After a two-month break, F1 Academy is back with its fourth round in the Netherlands. The all-female single-seater series last took to the track at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya for the Spanish Grand Prix, with the first race won by Abbi Pulling and Chloe Chambers taking her maiden win in race two.
Pulling will be looking to extend her championship lead this weekend after winning four of the first six races. The Alpine-sponsored driver is leading by 66 points ahead of Doriane Pin, with Haas’ Chambers sitting in third place.
When is the F1 Academy Zandvoort round?
The fourth round of the F1 Academy – the Dutch Grand Prix - will take place at the Circuit Zandvoort. The event accompanies some of the F1 races this year, and will take place ahead of the top-tier race later in the day.
Race 1:
Date: Saturday 24 August 2024
Start time: 4.05pm BST/ 5.05pm CEST/ 11.05am EST/ 8.05am PST
Race 2:
Date: Sunday 25 August 2024
Start time: 9.40am BST/ 10.40am CEST/ 4.40am EST/ 1.40am PST
What are the full timings for the F1 Academy Zandvoort round?
Friday 23 August:
Free Practice 1: 9.10am BST/ 10.10am CEST/ 4.10am EST/ 1.10am PST
Free Practice 2: 4.30pm BST/ 5.30pm CEST/ 11.30am EST/ 8.30am PST
Saturday 24 August:
Qualifying: 9.15am BST/ 10.15am CEST/ 4.15am EST/ 1.15am PST
Race 1: 4.05pm BST/ 5.05pm CEST/ 11.05am EST/ 8.05am PST
Sunday 25 August:
Race 2: 9.40am BST/ 10.40am CEST/ 4.40am EST/ 1.40am PST
What is the weather forecast for the F1 Academy’s Zandvoort round?
There is a warning for strong winds in Zandvoort for the F1 Academy Dutch GP. It’s expected to be a wet weekend, which should hopefully dry before the second race on Sunday. Temperatures are expected to be slightly cooler compared to the previous race at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, which saw temperatures reach almost 30°C/86 Fahrenheit.
Friday 23 August:
The first F1 Academy practice session will see strong winds and a slight chance of rain throughout the 40 minutes. Temperatures are forecast to reach 20°C/68 Fahrenheit although it should feel around 23°C/73.4 Fahrenheit with high humidity levels of 81%.
There’s a brighter outlook for the second practice when the clouds will clear, and it should become sunny. No rain is forecast for the session, but the strong breeze will continue from the west. It will be slightly warmer reaching 21°C/ 69.8 Fahrenheit.
Saturday 24 August:
The qualifying session has a high chance of rain with a moderate southerly breeze. The winds could make turns 13 and 14 harder to navigate as gusts hit the track, with turns 1 and 7 also affected as drivers turn into the winds. The light rain will produce cooler temperatures of 19°C/ 66.2 Fahrenheit.
The first race is forecast to experience heavy rain, but the breeze should reduce and become gentler. Temperatures will be a cool 18°C/ 64.4 Fahrenheit.
Sunday 25 August:
The second F1 Academy race on Sunday should see sunny intervals but will remain overcast. There is no chance of rain, but it will be cooler at 17°C/ 62.6 Fahrenheit.
Where is the F1 Academy Zandvoort round being held?
The F1 Academy Dutch Grand Prix is being held at the Circuit Zandvoort to accompany the main Formula 1 race. The circuit has hosted the top-tier motorsport series since 1952 but stopped in 1985 after the company that ran the track went out of business. The Circuit Zandvoort was set to return to the F1 calendar in 2020 but was delayed a year following the COVID-19 pandemic. This will be the second time an all-female single-seater event is being held at the track after the W Series visited Zandvoort in 2021.
The Circuit Zandvoort had previously hosted the W Series in 2021, which was won by Alice Powell, who finished second in the championship.
F1 Academy Barcelona results
Pin – who started in fourth – struggled with the start, resulting in her dropping all the way down to 12th place. Maya Weug and Lola Lovinfosse collided with Amna Al Quabaisi, leaving the RB and Charlotte Tilbury drivers stuck in the gravel, which triggered a lengthy safety car.
Race 1 results:
| Pos. | Driver | Team | Sponsor | Time |
| 1 | Abbi Pulling | Rodin Motorsport | Alpine | 30:12.693 |
| 2 | Nerea Marti | Campos Racing | Tommy Hilfiger | 30:17.421 |
| 3 | Chloe Chambers | Campos Racing | Haas | 30:18.156 |
| 4 | Bianca Bustamante | ART Grand Prix | McLaren | 30:18.554 |
| 5 | Hamda Al Qubaisi | MP Motorsport | Red Bull Racing | 30:20.948 |
| 6 | Emely de Heus | MP Motorsport | Red Bull Ford | 30:25.058 |
| 7 | Doriane Pin | PREMA Racing | Mercedes | 30:28.504 |
| 8 | Jessica Edgar | Rodin Motorsport | American Express | 30:29.393 |
| 9 | Tina Hausmann | PREMA Racing | Aston Martin | 30:33.050 |
| 10 | Lia Block | ART Grand Prix | Williams | 30:33.888 |
| 11 | Lola Lovinfosse | Rodin Motorsport | Charlotte Tilbury | 30:34.286 |
| 12 | Carrie Schreiner | Campos Racing | Sauber | 30:36.000 |
| 13 | Aurelia Nobels | ART Grand Prix | Puma | 30:36.433 |
| - | Maya Weug | PREMA Racing | Ferrari | OUT |
| - | Amna Al Qubaisi | MP Motorsport | RB | OUT |
In the second race Chambers claimed her maiden win, dominating the race with a 6.6 second lead ahead of championship leader Pulling. The Brit lost her lead at the first corner and was unable to catch the American.
Mercedes driver Pin struggled with her start again, dropping from third to sixth in the first lap. Bianca Bustamante and Jessica Edgar were given five second penalties, with the McLaren driver receiving hers for a false start and the American Express driver’s given for leaving the track and gaining an advantage.
| Pos. | Driver | Team | Sponsor | Time |
| 1 | Chloe Chambers | Campos Racing | Haas | 27:50.857 |
| 2 | Abbi Pulling | Rodin Motorsport | Alpine | 27:57.552 |
| 3 | Hamda Al Qubaisi | MP Motorsport | Red Bull Racing | 27:57.874 |
| 4 | Nerea Marti | Campos Racing | Tommy Hilfiger | 28:00.219 |
| 5 | Doriane Pin | PREMA Racing | Mercedes | 28:00.663 |
| 6 | Lia Block | ART Grand Prix | Williams | 28:06.279 |
| 7 | Bianca Bustamante | ART Grand Prix | McLaren | 28:06.317 |
| 8 | Tina Hausmann | PREMA Racing | Aston Martin | 28:12.870 |
| 9 | Lola Lovinfosse | Rodin Motorsport | Charlotte Tilbury | 28:15.882 |
| 10 | Emely de Heus | MP Motorsport | Red Bull Ford | 28:16.660 |
| 11 | Carrie Schreiner | Campos Racing | Sauber | 28:17.598 |
| 12 | Amna Al Qubaisi | MP Motorsport | RB | 28:18.521 |
| 13 | Maya Weug | PREMA Racing | PREMA Racing | 28:19.368 |
| 14 | Aurelia Nobels | ART Grand Prix | Puma | 28:20.861 |
| 15 | Jessica Edgar | Rodin Motorsport | American Express | 28:28.668 |
