The 2025 F1 Academy season officially got underway at the iconic Shanghai International Circuit, marking the first time the all-women series has raced at the Chinese venue. With rookies filling much of the grid and MP Motorsport operating for Maya Weug (Scuderia Ferrari), Alba Larsen (Tommy Hilfiger), and Joanne Ciconte (F1 Academy), the weekend promised excitement, lessons, and an early display of potential.
Free Practice
Under warm Friday skies, the first official session of the year allowed drivers to explore the circuit at full speed. Maya quickly found the rhythm and sat within the top three for most of the session. Alba and Joanne spent time inside the top 10, adjusting to the track and gaining confidence.
• P4 – Maya Weug
• P7 – Joanne Ciconte
• P11 – Alba Larsen
With a red flag mid-session interrupting momentum, the restart gave our drivers a second opportunity to maximize learning on fresh tires ahead of qualifying.
Qualifying
Later that day, a track with much more grip awaited. Maya launched a near-perfect lap early, placing herself temporarily in P1. As grip improved, lap times fell—but when it counted, Maya returned to the top of the standings with a blistering lap, 0.497s clear of second place.
Alba responded with her strongest lap yet, going P3 and positioning herself on the second row for Race 2. Joanne hovered between P6 and P13 for most of the session, eventually nailing a late lap to take P6, just shy of P3 after a small sector two error.
Race 1 Starting Positions (Reverse Grid):
• P3 – Joanne
• P6 – Alba
• P8 – Maya
Race 2 Starting Positions (Fastest Laps):
• P1 – Maya
• P3 – Alba
• P6 – Joanne
Race 1
Saturday’s heat returned for the season’s first race, with 13 laps ahead and great points potential. Maya and Alba made strong starts, immediately moving up through the field. Joanne, however, had a more difficult launch, losing positions by the end of the opening lap.
Multiple safety car periods broke up the race, but Maya delivered an exceptional restart, climbing into P4 before a dramatic turn of events saw the leader retire. She crossed the line in P3, securing the team’s first podium of the season.
Alba fought hard in the midfield, executing smart overtakes and finishing P4 on track, before a post-race penalty dropped her to P7. Joanne, unfortunately, lost positions in the opening lap but also received three 10-second stop-and-go penalties for procedural errors on the grid and under the safety car and finished in P14.
• P3 – Maya Weug
• P7 – Alba Larsen
• P14 – Joanne Ciconte
Race 2
With Maya starting from pole position, Sunday’s cooler conditions and a rolling start set the tone. Maya held P2 after Turn 1 and spent most of the race within striking distance of the leader, but ultimately couldn’t make the move stick.
Alba remained consistent and calculated in P3 and P4, defending well and showing strong racecraft throughout. She eventually settled for P4, scoring valuable points in her F1 Academy debut weekend.
Joanne faced early contact after losing ground at the start and was forced to retire after a Turn 4 incident, ending her race early.
• P2 – Maya Weug
• P4 – Alba Larsen
• DNF – Joanne Ciconte
Championship Standings After Round 1:
Drivers’ Championship:
• P2 – Maya Weug – 26 points
• P5 – Alba Larsen – 14 points
• P15 – Joanne Ciconte – 0 points
Teams’ Championship:
• P2 – MP Motorsport – 40 points
Looking ahead to Jeddah
Shanghai brought speed, consistency, and moments of brilliance for MP Motorsport. With Maya on the podium twice, Alba delivering in both races, and Joanne learning through tough circumstances, the team now turns its focus to Jeddah, where high speeds and unforgiving walls will set the next challenge. The goal: more silverware, more points, and more talent accelerated.
