Formula 1 announced last month that they will be launching a new all-women driver series for 2023 called F1 Academy. This announcement has been met with criticism from the public, with people questioning the need for another all-women series. Many people also questioned how F1 Academy would differ from the existing (and struggling) W Series. The F1 Academy, much like the W Series, is designed as a feeder series to address the barriers women in Motorsport face and provide female drivers with the necessary opportunity and experience to advance to higher levels of competition. So, what exactly is the difference between the two?
Cost
Unlike the W Series, the F1 Academy will not be free for drivers to enter. F1 will help to support drivers in F1 Academy by contributing €150,000 per car. However, drivers are required to cover the same amount of costs, with the teams covering the rest.
Engine
As of 2022, the W Series uses a Tatuus F3 T318 chassis with a 4-cylinder turbocharged engine, which produces 270 horsepower. F1 Academy drivers will be using a Tatuus T421 chassis with turbocharged engines that produce 165 horsepower. This means the cars in F1 Academy will be slower in comparison to those used in the W Series. Both cars will remain significantly slower than an F3 car, which produces 380 horsepower.
Teams
F1 Academy will consist of five teams, which will be run by current F2 and F3 teams. Each team will enter three cars, making up a 15-car grid. While the W Series is also made up of several teams, these teams exist solely for sponsorship and identification purposes.
Tyres
One advantage that F1 Academy drivers will have is the use of Pirelli tyres. Pirelli currently supplies the tyres for F4, F3, F2, and F1 and offers multiple different tyre compounds to choose from. This means F1 Academy drivers will be able to gain experience using multiple different tyre compounds, which are integral to the race strategy. Hankook will remain the tyre partner for the W Series, and currently, only offer dry and wet tyre compounds.
Ultimately, there are pros and cons to both the W Series and F1 Academy. And while they both may be considered feeder series’, there are still some fundamental differences between these cars and the cars in higher levels of competition. Still, the F1 Academy is a positive thing for women in Motorsport. F1 Academy is providing more opportunities for female drivers to succeed and is helping to increase women’s representation across the grid. It also shows F1’s commitment to increasing diversity and inclusivity within the sport. I am looking forward to seeing how F1 Academy helps inspire more young girls and women and helps to open more avenues for them to enter and succeed in this sport.