F1 Academy has announced that Hitech Grand Prix will join the grid starting from the 2025 season, increasing the total number of cars on the grid to 18. This expansion highlights the rapid growth of F1 Academy, which was established in 2022, and reflects the rising talent pool of young female drivers. The addition of Hitech Grand Prix will provide more opportunities for emerging drivers who are looking to take the next step in their careers.
Hitech Grand Prix, a British team with experience in the GB3 Championship, British Formula 4, and Formula Winter Series, will field three cars in F1 ACADEMY. Two of these cars will have full-time drivers, while the third will host a Wild Card entry. The Wild Card initiative, introduced in 2024, aims to strengthen the talent pool by offering competitive experience to up-and-coming drivers at all seven rounds in 2025. Several Wild Card entrants have already secured full-time seats for the 2025 season, including Courtney Crone, Ella Lloyd, and Nina Gademan, who will race with Haas, McLaren, and Alpine, respectively.
The expansion of the grid to 18 cars for the 2025 season brings Hitech Grand Prix into a competitive field that already includes five other teams: ART Grand Prix, Campos Racing, Rodin Motorsport, MP Motorsport, and PREMA Racing. All of these teams have established reputations in junior racing, particularly in the FIA Formula 3 and Formula 2 Championships.
Susie Wolff, Managing Director of F1 ACADEMY, expressed pride in the series’ growth, noting that the expansion not only reflects the increasing number of talented drivers but also underscores F1 Academy’s success as a platform for developing female motorsport talent. Oliver Oakes, the owner of Hitech Grand Prix, emphasized the team’s support for young women in motorsport, praising the efforts of Wolff in driving the series’ success and commitment to positive change in the sport.
