The F1 Academy is back this weekend at Circuit Paul Ricard in Le Castellet for the penultimate round of its inaugural season, and PREMA Racing lines up in southern France leading the Driver Championship with Marta Garcia. The 22-year-old Spaniard made valuable gains at the team’s home racetracks in Monza and will have the chance to race on a circuit she already has experience on, and that is notoriously challenging for rookies.
Bianca Bustamante will be a rookie there, but with her Monza wins and podiums, the quick driver from the Philippines has shown the ability to adapt quickly. The 18-year-old racer is sixth in the championship, but her consistent growth and the tight margins covering the field make for more chances to impress with her potential.
The flowing 5.8-kilometer, featuring successions of mid-to-fast corners will provide a steep learning curve to Chloe Chong, as the 16-year-old British-Canadian continues her maiden year in single-seaters, but it will also be an opportunity to gain valuable experience.
With the series set for its final European outing of the year before heading for its American finale in Austin, teams and drivers will need to maximize everything they have this weekend which will make for tight competition.
René Rosin - Team Principal
"We are heading into one of the most important events of the season as it’s the last before the final one in the USA, where it will be a level playing field for everybody. It will be especially important to maximize everything and get as many points as possible to enter the summer break in an advantageous position. In addition, we must put a lot of emphasis on the learning aspect. We have two proven winners in Marta and Bianca, and a quick learner in Chloe, so we feel we are in a good place.”
Weekend Timetable
Saturday, July 29th, 2023
09:40 - Free Practice 1
12:15 - Free Practice 2
16:00 - Qualifying
Sunday, July 30th, 2023
09:15 - Race 1
12:35 - Race 2
16:15 - Race 3