F1 Academy Explained: Full 2024 guide including drivers and calendar

Here's everything you need to know about the F1 Academy, including the championship format, 2024 schedule, drivers, teams, and points system.

Established in 2023, the F1 Academy is a single-seater racing championship exclusively for female drivers aged 16 to 25 - who must hold a Grade B, C or D International FIA Licence.

It functions as a feeder series and is designed to develop young female drivers and prepare them for higher levels of competition such as Formula 3, Formula 2 and Formula 1.

The Academy is a spec series, meaning all 15 drivers compete with identical cars. The championship utilises the Tatuus F4-T-421 chassis, powered by a turbo-charged 1.4-litre, four-cylinder engine supplied by Autotecnica and equipped with 13-inch Pirelli tyres.

To make the sport more accessible, F1 has pledged €2.25 million (roughly £1.91 million) to the championship, helping to reduce driver entry costs. While drivers are still required to contribute €100,000, this marks a €50,000 decrease from last year's costs.

Additionally, each of the 10 F1 teams has selected one driver from the F1 Academy grid to run a car in their own livery, and many of these drivers have also been incorporated into the academy programmes of their respective F1 teams.

Susie Wolff, ex-Williams F1 test driver and former team principal and CEO for the Venturi Formula E squad, was appointed managing director of F1 Academy in early 2023.

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F1 Academy format - Weekend structure and points system

Just like F1, the F1 Academy weekend takes place across Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

Practice gets the weekend rolling, with either one or two 40-minute sessions on Friday, depending on the schedule. If only one practice session is held on Friday, a 30-minute qualifying session will take place the same day.

If two practice sessions were held on Friday, qualifying will take place on Saturday, followed by Race 1 (which lasts 30 minutes). Race 2 will take place on Sunday, and it will also last 30 minutes.

The fastest lap from qualifying sets the grid for Race 1 on Saturday, while the second-fastest lap determines the starting order for Race 2 on Sunday.

READ MORE: F1 Explained: A beginner's guide to all the key terms and definitions

F1 Academy points system

The points system in F1 Academy mirrors F1, rewarding the top 10 finishers in each 30-minute race with 25, 18, 15, 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2 and 1 points respectively.

There's an additional point up for grabs for the driver who clocks the fastest lap - but only if they finish within the top 10.

With 25 points awarded for the win and a potential 2 points for each pole position, a driver can rack up a maximum of 56 points across a race weekend, while a team can score a total of 122 points.

At the end of the season, the top five finishers will be awarded Super Licence points - with the winner earning 10 points, the second-place finisher earning seven, the third-place finisher earning five, the fourth-place finisher earning three, and the fifth-placed driver earning one point.

Marta Garcia won the inaugural F1 Academy title driving for PREMA Racing.

F1 Academy teams and drivers

The teams competing in 2024 are ART Grand Prix, Campos Racing, MP Motorsport, Prema Racing, and Rodin Motorsport. Here's a list of all teams and their drivers.

READ MORE: F1 Penalties Explained: What are they and how do drivers get banned?

F1 Academy Schedule

The F1 Academy season consists of seven rounds spread across various circuits throughout the year. Each round features two races - as opposed to three last year - offering young drivers great opportunities to showcase their talent and hone their race craft.

The inaugural season in 2023 visited a selection of iconic F1 tracks, including Barcelona's Circuit de Catalunya, Circuit of the Americas in Austin, and the legendary Monza.

In 2024, F1 Academy heads to Jeddah, Miami, Barcelona, Zandvoort, Singapore, Qatar and Abu Dhabi.

Here's the full schedule in 2024:

READ MORE: F1 Schedule 2024: Full calendar with all you need to know about every grand prix

F1 Academy FAQs

What is F1 Academy?

F1 Academy is a single-seater racing series designed to develop female talent for Formula 3, Formula 2 and Formula 1. All drivers are aged 16-25 and compete in identical cars.

What is the F1 Academy format?

A typical race weekend includes up to two free practice sessions (40 minutes each), one qualifying session (30 minutes), and two races (30 minutes each). The fastest lap in qualifying determines the starting grid for Saturday's Race 1, while the second-fastest lap sets the grid for Sunday's Race 2.

How many teams and drivers are there in F1 Academy?

The series features five teams with three drivers each, totalling 15 drivers on the grid.

Who won the F1 Academy in 2023?

Marta Garcia won the drivers' championship driving for Prema Racing, and she then earned a fully funded seat in FRECA junior series for the 2024 season.

Where to watch the F1 Academy?

Each F1 Academy session will be broadcast live on Sky Sports F1 in the UK.

READ MORE: F1 on TV: The definitive guide to how to watch the 2024 season live

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