Exciting F1 Academy announcement as 11 teams make new commitment in multi-year deal | F1 | Sport
All 10 existing Formula One teams, and the new Cadillac squad, have signed a multi-year commitment that will see them continue to sponsor an F1 Academy driver and livery. The latest addition to the grid will enter the series in 2027, one year after their debut next term.
The F1 Academy series was launched in 2023 as a spiritual successor to the W Series, offering female drivers an opportunity to compete in F4-level machinery on a vast platform, with the aim of progressing them further up the feeder series ladder.
Spearheaded by director Susie Wolff, F1 Academy aims to increase female participation in motorsport and develop young talent. In accordance with the latter goal, drivers will no longer be capped at two seasons in the category, provided they show ‘strong potential for continued growth’.
Confirming the announcement on Thursday, Wolff said: “The commitment of long-term support from all ten current Formula 1 teams, and the addition of Cadillac to our grid from 2027, sends a powerful message about the future of F1 Academy.
“We’re not just providing a platform for the current generation of female drivers; together, we’re building a pathway to support generations of talent to come. We continue to be impressed by the depth of female talent coming out of the world of karting and are encouraged by the growth and strength of the emerging talent pool.
“A sharpened focus on individualised talent development, including the opportunity for drivers with high potential to compete in up to three seasons, will give stand-out drivers the support and platform needed to fully realise their potential, while ensuring that the F1 Academy grid consistently features the very best female talent.”
The road to breaking the drought of female racers in F1 still has some way to go, but Wolff believes that the representation of young girls in karting is steadily improving and that talented prospects are being developed in numbers.
“Twenty years ago, I was ‘the girl’ and it was embarrassing if you got beaten by me,” she told The Guardian. “Whereas the next generation see these young girls are quick and that it’s completely normal to be racing them. The whole mindset has shifted, and we now just need the talent pool to widen so that we have a 50‑50 split between boys and girls.”
Now, though, F1 Academy looks ahead to the season finale in Las Vegas. Mercedes-backed Doriane Pin leads Ferrari prodigy Maya Weug by just nine points heading into the two Stateside races next weekend, setting up a tense final act in the 2025 campaign.
