F1 Academy winner immediately congratulated by Hamilton and Russell

The first F1 Academy champion is Marta Garcia. The Spanish driver won the first race at the Circuit of the Americas from pole to secure the title. Garcia is the first champion in this women-only class.

A brand new racing class was created in 2023 to accommodate young female talent. With Campos, MP Motorsport, ART, Carlin and Prema, five major teams were found with three female drivers each. The season ended with a race weekend as a side programme to Formula 1 in Austin.

In the first of the three races, Garcia has already secured the title. The 23-year-old Spanish won her seventh race from pole, making it impossible for number two Lena Buhler to catch up. Buhler finished third in this race. Two more races are scheduled at the F1 Academy, both of which will be finished this weekend in Texas.

Lewis Hamilton and George Russell were there early to congratulate the new champion. Russell presented Garcia with the award on the podium and Hamilton also stopped by. Not entirely a coincidence, however, as Susie Wolff is the head of the F1 Academy and 'coincidentally' also the wife of Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff.