Nina Gademan’s maiden F1 Academy win came at the perfect moment. The Alpine driver secured victory on her birthday weekend at home. She had watched victory slip away twice before this breakthrough triumph.
Missing FP2 due to being declared unfit, created early weekend drama. However, Gademan recovered brilliantly to qualify P8 and earn reverse grid pole position. The Dutch driver controlled Race 1 from start to finish at Zandvoort. She crossed the line two seconds ahead of Lia Block who finished in P2.
Race control and execution
Gademan’s maiden win came with extra significance, due to it happening on her birthday weekend. Speaking after the race, she revealed her approach to leading from the front. Her start proved crucial in establishing the early advantage she needed. The Safety Car period tested her composure but she followed team instructions perfectly.
“During the race, I kept my head down because you can’t let the emotions get away with you. I had a really good start and a really good first few laps until the Safety Car came out. Basically, I did what my Team Manager told me to do with the Safety Car restart and had a good restart.”
Gademan demonstrated impressive race management and she adapted her driving style as conditions changed. She effectively created a large gap to the cars behind, leaving little room for error. As expected, she was able to push a lot harder at the start than she could at the race’s conclusion.
To ensure she didn’t have to push harder than her tyres could handle at the end, she created the gap she had to Block and Weug. This created a safer bubble, and allowed her to simply bring the win home.
“I had quite a big gap already to the girl behind and from then on, I was just trying to manage Lia. In the beginning, I could push a lot and then obviously at the end, it gets a bit tougher for me. I created a really big gap, so I made myself safe. Then Maya came to Lia, so I knew I was safe. In the last five laps it was just about bringing it home.”
Strategic racing at Zandvoort
Gademan’s maiden win came from her understanding of Zandvoort’s overtaking challenges. The Alpine driver explained her tactical approach to maintaining the lead. Knowing that she would have a pace advantage on Block, she understood she simply had to defend.
Zandvoort offers limited overtaking opportunities, making it slightly easier to keep drivers behind. Due to these factors, she knew Block would have a tough time.
“I knew that when Lia would only be slightly faster, it would be super hard for her because if you defend in Turn 1 and Turn 11, there are almost no other overtaking [opportunities]. I like overtaking in Turn 9 but then others don’t really do that. So I knew it was going to be tough for Lia as well.”
Gademan also praised Maya Weug’s drive through the field from P8. The Championship contender’s charge to the podium impressed the race winner. The Dutch driver appreciates Weug’s racecraft, and praises her for showing the world they are capable of this.
“First of all, I would say Maya did a mega job. Coming from P8 to P3, that’s absolutely insane. She was fast, so it does prove we can do it and it’s just nice to see such good racecraft.”
Previous disappointments make victory sweeter
Gademan’s maiden win held extra meaning after previous near-misses this season. Technical issues in F1 Academy’s Shanghai Race 1 and Montreal Race 2 had denied her a win. She had led more laps than any other driver without securing victory. Those disappointments made this breakthrough triumph even more satisfying for the Dutch driver.
“We’ve been waiting for this one a long time. Obviously, Race 1 in Shanghai with the technical issues. This should have been our third win already!”
Home support creates perfect scenario
Racing at Zandvoort provided passionate Dutch fans throughout the weekend atmosphere. Achieving her first F1 Academy victory at home on her birthday weekend made Gademan’s maiden win incredibly special.
“I’m super happy now to take it at my home race, it’s really special. Then to see so many fans in the stands is so nice and then (for them) to cheer me on as well on the podium. They were almost constantly cheering me on the whole time, it’s just fantastic.”
Gademan’s maiden win represents the culmination of consistent pace and racecraft this season. Finally converting potential into victory marks a significant career milestone for the Dutch driver. She now heads into the remaining races with newfound confidence from this breakthrough.
