F1 Academy races in Canada for the first time in the sport’s history. But it’s not just a historic moment for the series—it’s a personal milestone for hometown hero Nicole Havrda, who is competing in her first-ever Canadian Grand Prix. When speaking to the media, Havrda shared her excitement, the challenges she’s faced this season, and the pressure of competing in front of a home crowd.
A dream come true for Havrda
This weekend is more than just another race for Havrda. Her first-ever home race marks the fulfilment of a dream that she’s had since her earliest memories of watching Formula 1 in Montreal.
“Being my home race, obviously very, very excited. I live on the other side of Canada, so it’s a bit far to call it a home race, but I’m just super happy to be here and excited for the race weekend, especially with all the fans.”
The American Express-backed driver shared that she was quite emotional during the team track walk earlier in the weekend. She recalled her days as a young fan at the Canadian Grand Prix.
“I remember watching Formula One here and doing a track walk today, seeing all the grandstands where I was actually sitting a while back. Going through that was kind of surreal.”
Managing expectations at home
This weekend is already challenging for most on the grid. The added pressure of a compressed schedule to make up for the postponed Miami race, as well as a new circuit, is challenging. However, Havrda also has the increased media attention that comes with being the home driver.
“I have a lot of media stuff being my home race, so every evening I’m up super late doing media and other things. It’s definitely super packed.”
However, the Canadian is staying present in the moment and living every moment of her first home Grand Prix.
“But honestly, I’m just excited to race. The more track time, the better. Especially at a home track. It’s super cool to have three races and be able to show what I’m capable of.”
Havrda’s challenging rookie season
Despite only being in round 4, Havrda has had a challenging start to F1 Academy. The rookie has struggled with consistency, having several DNFs over the short time in the series. Havrda admitted that the journey has not been without its obstacles. Jumping into Formula 4 without prior experience in the car, while transitioning from Formula Regional, proved to be a steep learning curve.
“The start of the year wasn’t the greatest, especially not having any driving in Formula Four cars from the start. Going from a Formula Regional car to a Formula Four car has been kind of challenging—it’s such a different driving style.”
Unlike a lot of her competitors, Havrda skipped the winter series, ultimately limiting her seat time. Additionally, she joined a new team in a new series. Making it harder to find a healthy balance as quickly as other drivers had.
“The other teams already knew the setups and the tracks, so it was difficult. But we’re learning together—working on the car, giving feedback, and trying to perform.”
Despite the hurdles, she remains optimistic and focuses on improving in the second half of the season.
“Just trying to keep pushing for the other half of the year and try to get some good results.”
The importance of sponsorship
Beyond the racing, Havrda recognises the importance of building her brand and forging professional partnerships early in her career. She highlighted that F1 Academy’s sponsorship model has prepared all the drivers to manage these relationships. Helping them to market themselves effectively to brands and audiences,
“I think it’s a huge thing, especially working with such big brands. For me, I’m working with American Express, so dealing with such professional people at high levels is really good experience.”
Havrda also praised F1 Academy for creating opportunities outside of the sport for Women in Motorsport. Truly setting these girls up for future endeavours outside of F1 Academy.
“It’s really cool to be associated with a brand like that, especially since American Express is pretty woman-empowered. F1 Academy is doing good with that. It’s just cool to work with such a huge brand.”
As she continues her rookie season, Havrda’s home race is more than just another stop on the calendar. It’s a milestone in her journey and a celebration of how far she’s come. She will be eager to score her first points in the series at the Canadian Grand Prix this weekend, and turn around her season.
