F1 Academy: we start with the second season in Saudi Arabia | FP

The Saudi Arabian Grand Prix will be the second Formula 1 event of the season, but another championship will also officially start on the same Jeddah street circuit: that of F1 Academy. Now in its second edition, the series is confidential exclusively for womenborn at the end of 2022 after the disappearance of the previous W Series.

Based on the technical regulations and with Formula 4 cars, the category presents two main innovations starting from this year: in addition to points for FIA Superlicense assigned to the top five classified at the end of this season (10 for the winner, 7 for the second, 5 for the third, 3 for the fourth and 1 for the fifth), all seven events on the calendar will take place on the weekend in which the cadet categories of F1 (Formula 3 and 2) and the Circus itself will be present.

F1 Academy – 2024 Calendar

We start from the title won last year by the Spanish Marta Garcia (this year in the European Formula Regional), and with three female drivers fielded by each of the five registered teams, themselves with experience in F2 and F3. There will be no Italians, but only a team representing our country like Prema. Another new feature will be the addition of a wild cards for the weekend who will drive a car supplied by Prema in addition to the three drivers already present in the official line up (in Saudi Arabia it will be Reema Juffali, of Saudi nationality). The main objective of the F1 Academy is to bring women as close as possible to Formula 1, and many of them are in fact part of the teams' Academies.

F1 Academy 2024 – Teams and drivers

Regulation and format

The scoring system compared to last season remains unchanged, and follows the same as Formula 1. In addition, they will be assigned two extra points to the one who will conquer the pole position And one more point for the author of fastest lap. The single-seaters will have the same chassis, supplied by the Italian company Tatuus, just as happens in Formula 4. Here too, as in the other categories, another 'blue' company such as Pirelli supplies the tyres. The format of the weekend is particular, especially with regards to qualifying: in addition to two free practice sessions on Friday of 40 minutes each (only one in the case of the inaugural GP in Saudi Arabia, which is also Thursday), qualifying will last half an hour. Now. The person who achieves their best time will establish the starting grid for race 1, while the second best personal time will establish the starting grid for race 2. Finally, both races will last half an hour each. All tests will be broadcast by Sky, with the following timetable for the Saudi Arabian GP. It should be noted that game 2, contrary to the typical program which includes this round on Sunday, will take place on Saturday, in respect of the start of Islamic Ramadan.

F1 Academy / GP Saudi Arabia 2024 – program and times

Thursday 7 March
12:00 – Free practice (live on Sky Sport F1)
7.30pm – Qualifying (live on Sky Sport F1)
Friday 8 March
1.05pm – Race 1 (live on Sky Sport F1)
Saturday 9 March
1.00pm – Race 2 (live on Sky Sport F1)