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As the 2025 F1 ACADEMY season prepares to get underway, anticipation is building for another thrilling campaign. The action begins at the Shanghai International Circuit, marking the first of seven rounds this year. With six teams, 17 full-time drivers, and a Wild Card entry in each round, the grid is brimming with young female talent, all eager to make their mark. But who has the potential to follow in the footsteps of 2024 Champion Abbi Pulling and claim the title this season? Here’s a look at the top contenders to keep an eye on.
Doriane Pin: Mercedes' Leading Title Hope
Doriane Pin from Mercedes will definitely be the target for all other drivers. She is the winner of F4 South East Asia and UAE Championships and had stepped into the series with the debut in Jeddah last functional year by taking the pole position and winning the first race of 2024.
Though she had an excellent start to the season, the French ace eventually could not go all the way in what should have been her title race, finishing as the 2024 Vice Champion, 121 points behind Pulling. She assured everyone of what she could do in Zandvoort and Lusail, where she won and added five other podiums.
At the end of the last year, Pin participated in a portion of the Formula Regional Middle East Championship, and following this short period of preparation, she returns to the Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine, making her sharply in form during the upcoming year. This 21-year-old athlete seeks to help PREMA Racing complete three wins in a row from now on in their latest defending assignment of the Teams' title.
Maya Weug: Ready to Build on Momentum
Taking big hopes for 2025, Maya Weug from Ferrari ended last season on quite a high note. The beginning of 2024 has proven difficult for the Dutch driver who still has to tap her potential. When she found her rhythm at home Zandvoort, however, she turned into a quadriplegic podium finisher. She managed to book eight podium abstracting now in confidence and skill.
The first race win she had long waited for came in the season's last contest of 2024, where she could have taken a record-breaking winning margin of 11.5 seconds had it not been for a late Safety Car coming in at the final race of the season. Her third overall position puts her in a good position for contention this year with MP Motorsport because she has proven her mettle to withstand early-season hardships.
Chloe Chambers: Leading the Charge for Campos Racing
Chloe Chambers is taking up an important position in Campos Racing as the only returning driver for 2025. The American had a promising season in 2024, where he claimed victory in Barcelona and managed three podium finishes in the first three rounds. Although she started the year on a high, she was unable to find her rhythm in the final months, falling down to sixth in the last standings after four barren outings.
Chambers, now on a Red Bull Ford deal, has shown every sign of a future world champion-pole positions, overtaking ability, and wins. This season she will have to recapture her competitive edge from race one in Shanghai, if she is to have any hope of staying in the title race.
Lia Block: From Rally Success to Single-Seater Ambition
Emerging from the Williams stable, Lia Block made quite the impression in 2024, although she came into this new season with just limited open-wheel racing experience. The youngest American Rally Champion, Block's switch to single-seaters was one of curious questions, but she soon proved just how good she is at adapting.
Block earned her first F1 ACADEMY points on home soil in Miami. She was slowly making inroads as the series went to Barcelona and Zandvoort. Qualifying P4 in both the races in Singapore showed her promise. On the other hand, she had to fight for a podium in Yas Marina, which was thwarted by penalties. Eighth overall with aspirations of upping the ante and going for wins in 2025 is something the 18-year-old looks forward to.
Alisha Palmowski: The Rookie to Watch
The only newcomer on this list, Alisha Palmowski, has already attracted paddock attention. Her great showing as a Wild Card entry at Lusail in the 2024 season was a true indication of the gigantic potential that she has. The 2024 GB4 Vice Champion confirmed her pace by finishing fastest in the first session of in-season testing and going on to take P5 in her debut race.
With backing from Red Bull Racing, Palmowski will now contest her first fully fledged F1 ACADEMY season with Campos Racing. Given the improvement from 2023 to 2024 in the performance of Campos, Palmowski might very well be a serious title contender in her rookie campaign.
