The storylines to look out for as F1 ACADEMY breaks new ground in Montreal

After a few weeks to rest and reset from the first three action-packed rounds, F1 ACADEMY gets back up and running with the all-female series’ first visit to the iconic Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.

Reaching the halfway point of the seven-round campaign, the trip to Canada comes at a pivotal point in the season. With an action-packed weekend ahead, could there be another twist in the title tale?

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A new destination

Canadian fans will already be well acquainted with Formula 1, but now they have a new crop of drivers to cheer on, all of whom are eager to make their presence felt. The 14th circuit to feature on an F1 ACADEMY calendar, it’s the second new addition this year after the season opener in Shanghai.

Yet the circumstances couldn’t be more different. None of the drivers or teams have had a metre of track time there in testing or in any other series, which means utilising every second they get in the one and only Free Practice will be critical. Gathering data as they go, the field have a lot to learn about the high-speed circuit, but plenty of opportunities to put it into practice…

Triple the racing action

All the ingredients are there for an exhilarating weekend as, alongside adapting to a new track, the field will have three races to keep them busy.

After Race 2 in Miami was called off due to adverse weather, the final grid from that race is being used to establish the grid for Race 1 on Saturday in Montreal. The second of Saturday’s races will see the grid set by reversing the top eight drivers from Qualifying, whilst the grid for Sunday’s Race 3 will be decided by the drivers’ fastest laps in Qualifying with the driver shown on pole on the final grid receiving two points.

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Full Grand Prix points will be on offer in Races 1 and 3, whilst only the top eight drivers will receive points in Race 2, with 10 points going to the winner down to one point for eighth. A point for the fastest lap in each race is still on offer, provided they finish in the top 10 in either Race 1 or 3, or inside the top eight in Race 2.

For some, this will be a chance to build momentum behind their campaign, but for others, they’ll need to shake off a bad result quickly unless they want to experience their own Groundhog Day.

Weug’s in the lead…but only just

It’s Maya Weug’s name that stands tall at the top of the Drivers’ Standings, but the Ferrari driver’s position is on shaky ground. Missing out on a podium by nine tenths and watching her nearest rival Doriane Pin win on the Miami streets in Race 1, Weug’s one-point advantage was just enough for her to retain the lead.

However, she’ll be playing catch up from the start of the races in Montreal after a disappointing Qualifying in Miami. Qualifying down in P10, the Dutch driver has her work cut out for her to regain lost ground to Pin, who set the third-fastest time.

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However, it’s Chambers who is in prime position to get her first win of the season in Race 1 after she qualified on pole in Miami. Nine points behind Weug, the Red Bull Ford driver knows that she has to capitalise fully on Weug’s setback to put herself at the forefront of the title fight.

Also, watch out for fourth-placed Alisha Palmowski. The Briton might be a rookie by name, but the Red Bull Racing driver has proved she’s unafraid of going toe-to-toe with her more experienced rivals and her podium on debut in Miami will fill her with confidence that she can deliver on demand.

A chance for the rookies to upset the order

Charting unfamiliar territory might give the drivers a sense of trepidation, but it also presents the rookies with a golden opportunity. Unlike the previous round in Miami, the returning drivers carry no advantage into Montreal and it’s easy for even the most experienced racers to get caught out by the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, as many F1 stars have shown over the years.

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Tommy Hilfiger’s Alba Larsen grabbed plenty of attention on her F1 ACADEMY debut in Shanghai and continued her strong form into Jeddah but struggled to match the same heights in Miami. Without the chance to test at the track beforehand, can she surprise the field once again or will the lack of mileage hold her back?

Meanwhile, Ella Lloyd has kept her foot firmly on the gas, competing in British F4 over the break. With one reverse grid win so far, the McLaren driver won’t rest up until she’s delivered the big victory on Grand Prix Sunday. Further back, Canadian Nicole Havrda has had a tough start to life in F1 ACADEMY, but the home fans support for American Express driver should give her a much-welcomed boost.

Delve behind the scenes with F1: The Academy on Netflix

If all that isn’t enough, you don’t have to look far to get another fill of your F1 ACADEMY fix as the F1: The Academy docuseries is streaming on Netflix.

Charting the action-packed events of the 2024 campaign, relive all the highs and lows across the seven-episode season. It’s not all a blast from the past as the series gets to know some of this season’s stars even better — from Pin’s start in karting to Lia Block’s quest to make a name for herself and the struggles of re-learning racecraft after switching from rallying to single-seaters.