In October 2020 the Girls on Track Rising Stars programme was announced by the FIA Women in Motorsport Commission. Twenty female drivers aged between 12 and 16 were invited to compete in this competition, the prize being a place in the coveted Ferrari Driver Academy.
Maya Weug, Ferrari.
The winner of this competition was Maya Weug, the Dutch driver currently representing Ferrari in the new and very successful F1 Academy series.
Maya was born on the Costa Del Sol in Spain, to a Dutch father and Belgian mother. She started karting at the age of 7. Through the years, she competed in various competitions, including the Spanish Karting Championship, where she finished 2nd in the Alevin Class in 2015. Taking to the international karting scene in 2016, she won the WSK Final Cup, beating current Formula 2 driver Dino Beganovic. She continued international karting until the end of 2020.
Having joined the Ferrari Academy, Maya has competed through the junior formulae, starting in Italian Formula 4. Although she put in some promising performances, taking 3 rookie podiums, her lack of experience left her 35th overall. Her second year in Formula 4 was far more productive, with her scoring consistently throughout the season, with a final placing of 14th in the Championship.
In 2023 Maya moved up into the FRECA Championship, with a rookie win at Spa-Francorchamps, and a 6th place finish overall. Throughout the season, she took a points finish 6 times, being the only member of the KIC Motorsport team to make it onto the scoreboard that season.
Maya Weug, 3rd position, receives her trophy on March 08, 2024 in Jeddah Street Circuit, Saudi Arabia. Photo by Sam Bloxham / LAT Images.
In 2024, the F1 Academy was revamped. The all-female Formula 4 series were support races to the Formula One races in Jeddah, Miami, Barcelona, Zandvoort, Singapore, Qatar and Abu Dhabi.
Maya Weug walks the track with her team during previews ahead of F1 Academy Round 4 at Circuit Zandvoort, Netherlands, on August 22, 2024. Photo by James Sutton - Formula 1 via Getty Images.
All Formula One teams were obliged to enter a driver and, as an established Ferrari Academy Driver, Maya was the obvious choice to represent Scuderia Ferrari in the 2024 F1 Academy season.
A general view of the garage of Maya Weug of Netherlands and PREMA Racing (64) during previews ahead of F1 Academy Round 6 at Lusail International Circuit, Qatar, on November 28, 2024. Photo by Pauline Ballet - Formula 1 via Getty Images.
This was the first season that the F1 Academy event was run alongside Formula One races, as part of the Formula One programme.
Hamda Al Qubaisi of United Arab Emirates and MP Motorsport (8), Nerea Marti of Spain and Campos Racing (30), Aurelia Nobels of Brazil and ART Grand Prix (22) and Maya Weug of Netherlands and PREMA Racing (64) talk to the crowd on the fan stage during practice ahead of F1 Academy Round 6 at Lusail International Circuit on November 29, 2024 in Lusail City, Qatar. Photo by Pauline Ballet - Formula 1 via Getty Images.
Teaming up with Prema Racing, Maya took to the track as the Scuderia Ferrari colours in front of the Formula One crowds and broadcast live, globally.
Race winner Doriane Pin of France and PREMA Racing (28), second placed Abbi Pulling of Great Britain and Rodin Motorsport (9) and third placed Maya Weug of Netherlands and PREMA Racing (64) celebrate on the podium during race one of F1 Academy Round 6 at Lusail International Circuit on November 30, 2024 in Lusail City, Qatar. Photo by Clive Mason / Getty Images.
Abi Pulling for Alpine dominated the season, taking the Championship, with Doriane Pin, in her first single seater season, in second place for Mercedes. Maya was always in the mix with 8 podiums throughout the season.
Maya Weug of Netherlands and PREMA Racing (64) prepares to drive in the garage prior to F1 Academy Round 7 race 1 at Yas Marina Circuit on December 07, 2024 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Photo by Pauline Ballet - Formula 1 via Getty Images.
Race winner Maya Weug of Netherlands and PREMA Racing (64) celebrates in parc ferme during F1 Academy Round 7 race 3 at Yas Marina Circuit on December 08, 2024 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Photo by Bryn Lennon - Formula 1 via Getty Images.
