“In fact, I haven’t pushed F2 or F1, however I feel we are able to all adapt to that and simply have to coach most likely a bit greater than the blokes within the health club or exterior as a result of, in fact, bodily we’re completely different, there’s nothing to cover there.

“Positively I want to coach so much, and all of us have to coach most likely greater than the blokes must in our place, however I don’t assume it’s limiting once I’m driving.”

Chambers, Bustamante, and Pulling have additionally been making waves elsewhere, all collaborating within the all-female Method E take a look at at Jarama in November 2024, with Pulling topping the timesheets, Bustamante in third and Chambers in fifteenth.

Abbi Pulling, Nissan Method E Staff

Photograph by: Andrew Ferraro / Motorsport Pictures

All commented on the significance of all-female testing akin to this, the chance being invaluable for them and providing much-valued visibility.

Talking forward of the take a look at, Chambers defined: “There’ll be a whole lot of us out on monitor, so there will be a whole lot of us to gauge ourselves off of and be taught off of one another. Hopefully sooner or later there’ll be a chance for certainly one of us within the take a look at to go on and race in Method E full-time.”

Pulling added: “Having the chance to leap within the Method E automobile and gathering that have and dealing with a staff just like the Nissan Method E staff – they’re actually skilled and had a very good program for me as a beginner coming into it by no means having pushed the automobile – gave me all the pieces I wanted.”

Bustamante known as the expertise “unbelievable” and felt the all-female take a look at was mutually helpful for the drivers and the groups.

“The professionalism of all of the mechanics and engineers was nice, in addition to working alongside Sam Hen, and Ella Lloyd, drivers who’re very skilled,” she mentioned. “It provides alternatives for feminine drivers to feed into the programme.

“I feel having these girls checks permits the females to additionally go in there and drive and present potential.”

Method E, together with different racing collection, are on the horizons of the drivers, and are amongst routes they’d be blissful to go down.

Abbi Pulling, 2024 F1 Academy champion, receives her trophy

Photograph by: Glenn Dunbar / Motorsport Pictures

“Protecting my choices open,” mentioned Pulling about her long-term profession ambitions. “I had the Method E take a look at, that went properly. Alpine are concerned with WEC, and there’s stuff occurring in America, there’s IndyNXT. So I really feel like there’s a whole lot of locations I might find yourself whether or not a chance presents itself.”

Nonetheless, the final word objective amongst these drivers was unanimous – Method 1. A feminine driver hasn’t taken half in an official F1 session since F1 Academy managing director Susie Wolff appeared for Williams in FP1 on the 2014 British Grand Prix.

“My final dream, my final objective, is Method 1, since I’ve been little or no,” Weug mentioned.

“Method 1 is the final word objective, I feel any younger driver in my place will say that,” Pulling echoed. “Nevertheless it’s a really powerful sport, and it’s laborious to get to, and it’s an costly sport, and a few of even the most effective skills don’t handle to get to it – there’s solely 20 seats obtainable. You’ve obtained to be in the proper place on the proper time typically.”

Chambers added: “In the end moving into F1 may be very slim, particularly with all the brand new rookies coming in. There’s not going to be one other seat open in F1 for some time now, and it’s very costly on the best way to F1.

“I haven’t put that as my end-all-be-all, like that’s the one factor I need to do, as a result of in the end it’s not assured.

“In order a lot as I want to proceed on making an attempt to achieve Method 1, I even have another plans as properly; endurance racing, sportscars, IndyCar, so we’ll see how subsequent yr performs out after which go from there.”

Race winner Maya Weug, PREMA Racing, second place Abbi Pulling, Rodin Motorsport, third place Nerea Marti, Campos Racing have a good time on the rostrum

Photograph by: Joe Portlock / Motorsport Pictures

However all stay hopeful {that a} feminine driver might be a part of the grid within the not-too-distant future.

“We’re getting there, however there’s nonetheless a approach to go and I’m certain we’ll make it occur,” mentioned Weug.

“And on the similar time, attempt to encourage younger women, attempt to contain extra younger women into racing, into karting, and hopefully see extra women in racing.”