F1 Academy have announced five teams who will participate in the inaugural season in 2023.
F1 last month officially launched a new all-women academy with 15 drivers on the grid, consisting of three drivers across five teams – of whom all already compete in F2 and F3.
ART GP, Campos, Carlin, MP Motorsport and PREMA have now been officially announced as those five teams for a three-year cycle, who have been selected to run three drivers each in the inaugural F1 Academy season in 2023 and possess “impressive pedigrees” with nurturing young talent.
MP Motorsport and ART GP in particular guided Felipe Drugovich and Victor Martins to respective F2 and F3 titles this season, underlining their talent in nurturing young future drivers – with Drugovich having joined Aston Martin as reserve driver whilst Martins is part of Alpine Academy.
Carlin meanwhile guided Logan Sargeant to F2’s Rookie of the Year this season and enough FIA Super License points, which resulted in the American graduating into F1 with Williams next season.
F1 President and CEO, Stefano Domenicali described these five teams as providing a “fantastic opportunity to the young and talented women to begin their journey into competitive motorsport.”
Domenicali proceeded to explain the importance of the F1 Academy in improving “diversity and representation in motorsport”, as he continued: “We believe it is important that everyone has the chance to follow their ambitions and get the support and guidance needed to progress and excel.
“The F1 Academy is an important part of our plan to increase diversity and representation in motorsport and we are looking forward to the first season in 2023 and stay tuned for more news in this area.”
F2 and F3 CEO, Bruno Michel who will also be General Manager of F1 Academy added that he is “very pleased” to have five quality teams who he shares history with across F2 and F3 expand to run in this new championship.
Michel went on to explain why ART GP, Campos, Carlin, MP Motorsport and PREMA were selected, as he added: “They are well-known for their experience and expertise in nurturing and developing young drivers.
“I fully trust that they will give the drivers competing in the F1 Academy the keys to grow technically, and that they will help them with the physical and mental preparations for the journey ahead.”
Carlin Team Principal, Stefanie Carlin is “delighted” that the British-based team will be part of the new championship for the first three seasons, as she hailed the new F1 Academy as “a fantastic initiative” aimed at redressing the balance of women representation amongst the racing grid.
Carlin went on to iterate that Carlin has always viewed “driver development” as an integral part of the team’s core, as evidenced by the fact that over 30 former drivers have gone on to race in F1.
On the potential to help female drivers graduate up the single-seater ladder, Carlin said: “With the right opportunities, support and time, there’s absolutely no reason why it can’t be the norm to see women racing at the very pinnacle of motorsport.”
The inaugural F1 Academy season will see drivers compete in three races across seven individual rounds, with view of helping drivers graduate into F3 en-route to a potential future drive in F1.
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