Ferrari Driver Academy's Maya Weug claims first-ever pole position in the F1 Academy 2025 season

Maya Weug swept her first-ever pole position in F1 Academy. The MP Motorsport driver, backed by Ferrari, gave a masterful lap during qualifying at the Shanghai International Circuit, recording a time of 2:03.379s to lead the way for Race 2 on Sunday. Returning for her second year in the women's series, Weug edged out PREMA Mercedes-backed driver Doriane Pin by four-tenths of a second. Maya Martine Els Weug, born on 1 June 2004, is a Dutch-Belgian-Spanish mix. Having finished third in the 2024 F1 Academy championship with PREMA Racing, she embarks on a new journey with MP Motorsport, still under Ferrari Driver Academy's umbrella.Weug was history's first female driver to be accepted into the Ferrari Driver Academy after winning the 2021 FIA Girls on Track – Rising Stars scheme. She also participated in the 2023 Formula Regional European Championship before finding her feet in F1 Academy.Ferrari has confirmed Weug as their 2025 F1 Academy championship ambassador, making her the 12th confirmed full-time driver. Her 2024 season brought eight podium finishes, topped by a maiden single-seater victory at the Yas Marina season closer. Weug will share a seat with Danish racer Alba Hurup Larsen, who will contest under the colours of Tommy Hilfiger.Rookie skill was also felt in qualifying, with 16-year-old Alba Larsen taking third position in her Tommy Hilfiger-painted car. Red Bull Ford driver and former F1 Academy race winner Chloe Chambers took fourth, and fellow Red Bull-supported driver Alisha Palmowski registered the fifth-quickest time late in the session.Rookie Joanne Ciconte impressed with sixth place, hot on the heels of Sauber's Emma Felbermayr in seventh. Alpine's Nina Gademan, racing for PREMA, took eighth position and will line up for Race 1 from the reverse grid pole position.Also read: Chinese Grand Prix: 5 Things to look forward to this yearThe top nine were split by less than a second, demonstrating the competitiveness on track. Aston Martin rookie Tina Hausmann came close to securing the reverse grid pole, missing it by just 0.930s of Weug.