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Round 4 In Review: Dominant displays and confidence-boosting comebacks
Whilst Zandvoort’s unpredictable weather threw many curveballs, the 2024 F1 ACADEMY field still managed to shine during Round 4.
Abbi Pulling’s remarkable run of form showed little sign of abating, but the Alpine driver didn’t have it all her own way as Doriane Pin bounced back with a much-needed victory in Race 2. Let’s take a look back at how the 16-car grid got on in points haul order.
1. ABBI PULLING – 43 POINTS
Once gain cementing her hold at the top of the order, Pulling’s title campaign continues to go from strength to strength. Starting as she intended to go on, the Rodin Motorsport driver topped both Free Practice sessions and secured the fastest time of Qualifying but did miss out on the second pole position by 0.011s.
Race 1 was another textbook victory for Pulling as she led comfortably from the outset. By contrast, a slow getaway from the front row in Race 2 saw her lose out to Maya Weug and despite seemingly having the pace and piling on the pressure, she couldn’t find a way through to regain second.
Whilst she might not be pleased with her first non-top two finish this season, she’s bagged another double podium and most importantly, her 71-point lead puts her on the cusp of title success in Singapore.
2. DORIANE PIN – 38 POINTS
Could this be the weekend that reinvigorates Doriane Pin’s hunt for the title? Well, the Mercedes driver will certainly hope so. In Qualifying, she proved why being consistently quick matters with the format, getting within a tenth of Pulling on her fastest lap and seizing pole with her second-best time.
Although a false start in Race 1 was costly, with a five-second time penalty demoting her off the podium to fifth, her Race 2 performance was reminiscent of her sparkling season-starting form in Jeddah. A faultless drive off into the distance saw Pin secure a clean sweep with the pole, win and fastest lap. Now her task will be to put together more showings like that and claw back any lost ground in the race to catch Pulling.
3. MAYA WEUG – 33 POINTS
Maya Weug put the disappointments of last time out in Barcelona firmly behind her with a return to form on home turf in Zandvoort. Two top four performances in Qualifying set up her up well for silverware. Promoted to third in Race 1 courtesy of Pin’s penalty, the Ferrari driver got the better of Pulling off the line in Race 2 and defended valiantly to hold on to second.
Soaking up the cheers of her compatriots in the crowd, there was no better place for Weug to re-enter the top five in the Standings, but that all-important first win still remains elusive for now.
4. NEREA MARTÍ – 22 POINTS
Nerea Martí’s 2024 campaign remains on a positive trajectory after another bumper points haul in the Netherlands. Earning her third podium of the season with a P2 finish in Race 1, the only downside was finishing seven seconds adrift of race winner Pulling.
Two more points in Race 2 were a welcome addition to the Tommy Hilfiger driver’s tally and leave her only four points behind Chloe Chambers in the battle for a top-three finish. However, to do that, she’ll need to close down the pace gap to the season’s leading protagonists.
5. HAMDA AL QUBAISI – 16 POINTS
Unfortunately for Hamda Al Qubaisi, the Red Bull Racing driver couldn’t quite recreate her 2023 form around Zandvoort this time around. Less familiar with the wet weather compared to some of her rivals, the changing conditions put her on the backfoot as she qualified in ninth and eighth, respectively.
A cautious approach in Race 1 saw her gain one place, but the Emirati racer was able to make up ground in Race 2 with some bold moves to go from eighth on the grid to fourth at the chequered flag.
Whilst she might have thought more would have been possible ahead of Round 4, crucially, her ability to maximise her potential for points has kept her in touching distance of the top five as she sits sixth on 71 points.
6. AURELIA NOBELS – 16 POINTS
Getting her best weekend of the season in the books, Aurelia Nobels should have a huge boost of confidence in her abilities after her visit to Zandvoort. The PUMA driver thrived in the rain during Qualifying, earning herself two top five starts.
Whilst her dry pace wasn’t as strong on Sunday, she got the job done, holding the pack behind in Race 2 to deliver a P5 finish right off the back of her P7 finish earlier that morning. Whilst Singapore will be a completely new challenge for her to overcome, results like those show that on a good day Nobels has what it takes to fight amongst the frontrunners.
7. NINA GADEMAN – 13 POINTS
Joining the grid as Zandvoort’s Wild Card entry, Nina Gademan undoubtedly made her mark on the series. Her previous experience with the Dutch circuit immediately paid off, as she got quickly on the pace in Practice.
Showcasing her ability to perform under pressure, Gademan ensured everyone took notice of her in Qualifying, achieving not one, but two P6 starts — with her two best times separated by only 0.044s. Keeping her head down in Race 1, the Dutch driver delivered an impressive fourth-placed finish.
Not getting ahead of herself, Gademan was immediately back on the hunt in Race 2, duelling fiercely with Hamda Al Qubaisi and Nobels. Although a penalty for forcing the PUMA driver off-track cost her a second P4 finish and classified her in 10th, Gademan can look back on Round 4 with her head held high, having written her name into F1 ACADEMY history as the first Wild Card driver to bring home points.
