Championing the next generation of female talent, the third season of the F1 ACADEMY season kicks off this weekend with the series’ debut in Shanghai, China.

Once again all seven rounds will be supporting the Formula 1 World Championship and in 2025 will visit three continents, breaking down global barriers to entry making motorsport more diverse, inclusive and accessible to all.

The iconic F1 ACADEMY is bringing about real change for women in motorsport with a seismic growth in the numbers of females now enjoying the sport at all levels whether as competitors, fans or within the industry.

Evidencing its success, this year’s championship boasts an expanded 18 car field of young female racing talents aged between 16 and 25 years old, with 17 regular racers plus one invited ‘wild card’ driver at all seven venues.

Furthering the connection with F1 all ten Grand Prix teams have their own nominated driver while others are supported by prominent F1 commercial partners.

Abbi Pulling won last year’s title and with it a fully-funded entry into this year’s GB3 Championship. Her promotion now leaves the track clear for others to shine.

Having finished second and third in 2024, proven winners Doriane Pin (Mercedes) and Maya Weug (Scuderia Ferrari) must start among the pre-season favourites but there are three British females all keen to emulate the now departed Pulling. And, fuelling their careers, all three are current members of the Motorsport UK Academy.

Having joined the McLaren Driver Development programme, 19-year-old Ella Lloyd from Pontypridd in south Wales, will no doubt be inspired by team-mate Lando Norris’s stirring victory last Sunday in Australia. She impressed with podium results in the 2024 British F4 Championship and, again, with two top ten finishes when given a wild card F1 ACADEMY entry in Singapore last September.

“I’m really excited to be joining the McLaren Driver Development programme as the team’s F1 ACADEMY driver in 2025,” said Lloyd whose first taste in motorsport came in 2018 when invited to take part in a FIA Girls on Track taster event at Silverstone.

“It’s an honour to drive for a team that has such a great racing history, and also a long track record for developing talent. With McLaren, I now have everything I need to keep developing and pushing the boundaries as a female in motorsport. I can’t wait to get racing in papaya.”

Furthering her progress, Lloyd will also be contesting non-clashing rounds of the Wera Tools British F4 Championship as Pulling did so successfully last year.

Red Bull supported Alisha Palmowski from Glossop near Manchester also impressed when given a wild card in Qatar. Having already finished vice-champion in the British GB4 Championship, she qualified in the top six for both races and finished the first in P5. Sadly for her, the second race was cancelled.

“I am incredibly excited and honoured to be joining the Red Bull Racing Programme in F1 ACADEMY for 2025,” said the highly promising 18-year-old. “Red Bull Racing is one of the best teams on the grid, and to see the talent they have brought through the doors and to get to be a part of that next generation is something that I could never have imagined. The Team has been incredibly supportive so far, and I can’t wait to get fully underway with the ultimate goal of winning the championship.”

Chloe Chong is the third British driver on the grid. The 17-year-old from Orpington in Kent previously raced in the female-only championship in 2023, when she was the youngest driver in the field, before switching to British F4 in 2024.

“I’m super happy to be making a return to F1 ACADEMY this season,” admitted Chong, another to have been inspired by the FIA Girls on Track programme. “Having female role models in F1 ACADEMY and seeing them race and seeing and being as competitive as the guys that are moving up is inspiring and it’s going to change the game for women’s racing.”

For all three British women this weekend’s action commences on Friday with Free Practice (1am GMT) and Qualifying (6am GMT) followed by Race 1 on Saturday (5:45am GMT) and the Race 2 on Sunday (2:40am GMT).

Adding to both the show and learning curve, reverse grid races have been reintroduced, so drivers will have to prove they’re not only quick qualifiers but masterful overtakers. Last seen in 2023, this year’s format will see the top eight drivers from Qualifying reversed on the grid for Race 1, however, with reduced points being awarded, the main emphasis will always be on the second showdown.

(Image: Getty images)