The 2025 F1 Academy grid will grow from 15 full-time entries to 18 with the addition of Hitech, the all-female single-seater series announced on Friday.
In 2024 there were 15 full-time entries with three cars each operated by Prema, Rodin, MP Motorsport, Campos and ART Grand Prix.
Prema then operated a fourth machine at each round with a wildcard driver.
Next year Hitech will field two full-time drivers with a third rotating wildcard competitor at each round to make up the 18-car field.
This addition expands Hitech’s junior formula operation with the outfit competing in FIA Formula 2, Formula 3, as well as the GB3 Championship, British Formula 4 and Formula Winter Series.
Alpine Formula 1 Team Principal and Hitech founder Oliver Oakes said: “I’m delighted to confirm Hitech’s participation in F1 ACADEMY from the 2025 season.
“A platform that inspires and supports young girls and women to embark on their motorsport journey is one that we have always fundamentally believed in and the opportunity to translate support into positive action by entering a team in F1 ACADEMY is really important to us.
“We applaud the commitment and determination of Susie Wolff as the force behind the change that the series is driving.”
F1 Academy ‘proud’ to add Hitech to the 2025 grid
Susie Wolff, Managing Director of F1 ACADEMY said: “We are proud to be expanding the F1 ACADEMY grid to 18 cars in just our third season of racing.
“It’s clear to us that change is already in motion, and this expansion reflects not just the growing talent pool of drivers ready to make the step up but also the incredible growth of F1 ACADEMY as a platform to develop female talent.
“Hitech Grand Prix have an impressive history in the junior formula, including FIA Formula 2 and Formula 3 and we are pleased to welcome them to our grid from 2025.”
Motorsport Week spoke exclusively to F1 Academy Competition Manager Delphine Biscaye in Zandvoort earlier this year where she revealed an intention to expand the grid in the near future.
“I think to make [the series] sustainable, the end goal is to increase the number of cars to show we’re stronger,” Biscaye explained.
“20 cars would make sense, probably, in the next three, four, five years.”
With the addition of Hitech, Biscaye and F1 Academy are just two cars short of that 20-strong goal.
READ MORE – Exclusive: what does the future hold for F1 Academy?
