Maya Weug returns to the F1 Academy grid in 2025 with Ferrari and MP Motorsport.
Weug Becomes the Twelfth 2025 F1 Academy Entrant
Maya Weug, backed by Ferrari, has joined MP Motorsport for the 2025 F1 Academy season.
BREAKING 👀
Maya Weug is back on the F1 Academy grid for 2025! She’ll continue racing under the Scuderia Ferrari HP banner, joining forces with MP Motorsport for the first time this season.
After securing P3 in the 2024 standings, Maya will be aiming to build on her success… pic.twitter.com/Git56yZrdM
— F1 Academy (@f1academy) January 31, 2025
After an impressive rookie campaign in 2024, Weug is eager to continue in the all-female series.
She finished third in the championship standings with eight podiums. This includes a victory at the season finale in Abu Dhabi in 2024.
A Breakthrough Year in 2024
Weug’s first season in the F1 Academy was nothing short of remarkable.
Racing for Prema, the 20-year-old quickly showcased her talent with podiums in multiple races. For instance, she delivered a thrilling debut performance in Jeddah.
Her consistency continued with two more podium finishes at Zandvoort, her home race, where she earned two second-place finishes.
She also claimed a runner-up position in Singapore and finished third in Qatar. These finishes cemented her status as one of the top drivers in the series.
Her defining moment of the season came at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, where she clinched her maiden single-seater victory.
Overcoming fierce competition, Weug secured a much-deserved win, capping off an impressive campaign that left her in third place in the championship, behind only Abbi Pulling and Doriane Pin.
READ MORE: 2025 F1 Academy Lineup: Aurelia Nobels Returns with PUMA
A New Challenge with MP Motorsport
For 2025, Weug will join MP Motorsport. This move will mark the first time in her career that Weug will race for a Dutch team, adding a personal milestone to her motorsport journey.
“I’m super excited to join MP Motorsport for my second season in F1 Academy,” Weug said in a statement released by F1 Academy.
“MP has consistently been at the front in previous seasons, and I’m determined to help them add more wins and challenge for the title. It’s an honour to represent Ferrari again, and to do so while racing for a Dutch team is something really special for me.”
MP Motorsport enters the 2025 season with high expectations. The team are confident that with Weug at the helm, they are primed to contend for the championship.
“We are thrilled to welcome Maya to the team,” said Sander Dorsman, MP Motorsport’s team principal. “Her performance in 2024 speaks for itself, and with Maya leading our efforts, we are aiming for the title in 2025.”
This will also be the first year since 2016 that there will be no Ferrari-backed drivers driving for Prema in single-seaters.
Here we go again… #F1Academy 2025 coming soon 🚀 pic.twitter.com/2xuLmMUpYW
— Scuderia Ferrari Driver Academy (@insideFDA) January 31, 2025
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Weug’s Motorsport Journey
Weug’s rise in motorsport has been eventful. After making a name for herself in karting, she took a significant step forward by joining the Ferrari Driver Academy in 2020. This came after she won the inaugural Girls On Track – Rising Stars program.
Her journey continued in Italian Formula 4 in 2021 and 2022. She showed consistent progress, finishing with a personal best of sixth.
In 2023, Weug made her mark in the Formula Regional European Championship (FRECA) by scoring multiple top-ten finishes and securing a podium in her rookie season.
A remarkable second half of the season, including a win at Spa Francorchamps, saw her finish third in the rookie standings.
Weug returned to FRECA in 2024 for a one-off appearance at Imola, further solidifying her position as a rising star.
Looking Ahead
With the 2025 F1 Academy season set to begin in Shanghai in March, Weug and MP Motorsport are ready to take on the challenge of a 14-race calendar that supports Formula 1 Grand Prix weekends.
“We’ll be working hard all year, fighting for more wins,” Weug said, eager for the season ahead. “I’m so proud to be racing in Ferrari colours again for 2025. We’re ready to show the world what we’re made of.”
She joins Chloe Chambers (Red Bull Ford), Ella Lloyd (McLaren), Rafaela Ferreira (RB), Courtney Crone (Haas), Alba Hurup Larsen (Tommy Hilfiger), Nina Gademan (Alpine), Lia Block (Williams), Alisha Palmowski (Red Bull), Emma Felbermayr (Kick Sauber), and Aurelia Nobels (Puma) in what will be an exciting season. Six other drivers still need confirmation.
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Main Photo
IMAGO/Panoramic by PsnewZ
Recording Date: 22.09.2024
