4 Women driver’s named for F1 Academy Series – could F4 UAE Championship provide feeder for Series?

4 Women driver’s named for F1 Academy Series – could F4 UAE Championship provide feeder for Series? Most certainly, the United Arab Emirates Championship has provided opportunities for up-coming driver’s to further develop their skills in the compact 5 Round Series prior to F1/F2/F3 season, with 3 women competing in 2023 F4 UAE Championship gaining placement in F1 Academy.

3 Teams competing in F4 UAE Championship prior to F3/F2 Championship starting have confirmed their F1 Academy Series driver’s: ART Grand Prix Racing welcomes Swiss racer Lena Buhler, PREMA Racing confirms Bianca Bustamante from the Philippines, and Rodin Carlin signs British driver Jessica Edgar. Campos Racing has confirmed line-up of Spanish driver Nerea Marti, who competed in WSeries in 2021 and 2022.

Certainly, the 14 Teams and corresponding 40 driver’s in F4 UAE Championship 2023 have established feeder series capabilities which includes 4 women competing in Rounds One to Five in Dubai, Kuwait and Yas Marina circuits from the Opening Round in January 13-14 to the final Round on February 18-19.

Making most of the opportunity to gain seat-time ahead of competing on F1 Academy Series, Lena and Bianca have gained commendable results with Bianca scoring P9 in Race 2, Round 4 at Dubai, along with UAE native Hamda Al Qubaisi and Italian teenager Victoria Blokhina making presence known from Qualifying to competing in level playing field on track.

With 11 out of potentially 15 driver spots to be confirmed, meeting the required F1 Academy funding requirements will be all-out determinant for who will be signed as 3 female driver’s within the 5 named F1 Academy Teams: ART Grand Prix Racing, Campos Racing, Carlin, MP Motorsport, and PREMA.

Sure, F1 Academy’s provision fund of €150,000 per car, (€2.25m in total) goes along way to founding the Series, the requirement for driver’s to cover the same amount and corresponding Teams to pick up the remaining deficit in costs would undoubtedly be the sticking point for making the Series sustainable for the future.

Notwithstanding the facts as stated above, option of F1 Academy aligning with feeder Series marks for smooth transition of younger generation of driver’s – female and male – to ranks of F3/F2/F1 from established Teams operating within F4 Championships. F4 UAE Championship holds perfect placement of schedule, Team assimilation to F3/F2/F1 season, along with nuance, knowledge and understanding of younger driver’s skills which need to be developed prior to entering mainstream of formula racing.

With F1 Academy Series announcement of remaining 11 driver’s pending, there is plenty up for discussion on who will take place behind the wheel across the 5 named Teams. Will there be room for Wild Card women driver’s to race one of the 7 Rounds of 3 races each – with hopefully, one Round within Formula One GP?

Will there be an opportunity for driver’s competing in 2023 F4 Championships – in UAE, Spain, Italy, and America to enter in F1 Academy Round on invitation if all 15 driver allocations have not been filled? And, will there be incentive given to women competing in F1 Academy Series 2023 that they will receive preferential reduction of funding costs to race in Formula Series the following year?

Let’s wait and see.

Words: Sharon Cox.