F1 Academy managing director Susie Wolff has revealed that she would ideally like to expand the grid to 20 cars in the future. 

The all-female racing series is in its third season and currently features a grid of 18 cars after Hitech TGR joined in 2025 as the sixth team.

Since its first season in 2023, F1 Academy has grown from strength to strength. It was initially not broadcast, apart from the season finale, meaning fans found it difficult to follow the racing and connect with the drivers.

Wolff worked to form a close collaboration with Formula 1 for the following year. The championship is now held during F1 grand prix weekends and is broadcast as part of that, and all 10 F1 teams support a driver.

Wild card entries were also introduced in 2024, allowing a driver to be granted a seat in the series for a specific weekend.

“The wild card concept was something we weren’t sure about at the beginning, but I’m so happy we did because it’s really given us the opportunity for us to see young talent and give them the opportunity to show what they can do for the following year,” Wolff explained in an interview shared on the F1 Academy YouTube channel.

“It’s obviously given us the commercial opportunity of bringing a brand in for just one race and for a promoter to really bring regional brands in to support that one race.

Doriane Pin, PREMA Racing, Maya Weug, MP Motorsport

“Hitech joining the grid, you know, we always said we wanted to expand the grid. My dream number is 20 on the grid, and we will get there, but I think it was just about not trying to run before we can walk and making sure that we had the breadth of talent up and coming through the karting world.

“My son started karting so I spend a lot of time at kart tracks and I always leave those weekends feeling really really positive for the future because there’s so many more young girls at kart tracks than when I was racing.

“And they’re not just competing; they’re fighting for victories and my son was talking with a friend of his and they were talking about who could win the race and he mentioned a little girl and it’s not unusual for him that a girl can win a race anymore. And I think that’s the big change that we’re seeing in the next generation, more young girls at kart tracks competing because they see the pathway now.

“They see where the destination is. They see the possibilities that they can now get to F1 Academy, get picked up by a Formula 1 team.”

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