After months of anticipation, the 2025 F1 Academy season is finally here and begins at the Chinese Grand Prix.
Firsts and fresh competition set the stage for an unforgettable start to the 2025 F1 Academy season
For the first time in the series’ history, the championship begins in China, with the Shanghai International Circuit hosting the opening round.
With new faces, fresh rivalries, and an updated race format, the season opener promises an exciting start to what is set to be an enthralling campaign.
2025 is looking good. 😮💨#F1Academy pic.twitter.com/VhYLtBSgdo
— F1 Academy (@f1academy) March 18, 2025
An Updated Grid
New talent is set to make their mark in Shanghai. Seven debutants will line up on the grid in China, including the Wild Card.
The grid has significantly altered since we last saw it. Rodin Motorsport and MP Motorsport have altered their driver line-ups for the 2025 season.
McLaren-backed Ella Lloyd joins Rodin alongside Kick Sauber’s Emma Felbermayr and returning competitor Chloe Chong.
MP Motorsport welcomes Danish driver Alba Hurup Larsen under Tommy Hilfiger colours, while Ferrari’s Maya Weug moves from PREMA to complete the MP trio.
American driver Courtney Crone joins Haas and ART Grand Prix after impressing as a Wild Card entrant in Miami last year.
Meanwhile, Nina Gademan moves to Alpine with reigning Teams’ Champions PREMA Racing, following her standout performance in Zandvoort.
At Campos Racing, Alisha Palmowski and Rafaela Ferreira form a Red Bull Academy duo. Chloe Chambers continues with the Spanish outfit for her second season.
In addition, the series welcomes a brand-new team, Hitech TGR, featuring rookies Nicole Havrda and Aiva Anagnostiadis.
But all eyes will be on their third driver, Shi Wei, who becomes the first Chinese competitor in F1 Academy and the season’s first Wild Card entrant.
With four Wild Card drivers scoring points last year, the home crowd will be eager to see if Shi can make an immediate impact.
READ MORE: Everything You Need to Know About the 2025 F1 Academy Season
Who Holds the Advantage?
While pre-season testing never tells the full story, it offers some early indicators of form.
Shanghai’s layout, with its mix of long straights and technical corners, provided teams with valuable mileage earlier this month.
2024 Vice-Champion Doriane Pin emerged as the fastest driver in testing, setting a benchmark time of 2:03.046 on Day 1.
However, 2024’s third-place finisher Maya Weug topped three of the five sessions, highlighting her intent to challenge at the front.
Rookies also made a strong impression, with Felbermayr posting multiple top-five times.
Elsewhere, new entrants Hitech TGR took full advantage of the testing opportunity, logging the most laps of any team. Nicole Havrda, in particular, completed 203 laps, the highest individual mileage of the test.
With track conditions set to change over the weekend, testing results may not be fully indicative of race pace.
Higher temperatures and increased rubber on the surface, courtesy of F1’s presence, could shake up the competitive order, potentially favouring second-year drivers with more adaptability.
The Return of the Reverse Grid
A major format change sees the reintroduction of reverse grid races, adding another layer of strategy and unpredictability.
The top eight qualifiers will be reversed for Race 1, meaning the eighth-fastest driver will start from pole, while the fastest qualifier will have to fight their way forward.
Meanwhile, those who qualify ninth and below will maintain their positions, with only the top eight finishers earning points.
This system is set to reward overtaking and strategic racecraft, ensuring thrilling on-track action from the outset.
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Looking Ahead to the Weekend
With multiple storylines in play, the 2025 F1 Academy season opener at the Chinese Grand Prix is shaping up to be F1 Academy’s most exciting one yet.
Shanghai, it’s time.
Race 1 is on the horizon. 👀#F1Academy #ChineseGP pic.twitter.com/N4z3T49jzs
— F1 Academy (@f1academy) March 19, 2025
Will the experienced drivers assert their dominance, or will a rookie steal the spotlight? Can Shi Wei deliver a memorable performance on home soil? And how will the return of the reverse grid influence the championship battle?
The answers begin to unfold when cars hit the track on Friday.
Tune into the 2025 F1 Academy opener at the Chinese Grand Prix from March 21st to 23rd.
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Main Photo
IMAGO / HochZwei
Recording Date: 21.04.2024
