F1 EXPLAINS PODCAST: Ask an F1 ACADEMY driver – with Hamda and Amna Al Qubaisi

As 16 drivers hit the track in identical cars for Round 5 of the 2024 F1 ACADEMY season, the game-changing racing series for female drivers heads to the streets of Singapore.

In the latest episode of the F1 Explains podcast, Hamda and Amna Al Qubaisi join host Christian Hewgill answer your questions about staying calm under pressure, racing in different junior categories and how they recover after a race.

Recorded live in Zandvoort, they discuss what it's like to be teammates, rivals but firstly, sisters. In addition, both explain how F1 ACADEMY has changed their careers, and the support they get from Formula 1 teams and drivers through the Red Bull Racing Pepe Jeans and Visa CashApp Academy Programmes.

"F1 ACADEMY is one of the steps that helped me a lot of my career in terms of exposure and just going to these amazing, amazing venues, these tracks that we don't really have access to in other junior series," said Hamda.

"(On the support from the Red Bull Racing Pepe Jeans Academy Programme) They help us a lot in terms of preparation, I would say the simulator work that I've done with them, I've never experienced anything like that. It's really interesting to see how detailed their simulator is. It's so close to reality."

Amna added: "They help us a lot from preparation in the simulator to physical training in the gym. They're always giving us feedback and reports. Having their support, not just in the racing side but also in the media side with exposure is also something that's really meaningful and something we could take with us to the upcoming years.

"I enjoy seeing my team, VCARB, driving on-track. I get to meet the F1 drivers and had them come on the grid in Jeddah to wish me luck. It’s really nice to feel like I’m part of a Formula 1 team family."

To listen to the episode on your preferred audio platform, click here.

And if you've got a burning question you'd like answered on a future episode, email it into F1Explains@F1.com.