8. CARRIE SCHREINER – 9 POINTS
In her element this weekend, Carrie Schreiner might not have been looking forward to the rain, but the Kick Sauber driver knew how to make the most out of it. A solid showing in Qualifying saw her secure the 11th and ninth-best times and left her only three tenths adrift of P6.
Race day saw her deliver points in both races, with her sixth-place finish in Race 2 her highest finish of her sophomore campaign. Sitting 10th in the Standings with five points-scoring finishes in eight races, she’ll be eager to up her conversion rate for the final six races remaining.
9. CHLOE CHAMBERS – 8 POINTS
Chloe Chambers endured a tough weekend at the halfway point of the season. One of the drivers caught out by the Red Flag in Qualifying, the Haas driver ultimately had to settle for a P7 and P11 grid slots.
From there, the American racer’s fortunes changed little, gaining one place in Sunday’s opening race and losing one in the second. Yet every single point helps her prospects, as she retains her hold on third by four points to Campos Racing teammate Martí.
10. LOLA LOVINFOSSE – 6 POINTS
Despite the challenging conditions, Lola Lovinfosse was one of the drivers to leave Zandvoort with a smile on her face.
Lining up for both races outside the top 10, the Charlotte Tilbury driver seemed to find space where others struggled. Climbing up from P12, Lovinfosse bagged her best finish of the 2024 campaign with a P7 finish in Race 2 and will want to continue that momentum with a double points finish in Round 5.
11. LIA BLOCK – 2 POINTS
Lia Block was one driver who was keeping her fingers crossed for rain across the weekend. With her only experience of the Circuit Zandvoort taking place during April’s wet in-season, the Williams driver could have benefitted greatly from a few downpours.
The wet Qualifying aligned well with her previous reference points, helping her to secure two spots on the fourth row. However, her lack of dry running showed in the races, where she was unable to make inroads forward in Race 1, finishing in P9. A difficult start dropped her well outside the points in Race 2, but Block will want to return to them sooner rather than later as she prepares to make her debut on the streets of Singapore.
12. TINA HAUSMANN – 2 POINTS
There were positives to be taken from Tina Hausmann’s trip to the sandy dunes of Zandvoort. Qualifying left the Aston Martin driver with some room for improvement, with her one top-10 start coming courtesy of her second-fastest effort.
Knuckling down in the race, her form looked stronger, particularly in Race 2. Setting a personal best effort over four tenths quicker than the trio of Schreiner, Lovinfosse and Martí ahead of her, Hausmann ensured the PREMA Racing trio all put points on the board for the first time since Race 1 in Jeddah.
13. BIANCA BUSTAMANTE – 0 POINTS
It was a weekend to forget for Bianca Bustamante. Setting a time only three tenths adrift of pace-setter Pulling in FP1, the McLaren driver appeared to be on the pace from the get-go. Spinning off into the gravel in FP2 was a knockback for Bustamante, but it would be her second spin during Qualifying that marred her results.
Hitting the wall at Turn 3 left her unable to capitalise on the drying track after the Red Flag, and she was unable to make the grid initially for Race 1 due to chassis damage. A herculean repair effort from her ART Grand Prix team ensured she could compete in both races on Sunday, finishing outside the top 10. Now, she’ll be bringing her fighting spirit to Singapore and leave Zandvoort’s frustrations in the past.
14. JESSICA EDGAR – 0 POINTS
What could have been for Jessica Edgar in Zandvoort. Starting strong from the get-go in FP1 and pushing on in FP2, the American Express driver tried to place herself in the hunt for the top five. Unable to get her tyres up to temperature after the Red Flag restart, she had to settle for P10 and P13, with the possibility of points on the cards.
Unfortunately, neither race start went according to plan. Struggling with a lack of grip off the line in Race 1 and a stall in Race 2 wiped away her chances of points for the third consecutive race.
15. EMELY DE HEUS – 0 POINTS
Showing top-10 worthy pace in both Practice sessions, Emely De Heus appeared to have the car underneath her in the dry at her home event but qualified at the tail end of the order in the rain-affected Qualifying.
That seemed to write the story of her weekend. Although her race pace was worthy of more, the challenge of finding spots to overtake was one she was unable to overcome and the Red Bull Ford driver classified in P15 and P14. Overall, it’s been a tough season for De Heus, but the weekend will be an experience to learn from and come back stronger.
READ MORE: Jessica Edgar’s Zandvoort Weekend Round-Up: There’s work to do and a lot to learn from
16. AMNA AL QUBAISI – 0 POINTS
Amna Al Qubaisi was out of her comfort zone in Qualifying, with her lack of experience in wet conditions playing out in her P16 starts. Race 1’s chances were written off after the RB driver was handed a penalty for a false start, but she utilised the track time to aid her preparations for Race 2.
Gaining positions off the line, Amna Al Qubaisi kept herself in the mix, engaging in several close battles in the train towards P9. Whilst her fights for position were left unrewarded, her efforts to adapt to the ever-changing conditions could be put to good use if a downpour were to hit the Marina Bay Street Circuit.