With the second season of F1 Academy underway, we take a look at why and how its different from the W series that preceded it.
It’s no secret that there is a severe lack of representation of women in the highest levels of motorsport. But, the new female exclusive racing series, F1 Academy, is looking to change that. This season will see 15 of the best female drivers, plus a weekly wildcard, across a seven round championship. The championship will also offer both super licence points and experience for the women competing.
But this is not the first all female open wheel racing series that we’ve seen. The W series was an all female racing series that ran from 2019 to 2022. However, In June of 2023, the W series went into administration, leaving the founding company reportedly £23 million in debt. There were claims from the drivers that the W series had failed to pay out prize money for the 2022 season.
So what is it that makes F1 Academy different to the W series?
Funding
The biggest difference between the two series is funding, and where that funding comes from. The W series was funded by a number of title sponsors, whereas the F1 Academy is funded entirely by the FIA. This makes the new championship less likely to face the same funding issues that the W series faced.
Along with providing 150,000 dollars per car, there will be opportunities for successful drivers to drive in F3. Hopefully, this will lead to more women joining Sophia Flörsch, who became the first woman to score points in F3 in 2023. The drivers will also learn to prepare mentally and physically alongside established teams.
The Car
The cars being driven in F1 Academy use a Tatuus chassis with turbocharged engines, capable of producing 165 horsepower. The W Series used Tatuus F3 T318 chassis with a 4-cylinder turbocharged engine, capable of producing 270 horsepower.
Whilst the F1 Academy engines are slower than both W Series and F3 cars, it’s hopeful that the racing will be more entertaining than that of the W Series, which saw Jamie Chadwick dominate all three championships. The inaugural season of F1 Academy saw a total of 9 different race winners, with Marta Garcia winning the championship.
The drivers race for a total of 5 different teams in F1 Academy, compared to the 9 teams of the W series. The teams are all run by established teams in F2 and F3, with those teams being: PREMA Powerteam, MP Motorsport, Rodin Carlin, Campos Racing, and ART Grand Prix.
The use of pirelli tyres in the F1 Academy will hopefully help with the transition from the series into F3. F1 Academy will use Pirelli tyres, who supply the tyres used in F4 through to F1. The W series used Hankook tyres, which only offered wet and dry compounds.
Overall, the F1 Academy will aim to continue to grab the attention of fans, build role models, and make women a permanent feature at the highest levels of open wheel racing.
You can find out more about the season so far here.
