Maya Weug achieves first F1 Academy pole position

Maya Weug has achieved a significant milestone by securing her first pole position in the 2025 F1 Academy season. She accomplished this at the Shanghai International Circuit, driving for MP Motorsport. Weug posted an impressive qualifying time of 2:03.379 seconds, placing her ahead of Doriane Pin by four-tenths of a second. Weug is part of the Ferrari Driver Academy and is in her second year in the women's racing series. Last season, she finished third in the championship while racing for PREMA Racing. Weug made history as the first female driver admitted to the Ferrari Driver Academy in 2021 after winning a competition aimed at young female drivers. For the upcoming season, Ferrari confirmed Weug as their ambassador for the 2025 F1 Academy, marking her as the twelfth full-time driver in the series. In her previous season, she achieved eight podium finishes and won her first race at Yas Marina. Joining Weug on the track is Danish rookie Alba Hurup Larsen, who took third place in qualifying. Chloe Chambers, a former race winner, qualified fourth, followed closely by Alisha Palmowski in fifth. The top nine drivers in qualifying were separated by less than a second, showcasing the tight competition among these emerging talents.