Chloe Chambers is gearing up for her final F1 Academy season with Red Bull Ford, aiming for championship glory and a lasting impact.
At just 20 years old, Chloe Chambers is making waves in Motorsport. The young American driver has already made a name for herself. With her performances on-track, affiliation with top-tier racing programs, and her ambition to reach the highest levels of the sport. With a race win and multiple podiums last season, Chambers is striving for F1 Academy glory in 2025.
Preparing for the F1 Academy season
With the F1 Academy Season starting due to the Chinese Grand Prix, all the drivers have begun preparations for the upcoming season. For Chloe Chambers, this meant competing in the Formula Winter series. Reflecting on the experience, she acknowledged that whilst it was good to get back in the car, the results didn’t tell the full story.
“We were just doing it mainly in preparation for F1 Academy, so we were still able to get good development out of it, mainly on our side with the driving and just kind of being able to get back in the car racing again before the F1 Academy season starts,” Chambers explained.
“It was a nice experience to be able to get something else done before the actual F1 Academy season, which is, of course, the main focus for this year.”
From Haas to Red Bull: A significant step forward
Chambers’ first year in F1 Academy was a breakthrough season, as the American became Haas’ first race winner, standing on the top step of the podium in Barcelona. Coming into 2025, she has now taken another step forward by joining the Red Bull Ford Academy.
“Of course, being with the Haas F1 team was a really cool experience for me,” she shared. “I think ultimately it was a really nice experience to be able to not just race under an F1 banner but also to attend other events and go to other races with the F1 teams.”
Joining Red Bull has provided the junior driver with additional resources for her to focus entirely on racing in F1 Academy.
“From everything that I’ve seen, it’s just been really nice how everything operates with them. I basically don’t have to think of my own logistics or anything like that because they handle it all. And I think that’s a big help.”
The transition to Red Bull Ford was a well-thought-out move. As the American brand was highly interested in having an American driver in the program.
“Ford, of course, being an American brand, really wanted an American in the car. So having seen me race last year at F1 Academy already, I think they really were pushing to get me in for the seat.”
Chasing the Championship
In 2025, Chambers will be starting her second and final season of F1 Academy. She has set a goal of etching herself in F1 Academy history. “My goal is to come out of this year with the F1 Academy Championship win. That’s of course what I’ll be shooting for,” she said.
However, she remained realistic about the season ahead, understanding that only one driver could take the title. “If that winner isn’t me, then I would like to have come out of the season having done the best performances that I could.”
However, with the return of reverse-grid races in 2025, there is an added layer of complexity for these young drivers. “Especially now this year with the reverse-grid race coming back. I think it’ll make the championship battle pretty close in the end, so I’m excited to get the season started in a couple of weeks.”
Chloe Chambers on The Growing Impact of F1 Academy
F1 Academy is entering its third season in 2025, and the evolution of the series has been vital. Increased F1 support, mandatory sponsor backing for drivers, and an upcoming Netflix series have significantly elevated the profile of women in motorsport. Chambers believes these changes are crucial for the long-term development of female drivers.
“I think a lot of the F1 teams have been really supportive of the whole program that they’ve set up for F1 Academy,” she stated.
Her new role within the Red Bull Racing team has given Chambers an insight into how much effort the F1 teams are putting into the series. “We pretty much work as a team with the other two drivers with Red Bull Racing and then V-CARB, so kind of the three of us follow the same program. And it’s been really nice to see so much support from the F1 side.”
As for the Netflix series, Chambers is eager to see how it will showcase the series and its drivers. “I don’t know exactly when that comes out, but I think it’ll be cool,” she said. “I know in Abu Dhabi last year, they showed me a three-minute clip of just highlights of me. And I thought that was cool! So I can’t wait to see what they’ve come up with for the full season.”
Alongside this, Chloe is also a member of Fernando Alonso’s A14 management group. A partnership that has played a vital role in her development during her European racing career.
“Before I joined A14, I was just kind of on my own, really,” she admitted. “Being from America, there’s not a whole lot of crossover in terms of contact and relationships from the US to Europe. So getting into F1 Academy was going to be a bit of a struggle without them.”
Looking ahead
As Chloe Chambers gears up for her final season in F1 Academy, she has her eyes set on the championship. Going into 2025, with a strong rookie campaign behind her and the support of Red Bull, it is set to be a very intense season.
“I’m excited to get the season started and then kind of see where it goes really.”
Feature Image Credit Red Bull Content Pool
