F1 Academy started its third season alongside the Formula 1 Shanghai Grand Prix from March 21-23. The weekend saw seasoned drivers and emerging talents fighting it out, assuring that this year is going to be as entertaining as ever. Across two races, Doriane Pin and Alisha Palmowski claimed victories, while Maya Weug showcased impressive one-lap speed. Here’s a full recap of the season opener.

READ MORE: F1 Academy 2025: Shanghai Set for Season Opener

PRACTICE: Pin sets early pace in Shanghai

In the sole Free Practice session, Mercedes’ Doriane Pin set the pace with a 2:04.198 lap, narrowly edging out PREMA Racing teammate, Aston Martin’s Tina Hausmann by 0.099 seconds. Red Bull Ford’s Chloe Chambers secured third, demonstrating the competitive field’s depth.

The session also saw a bizarre incident with less than 20 minutes to go, when the Red Flag was brought out by Racing Bulls’ Rafaela Ferreira, making contact with Lia Block as the Williams driver tried to find her way past down the back straight, with the #54 car spinning off heavily into the barrier.

QUALIFYING: Weug Takes her First F1 Academy Pole

Maya Weug was in a league of her own in qualifying, securing her maiden F1 Academy pole with a blistering 2:03.379. She outpaced Pin by nearly half a second, with rookie Alba Larsen impressing in third.

The session saw times tumble as drivers built confidence on Shanghai’s demanding layout. Weug quickly established herself at the top, being the first to dip into the 2:03s. Pin attempted to challenge but fell short, with her best effort leaving her 0.497s adrift.

Campos Racing’s Alisha Palmowski initially held provisional pole before Weug’s dominance, ultimately settling for fifth. Chambers claimed fourth, while Joanne Ciconte ensured all three MP Motorsport entries would start in the top six. Emma Felbermayr, Gademan, Hausmann, and Chloe Chong completed the top 10. Gademan would start the Reverse Grid Race 1 from the Pole position.

RACE 1: Palmowski Inherits Victory After Gademan’s Heartbreak

Reverse-grid pole-sitter Nina Gademan looked set for victory in Race 1, masterfully navigating three Safety Car restarts. However, disaster struck on the penultimate lap as her Alpine suffered a mechanical issue, allowing Alisha Palmowski to snatch her first F1 Academy win in a dramatic finish.

Gademan got a clean getaway at lights out, keeping Palmowski and Emma Felbermayr at bay into Turn 1. Meanwhile, Maya Weug surged from eighth to fifth by Lap 1, capitalizing on the midfield battle.

A flurry of incidents brought out three Safety Cars. Local Wild Card Shi Wei spun out on Lap 2, followed by Lia Block colliding with ART teammate Aurelia Nobels. Later, Chloe Chong misjudged a move on Nicole Havrda, triggering another caution and earning a 10-second penalty.

When racing resumed on Lap 11, Gademan initially looked set to take a stunning victory. But as she slowed dramatically with two laps to go, Palmowski inherited the lead. Chambers applied late pressure, but Palmowski held firm to win by just 0.3 seconds.

Weug rounded out the podium, with Pin avoiding late-race chaos to secure fourth. Ferreira gained 11 places to finish fifth, while Lloyd recovered from a pit-lane start to claim sixth. Alba Larsen crossed the line fourth but was demoted to seventh due to a penalty for contact with Felbermayr.

Race 2: Pin’s Masterclass in Shanghai

Doriane Pin delivered a flawless performance in Race 2, claiming a dominant win after taking the lead on the opening lap. The Mercedes driver surged past pole-sitter Weug at Turn 2 and never looked back, managing a Safety Car restart before pulling two seconds clear at the finish.

Weug, despite a strong challenge early on, had to settle for second place. Behind them, Chloe Chambers fought her way past Larsen late in the race to secure another podium.

The race began under tricky conditions, with an oil spill from a prior session forcing a rolling start and reducing the race distance to 11 laps. Pin wasted no time making her move, sweeping around the outside of Weug into Turn 2.

The Safety Car was deployed immediately as an aggressive move from Tina Hausmann on Nina Gademan resulted in both spinning out. Joanne Ciconte was also caught up in the melee, later being clipped by Chloe Chong.

Pin managed the restart perfectly on Lap 5, stretching a gap as Weug tried to stay in tow. Meanwhile, Chambers and Larsen engaged in a thrilling scrap for third. Chambers initially failed in her bid to overtake, but persistence paid off on Lap 10 as she used the slipstream to complete the move into Turn 1.

Doriane Pin delivered.

A commanding drive put Doriane on the top step for the first time in 2025. 🏆 pic.twitter.com/A1QhZdQJxl

— F1 Academy (@f1academy) March 23, 2025

Further down, Emma Felbermayr and Palmowski battled fiercely, with the Red Bull Racing driver making light contact with Felbermayr through Turn 2. Chong, after an earlier collision, crossed the line in P8 but was relegated to P11 due to a time penalty. This promoted Ferreira, Block, and Gademan into the points, with the Alpine driver securing P10.

Pin ultimately took the checkered flag unchallenged, marking her first win of the season, with Weug and Chambers rounding out the podium.

UP NEXT: Saudi Arabia Awaits

After an electrifying opener in Shanghai, F1 Academy now heads to Jeddah for an in-season test from April 4-6, before Round 2 at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit from April 18-20. With Pin and Weug emerging as early title contenders and rookies like Larsen and Gademan showing promise, the season is set to be a thrilling battle for supremacy.

Stay tuned for more F1 Academy action as the championship unfolds!

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