We caught up with one of F1 ACADEMY’s newest faces as Ciconte charts the remarkable highs and frustrating lows of her time in Shanghai. 

Joanne Ciconte’s maiden F1 ACADEMY weekend was nothing short of a rollercoaster for the Australian driver as she got her first taste of the action that awaits her this season.   
Beginning her rookie journey with MP Motorsport, we caught up with one of F1 ACADEMY’s newest faces as Ciconte charts the remarkable highs and frustrating lows of her time in Shanghai. 

INSIDE STORY: Behind the scenes of Joanne Ciconte's rollercoaster debut weekend in F1 ACADEMY 

Chloe Chong left Shanghai empty-handed but the Charlotte Tilbury driver was still upbeat about the pace she’d shown in Race 2.

Chloe Chong left Shanghai empty-handed but the Charlotte Tilbury driver was still upbeat about the pace she’d shown in Race 2.
Despite causing a collision with Joanne Ciconte on the opening lap, Chong fought her way back through to reach the chequered flag in P8. However, the Stewards had already issued her with a 10-second penalty for the contact, which demoted her to P11.


Chong satisfied with Shanghai ‘warm-up’ despite penalty denying her points

Lia Block will be glad to put the first weekend of the season behind her after the Williams driver endured a disheartening outing in Shanghai.

Lia Block will be glad to put the first weekend of the 2025 season behind her after the Williams driver endured a disheartening outing in Shanghai from her opening lap.

‘It’s about picking yourself up’ – Block insists there was ‘huge potential’ in Shanghai as she reflects on salvaging points

Alisha Palmowski is predicting that greater things are to come for Campos after the team's trio delivered three pieces of silverware in Shanghai.

Alisha Palmowski is predicting that greater things are to come for Campos Racing after the team's trio delivered three pieces of silverware in Shanghai. That success saw the outfit score a 50-point haul to propel them to the top of the Teams' Standings. 

‘One of our weakest weekends out of the way’ – Race winner Palmowski expecting greater things as Campos reflect on Shanghai success 

Hitech TGR’s debut F1 ACADEMY weekend wasn’t what the team was hoping for after Anagnostiadis and Havrda dealt with mixed fortunes in Shanghai.

Hitech TGR’s debut F1 ACADEMY weekend wasn’t what the team was hoping for after Aiva Anagnostiadis and Nicole Havrda dealt with mixed fortunes in Shanghai.

‘Another step up from where we started’ - Hitech TGR’s Anagnostiadis and Havrda determined to put challenging Shanghai behind them

It was a tough weekend for PREMA Racing as both Nina Gademan and Tina Hausmann had their hopes of a big points haul in Shanghai curtailed.

Whilst Doriane Pin brought home victory in Race 2, it was a tough day for the rest of the PREMA Racing garage as an incident between Nina Gademan and Tina Hausmann curtailed their hopes for a big points haul in Shanghai.

Gademan disappointed by Shanghai outcome as Hausmann vows to fight for the top-five

The Campos Racing Team Manager believes they can start building momentum, as her squad took control of the Teams’ Standings for the first time.

Team Manager Gabriela Parra believes Campos Racing can start building momentum in their title fight, as her squad took control of the Teams’ Standings for the first time in F1 ACADEMY.

Parra hails ‘solid start’ in Shanghai for Campos but insists ‘we’re still not where we want to be’

Ending the first weekend of her rookie F1 ACADEMY season on a positive note, Lloyd secured two points finishes after starting from outside the top-10.

Ella Lloyd ended the first weekend of her rookie F1 ACADEMY season on a positive note, securing two firm points finishes despite starting from outside the top-10. Forced to start Race 1 from the pit lane after her tyres were found to be under pressure on the grid, Lloyd managed to steer clear of trouble. Benefitting from three Safety Car restarts, she earned a P6 finish after penalties elsewhere in the field.

Lloyd looking to ‘get into the groove’ after double points finish in Shanghai as she sets goal for Jeddah

Maya Weug learnt the hard way that being cautious can sometimes be as damaging as risking it all as victory in Race 2 slipped out of her hands.

Maya Weug learnt the hard way that being cautious can sometimes be as damaging as risking it all as the Ferrari driver saw her opportunity to convert pole to a victory slip out of her hands in Shanghai.

‘Trying not to make a mistake ended up being a mistake’ - Weug rues opening lap for costing her victory in Race 2

With the first of seven race weekends under their belt, let’s take a look at which drivers shone the brightest in Round 1...

The 2025 season opener in Shanghai had it all — from dominant displays and newcomers rapidly getting on the pace to overtakes galore. With the first of seven race weekends under their belt, let’s take a look at which drivers shone the brightest in Round 1...


STANDOUT STARS: Who shone brightest in an exhilarating Round 1 in Shanghai?

