Joanne Ciconte may have been the youngest driver on the 2025 F1 Academy grid, but she came a long way from where she began in regional and national competitions back home in Australia. In an exclusive interview with Pit Debrief, the young Australian detailed her early beginnings in karting, rapid progression through the ranks at…
MP Motorsport has confirmed the signing of Zhenrui Chi—known as Newman—for the 2026 FIA Formula Regional European Championship (FREC) season. At just 16 years old, the Wenzhou-born driver becomes the second confirmed name in MP’s planned three-car entry. Furthermore, he will join Alexander Abkhazava as part of a youthful and ambitious line-up. Progress across multiple…
Alpine-backed Nina Gademan secured the first win of the 2026 F1 Academy season after a strong Race 1 performance at the Chinese GP. Starting from reverse-grid pole, Gademan defended confidently and controlled the race from lights to flag, despite a Safety Car restart. Gademan in control from start to chequered flag After a carefully managed…
Nina Gademan will be making her return to the F1 Academy grid in 2026, representing Alpine once again for her second campaign in the all-female series. The Dutch driver will be joining MP Motorsport for the campaign ahead. Strong rookie season Gademan first made her debut in F1 Academy as the Wild Card entry for…
Alba Larsen made her F1 Academy debut in 2025 with MP Motorsport, gaining valuable experience and achieving consistent results with the support of Tommy Hilfiger. Points and consistency Alba Larsen’s F1 Academy 2025 season began well during the season opener in Shanghai, where she claimed points in both Race 1 and 2 with a P7…
17-year-old Joanne Ciconte made her F1 Academy debut this season, joining the 2025 F1 Academy grid with MP Motorsport. The Australian driver was one of the first to represent her nation in the F1 Academy series. Prior to her debut in the all-female series, she had an impressive career in karting. The Australian driver was…
The 2025 F1 Academy Championship increased the levels of excitement, as we approach the season finale in Las Vegas. After an intense and challenging weekend of racing the streets of Singapore, MP Motorsports’ Maya Weug solidified her position in the title fight for the 2025 F1 Academy Championship title with her victory in Race 2…
The F1 Academy Dutch GP showed that Maya Weug is still a strong contender for the Championship title, according to MP Motorsports’ Wouter Blokhuis. The team manager believes that MP and Weug both have a chance at recovering lost ground if they can recreate their successful run at Zandvoort. With only two rounds until the…
At just 16-years-old, Australia’s Joanne Ciconte is making history as one of F1 Academy’s youngest talents. Heading into the fifth round of the season in Zandvoort, Ciconte sits P15 in the Championship. This result comes after accumulating four points across the first four rounds. Ciconte has been lucky enough to be mentored by some big…
MP Motorsport F1 Academy teammates Maya Weug, Alba Larsen and Joanne Ciconte formed an unlikely but powerful partnership. Ferrari driver, Maya Weug sits third in the standings with four podiums including one win. She is paired with the two youngest drivers on the grid, Tommy Hilfiger’s Alba Larsen and Wella’s Joanne Ciconte. A recent team…
