F1 Academy heads into Round 4 at Zandvoort – what will fans expect post 2 days of testing at Aragon? Most certainly, time-sheets confirmed how far the 15 female driver’s have progressed within the 5 Teams whose knowledge, experience and support has reinforced all learning capabilities amongst the field.
Leading testing sessions on both days, MP Motorsport driver Hamda Al Qubaisi proved her physical and mental tenacity on track, posting the only sub-2.00 minute lap time in the morning session on Day 2. What has been a remarkable recovery from arm injury earlier this year, the Emirati driver, poses more of a threat to her female counter-parts heading into Round 4 of 7 this coming weekend.
Significantly, all 15 women gained huge benefits from F1 Academy testing sessions – two three hour slots over 2 days – with combined 480 laps completed around the 5.344km circuit at Motorland Aragon. As driver’s remarked, the experience to try different set-ups during rain and dry sessions remains invaluable and appreciated within the context of hard-to-come-by track time during a race season.
And stats prove the development of driver ability has increased ten-fold with all 15 driver’s posting lap times within one second on Day 2 in the morning session. Top 5 were: Hamda on 1.59.937, British driver Abbi Pulling on 2.00.024, Spanish driver’s Marta Garcia and Nerea Marti on 2.00.101 and 2.00.140 respectively, with Bianca Bustamante on 2.00.284.
The fact that 8 different driver’s have gained a podium finish in Rounds 1 – 3 within races 1 and 3, speaks highly of the talent within the Teams. Prema Racing driver Marta Garcia holds comfortable lead in Championship standings on 135 points with wins in Rounds 1 and 2, all the while challenged by new podium order in Round 3 at Barcelona, with MP Motorsport driver Emely de Heus taking the win in R1 and ART Grand Prix driver Lena Buhler winning R3.
Suffice to say, all women have kept nerves at bay on track, aiming for improved performances as season progresses. As ART Grand Prix driver, Carrie Schreiner admits, the first half of the season was challenging, yet post testing the German feels more confident heading into the final 4 Rounds.
Round 4 at Zandvoort will prove fertile ground for home based MP Motorsport to showcase their female line-up of Hamda, Emely, and Al Qubaisi sister Amna, while Round 5 at Monza will provide comfort zone benefits for Prema Racing on 7 – 9 July. The penultimate Round 6 will test all women to consolidate points on Le Castellat circuit in France on July 29 – 30, before the Final showdown at F1 United States Grand Prix in Austin, on October 20 – 22.
For sure, make or break racing ahead, not just for the driver’s but for fans watching as well.
Header photo: Hamda Al Qubaisi competing in F1 Academy testing at Aragon Image: F1 Academy
Words: Sharon Cox.
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