F1 Academy | Dutch GP | Race 1 | Gademan takes her maiden victory on her birthday - Motorsport

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The first race of the 2025 F1 Academy Dutch GP weekend is underway. Following her absence in FP2 due to being declared unfit, Nina Gademan reappeared in Qualifying. In the earlier Qualifying session, she managed to secure P8, landing her in Pole Position for Race 1’s reverse grid format. Lined up beside her on the grid is Tina Hausmann.

With an interesting Qualifying session for many, due to dust and track limit violations, the order was somewhat shocking in some positions, and incredibly up and down. While the top contenders remained at the top, we saw Lia Block, and Tina Hausmann surprisingly close to the leaders. The top eight was rounded out by Block in P3, Pin in P4, Chambers in P5, Lloyd in P6, Palmowski in P7, and Weug in P8. The F1 Academy Dutch GP Wild Card entry, Kosterman, qualified P9.

After losing her long standing Championship lead, Maya Weug is hunting down the points to regain position. Gademan and Hausmann were also looking to take their first F1 Academy win, with starting position boosting their chances. On the formation lap, Kosterman was told to box and start from the pit lane. We also saw Anagnostiadis running through the grass toward the end of the formation lap.

LIGHTS OUT!

As the green flag waved and all five lights went out, Gademan got a great jump and set off into Turn 1 in the lead. Block managed to jump a place on Hausmann to take P2, while Chambers ran through the gravel, losing many positions, after contact with Pin. Race Control noted this incident for causing a collision, although there was no further investigation.

Weug remained right on the rear of Lloyd, attempting to overtake her numerous times unsuccessfully down to turn 11. Chong reported a puncture over the radio, forced to box. Weug began to battle Lloyd again at the start of lap 2, Pin pulling away from them both.

A yellow flag waved in sector three, as Tina Haussmann’s victory hopes were crushed. The Swiss driver landed in wall, bringing out a Safety Car on lap 3. The Safety Car ended at the conclusion of lap 4.

Gademan controlled the field, managing to get a decent restart, Block managing to stay with her. Pin ran slightly wide through turn 3, narrowly missing the wall, and consequently allowed Lloyd through. Weug turned her pressure to Pin rather than Lloyd.

Larsen made her move on Ferreira to take P9, gaining places after starting P14. Weug attempted and unusual move on Pin, affecting her own run and putting herself under pressure from Palmowski. She slowly eased away from Palmowski, returning to the rear of Pin’s Prema machinery.

Weug finally made her move stick on lap 7, and took P4 from Pin. Almost instantly after this, Chambers moved up a place on Palmowski. Following suit, Havrda took P10 from Ferreira. Weug attempted a move on Lloyd through turn 3 of lap 8, predictably unable to make it stick.

Lloyd backed up Weug, allowing Pin, Chambers, and Palmowski all begin to catch them.

The midpoint reached

Lap 9 began, and Weug and Lloyd went side by side down the front straight. Lloyd came out ahead for a short second, before Weug finally got past, and secured P3 for the time being. Chambers attempted to dive down the inside of Pin at turn 8, successfully moving past her, into P5.

Race Control waved a black and orange flag at Larsen, the Dane eventually pitting for a front wing change on lap 11. Into lap 10, Nobels made her way around Crone, taking P12. Chambers sat on the rear of Lloyd’s car, applying major pressure, while Palmowski applied pressure on Pin.

Larsen’s damage was caused by contact with Chong, with was noted by Race Control. Larsen was handed a 10s penalty for this incident. Havrda and Ferreira moved in P9 and P10 respectively after Larsen boxed. Chambers attempted to dive around the outside of Lloyd through turn 11, although she was unsuccessful.

With five laps to go, Gademan had created a 1.2s lead, while Block stayed 1.5s ahead of Weug. Kosterman moved up on Crone to take P12, after starting from the pit lane. Chambers attempted to find a way through on Lloyd, the two coming together lightly, although able to continue on. This collision was noted by Race Control, although there was no further investigation.

The final three laps

As the final three laps begun, the leading three had broken away from the field entirely. Palmowski tapped the dirt through the exit of turn 3, managing to keep it straight and maintain position. Weug sat right on the rear of Block, begging to snatch her P2. She lunged down the inside of Block through turn 1, Block managing to stay ahead and pull away slightly.

All eyes remained on Block and Weug in P2 and P3 respectively, and their close battle into the final lap. Weug backed out of attempting a move through turn 1. Weug looks for an opportunity to get around Block, unable to find one.

Nina Gademan takes her maiden victory in F1 Academy, at her home race, on her birthday. Coming in behind to fill the podium were Lia Block and Maya Weug—Block’s best finish in F1 Academy thus far.