After winning the inaugural season of F1 Academy, an all-female category designed to give female drivers the experience needed to move up the ranks, Marta Garcia has earned a fully-funded seat in the Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine (FRECA), which sits below F3 on the motorsports ladder.
23-year-old Garcia ensured her title in Race 1 at the Circuit of the Americas, her seventh win of the season. She later reflected, "When I crossed the finish line my eyes were watering, I was crying. But it's because of all of the work that we've been doing during all this year, working with the team so hard, in the simulator, outside of the track, everywhere."
"On track [there were] a lot of tough days... it's like this feeling of 'we did it' after all this work."
Garcia's seat will be funded by F1 Academy, PREMA Racing, Tatuus, and Pirelli. FRECA has also agreed to grant its top teams a fourth entry for the season if they sign one of the top-three drivers from F1 Academy, who have announced their intention to work closely with teams to ensure the progression of each season's winner.
"So thrilled and excited to be racing in FRECA next year," said Garcia. "Coming from F1 Academy, it’s going to be a big step. We know we will have to work a lot with the team to succeed but I’m really determined to do well."
"I can’t thank F1 Academy enough. It is such a fantastic initiative, and it is the right way to do it, trying to take drivers with the best results to the top level. What an amazing opportunity, I’m looking forward to it and to the work that we have ahead, inside and outside the track."
PREMA are the reigning champions in FRECA.
There will be seven F1 Academy Grands Prix next year. The series' success comes at the same time as it seems unlikely W Series will return after ending last year's season early amidst financial difficulties. Three-time W Series winner Jamie Chadwick is now racing with Andretti Autosport in the IndyNXT Championship, a feeder for IndyCar.
No woman has competed in a Formula One Grand Prix since Lella Lombardi in 1976.