Race winner Maya Weug of Netherlands and PREMA Racing (64) and third placed Nerea Marti of Spain and Campos Racing (30) stand on the podium during F1 Academy Round 7 race 3 at Yas Marina Circuit on December 08, 2024 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Photo by Joe Portlock / Getty Images.
In the final race at Abu Dhabi, Maya put it all together taking both the win and fastest lap. This took her to third place in the Championship.
Maya Weug and Aurelia Nobels at Ferrari in January 2025. Photo by Ferrari.
Maya Weug, F1 Academy driver for Scuderia Ferrari, attends F1 75 Live at The O2 Arena on February 18, 2025 in London, England. Photo by Sam Bloxham / Getty Images.
Maya Weug of Netherlands and MP Motorsport (64) looks on in the garage during F1 Academy Testing at Circuito de Jerez in Spain on February 25, 2025. Photo by Malcolm Griffiths - Formula 1 via Getty Images.
Maya Weug (64) drives on track during F1 Academy testing at Shanghai International Circuit on March 06, 2025 in Shanghai, China. Photo by Hugo Hu - Formula 1 via Getty Images.
Maya Weug of Netherlands and MP Motorsport (64), Ella Lloyd of Great Britain and Rodin Motorsport (20), Alisha Palmowski of Great Britain and Campos Racing (21), Doriane Pin of France and PREMA Racing (28), Tina Hausmann of Switzerland and PREMA Racing (78), Nina Gademan of Netherlands and PREMA Racing (3), Courtney Crone of United States and ART Grand Prix (7), Rafaela Ferreira of Brazil and Campos Racing (18), Lia Block of United States and ART Grand Prix (57), Emma Felbermayr of Austria and Rodin Motorsport (5), Nicole Havrda of Canada and Hitech Grand Prix (2), Chloe Chong of Great Britain and Rodin Motorsport (27), Aurelia Nobels of Brazil and ART Grand Prix (22), Chloe Chambers of United States and Campos Racing (14), Aiva Anagnostiadis of Australia and Hitech TGR (11), Alba Larsen of Denmark and MP Motorsport (12) and Joanne Ciconte of Australia and MP Motorsport (25) pose for a photo on the grid during F1 Academy testing at Shanghai International Circuit on March 07, 2025. Photo by Hugo Hu - Formula 1 via Getty Images.
In 2025, Maya once again lines up in F1 Academy for Scuderia Ferrari.
Pole position qualifier Maya Weug of Netherlands and MP Motorsport (64) receives her pole position award during qualifying ahead of F1 Academy Round 1 at Shanghai International Circuit on March 21, 2025 in Shanghai, China. Photo by Pauline Ballet - Formula 1 via Getty Images.
She made a statement in the first race in Shanghai, taking a stunning pole position by half a second over Doriane Pin in second place. She backed this up by taking third place in the reverse grid Sprint race.
In the feature race, Doriane Pin made a spectacular start, overtaking Maya in the first corner. Despite a collision on lap 1 between Gademan and Hausmann bringing out the safety car, Pin managed to hold on to the lead, with Maya finishing back on the podium in 2nd place.
As the F1 Academy moves forward to Jeddah this week, Maya is second in the championship, just 5 points behind Pin. Everyone is hoping for another enthralling season, with Maya fighting it out for Championship for Ferrari.
Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc and Maya Weug of Scuderia Ferrari chat during media day of the Saudi Arabia Grand Prix, the 5th round of the Formula 1 World Championship at Jeddah Corniche Circuit in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on April 17, 2025. Photo by Andrea Diodato / Nur Photo via Getty Images.
At just 20 years old, Maya is already a history maker as the first female member of the Ferrari Driver Academy. She continues to make magic in the Scuderia Ferrari team in F1 Academy as a pole sitter and race winner.
She joins the very few who get to stand on elite podiums in Ferrari colours and she certainly deserves her place.
She was the first. Through her hard work, progress and success, she is blazing a trail for women in motorsport.
There will be more female Ferrari Academy drivers and hopefully this will lead to seeing Ferrari represented by female drivers at the highest level of motorsport. Scuderia Ferrari Club Riga wishes Maya great success in this year’s F1 Academy and her future career.
By Clare Topic
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