F1 Academy 2023 Round 6: Le Castellet Review

Another strong weekend for Championship leader Marta García sees the Spaniard inch closer to picking up the inaugural F1 Academy Drivers’ Title.

The weekend in Le Castellet, which had plenty of action, saw García take two wins, while Nerea Martí won the first race. 

García now sits pretty on top of the points table with 235 points, while Léna Bühler is in second with 187 points. Hamda Al Qubaisi is ten points behind Bühler with 177 points, with Martí close behind with 155 points.

A strong weekend from PREMA Racing sees them get within 20 points of MP Motorsports in the Constructors’ Standings, while ART Grand Prix go 20 points clear of Rodin Carlin in third place. 

There is one final round of the inaugural season left, which takes place in Austin, Texas, on October 22, 2023.

Race 1

Nerea Martí got pole-sitter Abbi Pulling heading into Turn 1 after getting a tremendous launch. Pulling was pressured by Lola Lovinfosse and Léna Bühler as well but managed to hold on for a bit.

Further below, Championship leader Marta García got Hamda Al Qubaisi and was making moves, chasing down both Al Qubaisi and Bühler. 

Martí eventually held on to the win, while Pulling saw off Lovinfosse for second place. ART Grand Prix’s Bühler kept Hamda Al Qubaisi and García for fourth, with Amna Al Qubaisi finishing seventh. Maite Cáceres, Carrie Schreiner and Chloe Grant rounded out the top ten places. 

Race 2

Marta García got Carrie Schreiner on the opening lap to move up to second, with pole-sitter Amna Al Qubaisi keeping the lead. There was an early Safety Car as Lola Lovinfosse stopped on the track due to a technical issue. As soon as racing resumed, García overtook Amna Al Qubaisi for the lead and sped away. 

Amna Al Qubaisi lost her second place to Léna Bühler on Lap 5 as her teammate and sister Hamda was making moves right behind her, moving up to fourth.

Up ahead, it was an easy win for García, who finished a good four seconds ahead of Bühler, with pole-sitter Amna taking the final podium place. Hamda finished fourth ahead of Nerea Martí, with Carrie Schreiner in fifth. Abbi Pulling, Jessica Edgar, Emely de Heus and Bianca Bustamante rounded out the top ten places. 

Race 3

Léna Bühler led off the line and held her lead. Marta García, starting fourth, also had a brilliant start as she made up two places in the opening corner to get right behind the race leader. Behind them, Lola Lovinfosse and Abbi Pulling were at each other for the final podium place.

García ultimately got Bühler and began to build up a healthy gap. She held onto the lead with Bühler finishing second, while Lovinfosse made it two podiums across the weekend.

Pulling finished fourth ahead of Nerea Martí, with Hamda Al Qubaisi, Jessica Edgar, Amna Al Qubaisi, Carrie Schreiner and Megan Gilkes making the top ten places.