The F1 academy season is officially underway in 2025. With Dorianne Pin topping the first ever Free Practice session during the 2025 Chinese Grand Prix.
This season of F1 Academy promises to be an exciting one. It features a new team, Hitech Grand Prix, which has brought two more amazing drivers to the grid. Additionally, F1 Academy will be featuring new tracks across this season. Adventuring to places like Shanghai, Montreal and ending the season in Las Vegas.
There is only one 40-minute practice session ahead of these drivers before they go straight into qualifying for the first races of the season.
Green track ahead
The drivers had three days of testing in Shanghai ahead of the season opener, allowing them to get accustomed to the track as well as the car. For many of these young girls, this is the first experience they will have in single-seater categories. Therefore, adding an extra challenge for them.
The wildcard entry for this weekend is Hometown Hero Shi Wei. The Chinese driver, also known as ‘Tie Dou’, won the Challenge Cup at the FIA F4 Chinese Championship in Shanghai. Finishing third in the CFGP category. Having raced extensively at this circuit, she has somewhat of an advantage over her rivals.
Ella Lloyd had a very difficult first flying lap, as the cold tyres made the car difficult to drive. The McLaren driver managed to save the car and ultimately continued on her flying lap. Setting the pace at 2:06:155.
With fourteen minutes down in the session, only six drivers have managed to set a flying lap. Many remain in the pit lane for the time being as the drivers begin to test the limits of this Shanghai circuit.
20 minutes remain
Ferrari-backed driver Maya Weug has set the fastest time of the session with 20 minutes remaining. The Dutch driver managed a 2:04.970, which was a whole second faster than her closest rival of Chloe Chong. Weug will want to start her final F1 Academy season on a high after finishing her rookie season in third place.
A miscommunication on the back straight saw Block in the wall. Ferreira was warming up her tyres as Lia Block went to overtake her, ultimately, the VCARB-backed driver hit her rival. Bringing out the red flag with seventeen minutes remaining in the only practice session of the weekend. The incident will be investigated after the session is completed.
Back to green flag racing
The session resumes with under eight minutes remaining. Chambers and Palmowski showed the most urgency to get back out there, as neither of the Campos drivers was able to set a flying lab before the red flag came out.
Shi Wei has a spin at the first corner, momentarily bringing out the yellow flags. However, the Chinese driver can continue on her warm-up lap.
Dorianne Pin is on a flying lap, setting purple sectors 1 and 2, she sets the fastest time of 2:04.297. However, last year’s vice-champion is quickly outdone by Tina Hausman. The Aston Martin driver pulls off an impressive 2:04.297, 0.027 seconds ahead of her teammate Pin.
Chambers also manages to set a flying lap, elevating herself from sixteenth to second, 0.153 seconds off Pin’s time.
The French driver strikes back quite quickly. Reclaiming the fastest lap time of 2:04.198. Her PREMA teammate is unable to match this time, keeping Pin as the fastest driver on track.
Chambers was on one of the last flying laps, hoping to top the timing sheets in this first practice session. However, a major lockup in the final sector cost the American driver a shot at the fastest time. She ultimately finished the session in third, ahead of both her Campos teammates.
The top three for F1 Academy’s first session of 2025, is the PREMA duo of Dorianne Pin and Tina Hausman. Closely followed by the Red Bull Ford driver of Chloe Chambers.
Qualifying for the 2025 Chinese Grand Prix will be underway in a few hours. With an extremely tight practice session, it is anyone’s game for pole position.
