In a thrilling showdown at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, Maya Weug emerged victorious, marking her first win of the season and a historic moment for Ferrari. The race was a rollercoaster of emotions, with Chloe Chambers initially crossing the finish line first, only to be demoted due to a penalty.
Chambers, making her debut as a polesitter, delivered a perfect start, fending off pressure from last season’s dominant racer, Doriane Pin. The American driver surged forward, while Pin ceded her second-place position to the determined Weug, who was eyeing victory from her third-place start.
The race quickly turned into a nail-biting battle as Weug closed in on Chambers, leading to a dramatic wheel-to-wheel contest. An overtake attempt saw Weug briefly veer off the track, but her tenacity shone through as she seized the lead on Lap 3.
However, the lead changed hands multiple times. Weug’s car soared over a kerb, allowing Chambers to reclaim the lead, and Pin also overtook Weug, pushing her to third. But Weug’s resilience was evident as she executed a stunning overtake on Lap 4, regaining second place.
Chambers managed to build a lead, extending it to over a second, but her hopes were dashed when she received a five-second penalty for forcing Weug off the track. Meanwhile, Rafaela Ferreira was penalised for causing Emma Felbermayr to spin, dropping her to 17th place.
As the race neared its conclusion, Chambers fought to maintain her lead, extending her advantage over Alisha Palmowski and Alba Larsen. Despite needing a lap of qualifying speed to mitigate her penalty, Chambers only dropped to second place, narrowly losing to Pin by less than a tenth of a second.
The penalty ultimately promoted Weug to victory, making her the first Ferrari driver to win at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit and securing MP Motorsport’s first series win since 2023. Palmowski and Larsen finished in fourth and fifth, respectively, while Ferreira’s penalty elevated Ella Lloyd to eighth place, despite a challenging start.
Joanne Ciconte and Chloe Chong rounded out the points positions, marking Ciconte’s first points of the season.
As the F1 Academy looks forward to Round 3, the excitement builds for the upcoming race at the Miami International Autodrome from May 2nd to 4th, 2025.