Nina Gademan finished her maiden F1 Academy campaign in sixth place in the Drivers’ Standings. The Dutch driver secured 74 points across the seven rounds. With several standout moments in a solid rookie season, Gademan will be one to watch as she returns to the grid in 2026.
Rough start to the F1 Academy season for Gademan
The first weekend ended on a rough note for Gademan. Free Practice and Qualifying went well, with the driver qualifying in P8. With the reverse-grid format in place, Race 1 saw Gademan lead early. Unfortunately, the high did not last long. Three Safety Cars bunched the pack together, and despite several strong restarts, a technical issue eventually cost her the lead and saw her tumble down the grid. With only two laps left, Gademan was forced to retire from the race.
It did not get much better for the then PREMA driver in Race 2. As teammate Tina Hausmann ran into the back of Gademan, the collision dropped her to the back of the field. Still, Gademan persevered and fought her way back to a point with a P10 finish.
The next round in Saudi Arabia was a battle for the driver. She suffered an injury in testing and went to the hospital for precautionary checks. Still, the Alpine-supported driver strived to get to P10 in Race 1 and even higher with a P7 finish in Race 2.
Miami showed several shining moments for Gademan, despite the chaos. With the Qualifying session putting her in P13, she had to get her elbows out to climb the field. She delivered a strong recovery drive in Race 1 and grabbed a P5 finish. As Race 2 was cancelled due to the weather, the Alpine driver did not get another chance to show her strengths this weekend.
Climbing through the field to the podium and maiden victory
Gademan’s strong momentum continued with Round 4 in Canada. Race 1 looked challenging, as the PREMA driver started from P13. However, the Dutch racer was quick to turn things around. With a good start and strong overtaking skills, she fought her way through the field. Eventually, she stormed all the way to P4, narrowly missing out on the podium. Race 2 was bittersweet for the driver.
She started on the front row and led for most of the race, but the final-lap action cost her a potential victory. The Dutch racer had Emma Felbermayr in pursuit, and on the final lap, she attacked. With Ella Lloyd lurking behind the two, she dived past Gademan and knocked her down to a P3 finish. The weekend turned sour with Race 3, as the incident-filled race earned Gademan a 10-second time penalty and ended with a P13 finish.
After a bittersweet round in Montreal, the great Zandvoort weekend came. Despite being declared unfit to drive during Free Practice, Gademan bounced back stronger. Qualifying P8 meant the Alpine driver would be on Pole for Race 1’s reverse grid format. With a strong launch off the line, Gademan held her lead. While chaotic for many, the Dutch driver managed to stay out of trouble and pull away from the pack. She stormed to her maiden victory on home soil on her birthday, adding even greater significance to her milestone win. While Race 2 only saw her finish in P8, it was a strong weekend for the Alpine driver.
Final rounds of Gademan’s maiden F1 Academy season
The penultimate round of the 2025 F1 Academy season took place in Singapore. The weekend was less fruitful for Gademan, who took another P8 finish in Race 1. Race 2 showed a strong drive from the Dutch woman as she stormed to a P6 finish. Despite the results being average, the racer showed several strengths and the consistency needed to be a great driver. She was involved in several battles throughout the weekend, demonstrated defensive skills, and showed her ability to fight her way to the points.
With Las Vegas came the season’s last race weekend. After qualifying in P8, Gademan was once again on pole for Race 1. However, with the daunting weather, safety cars, and overall chaos, the race proved to be immensely challenging. While she kept her lead with the rolling start, several Safety Car restarts made it difficult to stay in control. Eventually, Doriane Pin took the lead from Gademan and knocked her down to P2. Race 2 was more unfortunate for the Dutch driver, as she could not climb higher than P7.
Despite finishing in sixth in the Drivers’ Standings, Gademan had a promising rookie season. Her consistency and solid race pace, combined with a season of experience, will make her second campaign all the more intriguing. As she builds on the experience she gained in 2025, Gademan returns to the F1 Academy grid with MP Motorsport with the aim of fighting for the title.
