F1 Academy 2025 Season Kicks Off with High Drama and a Maiden Victory in Shanghai

The 2025 F1 Academy season roared to life at Shanghai International Circuit, with drivers eager to make their mark in the opening round.​

A Thrilling 2025 F1 Academy Season Opener in China

The opening round of the 2025 F1 Academy season at Shanghai International Circuit was nothing short of exciting, marked by strategic manoeuvres, multiple safety car deployments, and a dramatic lead change in the penultimate lap of Race 1.

The weekend began with Mercedes‘ Doriane Pin showcasing her intent by topping the sole practice session. Despite her setting the early pace, it would be her former teammate to take the spotlight after Practice.

Qualifying: Maya Weug’s Dominant Pole

The 2025 F1 Academy season opener in Shanghai witnessed a stellar performance from Maya Weug, who clinched her first pole position with a remarkable lap time of 2:03.379, outpacing her closest competitor by nearly half a second.

From the outset, Weug demonstrated exceptional pace, consistently improving her times. Her dominance was evident as she remained unchallenged at the top of the timing sheets throughout the session.

Doriane Pin, representing PREMA Racing, secured second place but was unable to match Weug’s blistering speed, trailing by 0.497 seconds.

Rookie Alba Larsen made an impressive debut by qualifying third, showcasing her potential in her first F1 Academy appearance. Chloe Chambers and Alisha Palmowski, both from Campos Racing, secured fourth and fifth positions, respectively.

Joanne Ciconte ensured all three MP Motorsport cars were within the top six, underlining the team’s strong performance.

Notably, Lia Block of Williams was unable to participate in the qualifying session due to significant damage sustained during practice, sidelining her for the remainder of the weekend.

READ MORE: Everything You Need to Know About the 2025 F1 Academy Season

Race 1: Palmowski Triumphs Amidst Late Drama

Last season’s Qatar’s wildcard Palmowski emerged victorious, securing her first career win in the series.

With the top eight qualifiers subjected to a reverse grid, rookie Nina Gademan of PREMA Racing started from pole. She executed a flawless launch, maintaining her lead into the first corner.

Chambers made an aggressive start, attempting to overtake both teammate Palmowski and second-placed Emma Felbermayr by going around the outside. However, Chambers was forced to settle behind, allowing Palmowski to move into P2.

Weug, starting from eighth, swiftly climbed to fifth, overtaking teammate Alba Larsen and Doriane Pin in the process.

The race’s rhythm was disrupted early on when local wildcard entrant Shi Wei spun and became stranded at Turn 7, prompting the first safety car deployment at the end of Lap 1.

Racing resumed on Lap 4, with Gademan expertly managing the restart to retain her lead. Chambers seized this opportunity to overtake Felbermayr for third place. Weug continued her ascent by dispatching Felbermayr shortly after.

The second safety car was deployed following a collision between ART Grand Prix teammates Block and Aurelia Nobels, resulting in Nobels spinning out of contention.

A third safety car period ensued when Chloe Chong misjudged her braking and collided with Nicole Havrda.

The race resumed on Lap 11, setting the stage for a three-lap sprint to the finish. Initially, Gademan pulled a significant gap, but heartbreak struck on the penultimate lap as a mechanical issue forced her to slow dramatically and drop to P8.

Palmowski won, with Chambers behind her in P2. Weug completed a commendable drive by securing the final podium spot.

Pin finished fourth, narrowly avoiding late-race contact between Larsen and Felbermayr. Rafaela Ferreira delivered an impressive performance from P16 to P5, while Ella Lloyd transformed a pit lane start into a sixth-place finish.

Race 2: Doriane Pin’s Masterclass in Shanghai

Race 2 at Shanghai International Circuit showcased Pin’s exceptional driving skills, as she secured a commanding victory amidst challenging conditions.

Due to an oil spill during the previous session, Race 2 started with a delayed, rolling start after an additional formation lap, reducing the race distance to 11 laps.

Weug led the field initially, but Pin capitalised on the rolling start, skillfully making her way around the outside of Turn 1 to seize the lead by Turn 3.

The race’s opening lap was marred by a multi-car incident. As Felbermayr and Gademan fought for P6, Tina Hausmann attempted an ambitious overtake but misjudged her braking, colliding with the Dutch driver.

This was followed by an incident involving Joanne Ciconte, Nobels, and Nicole Havrda, leading to their retirements and prompting a full Safety Car deployment.

Racing resumed on Lap 5, with Pin executing a flawless restart to maintain her lead. Behind her, intense battles unfolded.

Larsen defended third place against a determined Chambers. The American made several attempts to overtake, finally succeeding on Lap 10.

Further down the field, Felbermayr overtook Race 1 winner Palmowski for fifth place. Palmowski, who is new to single-seater racing attempted to reclaim the position but made contact with Felbermayr, though both continued without significant damage.

Chong, meanwhile, advanced to P8 but received a 10-second penalty for an earlier collision, demoting her to 11th in the final standings.

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Reliving the Events of the 2024 $1 Million Challenge