The Formula 1 Academy just finished its second race weekend at the 2024 Miami Grand Prix. Abbi Pulling, driving for Rodin Motorsport and supported by Alpine, won first place in both races.
This was the only race weekend for F1 Academy in the U.S. this year. The other races will be at different tracks around the world. But if you missed it, you missed some exciting racing and got to see some standout drivers.
F1 Academy is a series started by Formula 1 to train and develop women drivers. The champion from last year, Marta Garcia, has moved up to higher series like Formula Regional European Championship. F1 Academy drivers race at the same tracks as Formula 1, which means they get a lot of attention from fans.
Abbi Pulling, one of the drivers, said it’s exciting to race in front of so many fans. The podium celebrations and post-race interviews are just like in Formula 1. But the champagne is non-alcoholic since many of the drivers are not old enough to drink.
Chloe Chambers, an American driver, finished third in the first race and fourth in the second race. She was the only American on the podium last weekend.
Another favorite in the series is Bianca Bustamente, who finished second in the second race. She is only 19 years old but is already seen as a potential star.
The races were exciting, with lots of close racing and passing. But there were some problems with the commentary at the track. Some of the announcers made sexist remarks, which upset a lot of people.
The race organizers apologized for the comments and said they support F1 Academy and its goal of increasing diversity in motorsport.
Despite the problems, the races were thrilling to watch, and we recommend checking out an F1 Academy race if you get the chance. You can watch the races live on F1TV. The next race is in Barcelona from June 21-23.
