A beginner's guide to F1 Academy
Aston Martin Aramco F1 Academy driver Tina Hausmann makes her debut in the all-female single-seater series this weekend. Ahead of the opening round in Jeddah, here's your essential guide to F1 Academy in 2024.
The sophomore season of the ultra-competitive, all-female single-seater series F1 Academy roars into life this weekend on the streets of Jeddah. 17-year-old Swiss racer Tina Hausmann will be representing Aston Martin Aramco throughout the season.
To get you up to speed for the season, here's everything you need to know…
What is F1 Academy?
F1 Academy provides a platform for young female drivers to hone their skills and gain crucial experience, helping them develop and progress on their climb up the motorsport ladder.
Who is competing in the series?
Having risen through the junior ranks, first in karting and then in Formula 4 and Euro 4 in Italy, Tina is ready to take the next step in her career. Competing for PREMA Racing, Tina will be behind the wheel of her Aston Martin liveried racer, with Aston Martin Aramco Driver Ambassador and Head of F1 Academy Jessica Hawkins offering her expert advice and guidance throughout the campaign.
Tina will be joined on the grid by 14 other ambitious drivers, all of whom are aged between 16 and 25 years old at the time of the first race of the season. The exception to that rule will be Wild Card entries offered to drivers from selected regions throughout the season. Each of the 10 Formula One teams have nominated a driver to represent them during the 2024 campaign.
Tina and Jessica on the season ahead
"I'm so excited to go racing with Aston Martin Aramco and PREMA Racing in 2024," says Tina. "F1 Academy is going from strength to strength after its first season, and now with the support of all the Formula One teams, it's just going to keep growing.
"The team has been really supportive in getting me prepared for the season. Jessica has already given me so much great advice and it's fantastic to have her in my corner. Her support is going to be invaluable throughout the season; she has a breadth of experience from competing in a range of motorsport disciplines."
"Tina is passionate, dedicated and very talented. I'm excited to see what she can achieve in F1 Academy," says Jessica. "The series provides the perfect platform for young female drivers to develop their skills and experience. It's an ideal training ground to help them progress in their racing careers.
"This year will be a steep learning curve for Tina, but she is more than capable of rising to the challenge and I will be there every step of the way to support her, both on and off the track."
The car
F1 Academy is a one-make series, meaning that all drivers use the same machinery. At their disposal is a single-seater car akin to those used in Formula 4 series. Each car uses an identical Tatuus T421 chassis, 13-inch Pirelli tyres and a turbo-charged 1.4-litre Autotecnica engine that produces 174bhp and reaches speeds of up to 150mph.
The calendar
The 2024 F1 Academy season comprises seven rounds, with each featuring on the Formula One support package during a Grand Prix weekend.
The series gets underway at Saudi Arabia's Jeddah Corniche Circuit in March before heading to Miami in May. The third and fourth rounds of the season are set to take place at classic European circuits, with events at Barcelona and Zandvoort straddling either side of the summer break.
The final three rounds follow F1 to Singapore's spectacular Marina Bay Street Circuit in September, Qatar's Lusail International Circuit and the season finale in Abu Dhabi.
The schedule
An F1 Academy race weekend includes one 40-minute Free Practice session, which gives teams and drivers the opportunity to dial into the circuit and hone their preferred set-ups.
Next up is Qualifying, with one 30-minute session determining the grid for each of the two races to follow. The fastest lap set by the drivers will decide their grid slot for the first race and their second fastest lap will do the same for the weekend's second and final race. Each race is 30 minutes long.
F1 Academy – Round 1 schedule
The points
A maximum of 56 points are available to a driver during an F1 Academy weekend.
The number of points on offer in an F1 Academy race is almost identical to that of a Grand Prix. Points are awarded to the top 10 finishers on a sliding scale of 25-18-15-12-10-8-6-4-2-1.
A point is also awarded for the fastest lap as long as the driver finishes in the top 10. A further two points are awarded to the driver(s) who take pole position in each race.
At the end of the season, the top five drivers in the driver's standings will receive FIA Super Licence Points on a sliding scale of 10-7-5-3-1, with 40 Super Licence Points required to race in Formula One.
How to watch F1 Academy and follow Tina's progress
F1 Academy will be broadcast live on Sky Sports F1 in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Stay tuned to this website and follow @AstonMartinF1 on social for the latest updates from Tina, Jessica and the team throughout the season.
Tina and Fernando catch up
Tina and Fernando talk tactics ahead of the opening races of the F1 Academy season in Saudi Arabia.
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