Highlights: Round 1 Race 2 in Shanghai

HIGHLIGHTS: Pin victorious in Race 2 to seize Drivers' Standings lead 

Alba Larsen closed out her first F1 ACADEMY weekend in superb form, sealing a top-four finish in Race 2 around the Shanghai International Circuit.

Alba Larsen closed out her first F1 ACADEMY weekend in superb form, sealing a top-four finish in Race 2 around the Shanghai International Circuit.
Qualifying in third, the Tommy Hilfiger driver didn’t underestimate the task she’d have trying to hold on to it. Fending off repeated attempts from Chloe Chambers, it wasn’t until the penultimate tour that the Red Bull Ford driver was finally able to make her way past her for the final podium spot.


Larsen hails 'over our expectations' performance after P4 finish in Shanghai Race 2

Despite netting a top-five finish in her first F1 ACADEMY weekend, Emma Felbermayr believes more should have been possible in Race 2 in Shanghai.

Netting a top-five finish in your first F1 ACADEMY weekend might be a good day in the office for some, but Emma Felbermayr believes more should have been possible in Race 2 in Shanghai.
Felbermayr quickly dispatched Joanne Ciconte following the rolling start for fifth and fended off an attack from Nina Gademan. The Kick Sauber driver spent the next eight laps staring at Alisha Palmowski’s rear wing, until a gutsy move saw her go side by side with the Red Bull Racing driver and snatch P5.


‘Not what I’m here for’ – Felbermayr insists she can contend for podiums after P5 finish in Shanghai

Doriane Pin made a huge statement of intent as she brought home an assured win in Race 2 and staked her claim to the top of the Drivers’ Standings.

Doriane Pin made a huge statement of intent as she brought home an assured win in Race 2 and staked her claim to the top of the Drivers’ Standings.
Snatching the lead away from pole-sitter Maya Weug on the rolling start, the Mercedes driver controlled the race from thereon out, steadily building up a substantial two-second advantage.


'We nailed it' - Pin thrilled to cap off Shanghai weekend with dominant Race 2 victory

Seizing the lead at the start, the Mercedes driver controlled a Safety Car restart before escaping two seconds clear of Maya Weug behind.

Once Doriane Pin took the lead of Race 2, nobody could catch the Mercedes driver. Seizing the lead at the start, she controlled a Safety Car restart before escaping two seconds clear of Maya Weug behind.
The Ferrari driver secured her second podium of the weekend, with Red Bull Ford’s Chloe Chambers also doing the double after a late gamble on a move past Alba Larsen.


RACE 2: Pin charges to dominant victory in Shanghai ahead of Weug

Highlights: Round 1 Race 1 in Shanghai

HIGHLIGHTS: Palmowski kicks off rookie season with first F1 ACADEMY victory in Shanghai Race 1

Starts to the season don’t get much better than this for Alisha Palmowski, as she held her nerve to bring home her first F1 ACADEMY win in Shanghai. 

Starts to the season don’t get much better than this for Alisha Palmowski, as the Red Bull Racing driver held her nerve to bring home her first F1 ACADEMY win in Shanghai. 
Lining up in fourth, she was dogged in her pursuit, making her way up to second on the opening lap. Trying to pile the pressure on race leader Nina Gademan, she benefitted from the Alpine driver’s retirement to inherit the lead with two laps to go and fended off teammate Chloe Chambers for the victory. 

‘The happiest I’ve ever been’ – Jubilant Palmowski reflects on ‘whirlwind’ Race 1 win in Shanghai after overcoming ‘very distracting’ issue

Palmowski held firm in a drag race to the line, keeping teammate Chambers at bay for a Campos Racing 1-2 finish. 

Alisha Palmowski held firm in a drag race to the line to secure her first victory in F1 ACADEMY, keeping teammate Chloe Chambers at bay for a Campos Racing 1-2 finish. 
Reverse pole-sitter Nina Gademan overcame three Safety Car restarts in the lead, until an issue on the penultimate lap forced the Alpine driver out of the running. Promoted to the front, Red Bull Racing’s Palmowski resisted the pressure from Chambers, whilst Maya Weug made her way up to third.  

RACE 1: Palmowski claims maiden victory in Shanghai after penultimate lap heartbreak for Gademan 

Left with mixed emotions after Qualifying, the Alpine driver was unable to move higher than P8 but did manage to secure reverse grid pole for Race 1. 

Nina Gademan was left with mixed emotions after Qualifying around the Shanghai International Circuit. Unable to move higher than P8, the Alpine driver did manage to secure reverse grid pole for Race 1 on Saturday. 

Gademan aiming for Race 1 victory and ‘damage control’ after P8 in Shanghai Qualifying 

With a win and podiums in the books last year, there was one achievement left at the top of Maya Weug’s to do list — a first pole position.

With a win and podiums in the books last year, there was one achievement left at the top of Maya Weug’s to do list — a first pole position in F1 ACADEMY.
The Ferrari driver delivered it on the first opportunity this time around, asserting her hold on P1 early on and never relinquishing it. 


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