Formula 1 has confirmed the calendar for the inaugural season of its new F1 Academy series for female drivers.
The series has been set up by F1 to provide new opportunities for young and developing women drivers competing at junior single-seater levels or progressing out of karting into formula cars.
Five established teams will participate in the championship: Carlin, Prema, ART, Campos and MP Motorsport. All five teams will run three cars each for the 15-car grid.
Formula 1 announced this year’s inaugural season will comprise of 21 total races over seven rounds, beginning at the Red Bull Ring in late April until a season finale supporting the United States Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas in October. In addition, there will be 15 days of testing across the season, with a two-day test before the season-opening race in Austria.
Each round will consist of three races, with qualifying setting the order for races one and three and points for the first and final race following the F1 points structure with 25 points awarded for the winner. The second race will be a partially reversed-grid, with only 10 points awarded for the race winner and the top eight finishers taking points.
F1 Academy general manager Bruno Michel said the calendar will allow the drivers to gain experience on many tracks Formula 1 races on.
“Our goal was to be able to race on as many Formula 1 Grand Prix tracks as possible, with circuits that could be a great challenge for the drivers,” Michel said. “The teams know these layouts very well, so they will be able to help their young talents get to grips quickly.
“We had announced that F1 Academy would be racing alongside Formula 1 at one event, so it’s fantastic to be part of the F1 grand prix package in Austin, where we will also conclude the first season, in front of the F1 paddock and the American crowd. There is quite a gap in between rounds six and seven, but that is mainly due to the fact that we will be sending the cars and equipment by ship, to save on logistical costs.”
Drivers already confirmed to be participating in the first season of the series include former W Series drivers Nerea Marti and Bianca Bustamante, as well as Formula Regional European Championship driver Lena Buhler and GB4 racer Jessica Edgar.
2023 F1 Academy calendar
| Round | Dates | Circuit |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 28th-29th April | Red Bull Ring, Austria |
| 2 | 5th-7th May | Valencia, Spain |
| 3 | 19th-21st May | Circuit de Catalunya, Spain |
| 4 | 23rd-25th June | Zandvoort, Netherlands |
| 5 | 7th-9th July | Monza,… |
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