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INTRODUCING MAYA WEUG: The Ferrari driver on karting glory, Italian food and being a smooth operator
There’s lots to discover about Maya Weug, as the Dutch driver becomes the latest member of the 2024 F1 ACADEMY grid to share all.
From the perks of living in Italy to paving the way as the Scuderia Ferrari Driver Academy’s first female member to learning to juggle in lockdown, Weug gives us the lowdown on her racing life thus far.
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN RACING FOR?
“I started karting when I was seven years old, so that's already 12 years now. I just fell in love with it straight away and haven't stopped since I got in for the first time.”
WHAT THREE WORDS WOULD YOU USE TO DESCRIBE YOURSELF?
“Competitive, hard-working and a driver.”
WHERE IS YOUR FAVOURITE CIRCUIT AND WHY?
“So far, the favourite tracks I have are Spa and Imola, I love them, and Zandvoort is so cool as well. There’s not just one (favourite), there’s a couple. Definitely (looking forward to going back to Zandvoort), especially with all the fans and with F1, it will be mega this year.”
WHAT’S YOUR RACING NUMBER THIS YEAR AND WHY DID YOU PICK IT?
“I picked 64 for this season. It's because I won the WSK Final Cup with that number and I don't really have superstitions or anything, so I thought why not take the number with which I won my first international race.”
WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE CHEAT MEAL?
“I love Italian gelato, I think it’s so good. I love that, and pasta and pizza in Italy are always good. It’s bad to live in Italy when you love these kinds of food.”
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DO YOU REMEMBER THE MOMENT YOU FIRST WANTED TO BE A PROFESSIONAL RACER?
“I realised I could be a professional when I won the WSK Final Cup, which is an international karting competition. Before that, I thought it was more like a hobby for fun, but it got more and more professional after being second in the Spanish Championships and then going to international karting and winning there in my first season. That was when I thought, okay, I have a chance at this.”
WHAT DOES RACING FEEL LIKE TO YOU?
“It's just amazing! The speed, the adrenaline you get when you're driving When you do a perfect lap, a perfect corner, you just feel great or when you overtake someone, it's just an amazing feeling. It's difficult to describe.”
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR RACING STYLE?
“I think I'm smooth in my driving, but in racing, I'm quite aggressive, I guess. At the same time, I think about what I'm going to do quite a lot, so I'm a very calculated person.”
WHAT’S THE HIGHLIGHT OF YOUR CAREER SO FAR?
“I think definitely getting into the Scuderia Ferrari Driver Academy, that's now three years ago. That was for me a dream come true to become part of the programme and their family.”
DO YOU HAVE ANY PARTY TRICKS OR HIDDEN TALENTS?
“Definitely not partying or dancing, those are my weak points. I love any kind of sports, so I'm quite good at sports. Juggling, not many people can juggle, so I learned that whilst I was locked down during COVID.
WHO’S YOUR HERO, RACING OR OTHERWISE, AND WHY?
“It’s kind of changed from when I started. I looked up to Marta García when I was young because she started at the same track as me and she was a bit older, so I always looked up to her when I was 7-10 years old. Since I got into the SFDA, of course you look up to Charles (Leclerc) and Carlos (Sainz) because they’re the ones you see and you want to become.”
DESCRIBE YOUR PRE-RACE RITUAL AND DO YOU HAVE ANY SUPERSTITIONS?
“I don't really have any superstitions. My pre-race ritual is warming up with some jumping, some elastics, getting ready, and then juggling a bit to feel ready before I jump into the car.”
DO YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE MOVIE OR TV SERIES?
“Favourite movie — ‘Top Gun Maverick’, I think it's a great one. For a series, it depends. I can watch Friends when I have time or Money Heist is good.”
WHAT IS YOUR AMBITION FOR THE 2024 SEASON?
“Obviously, my ambition is to win — I think for everyone it is to win. I will do my best to work very hard for it and try to be on top.”