This is said to be a “tailored approach to nurturing talent”. It will be “granted exclusively to drivers whose performance indicates potential for continued growth throughout a third campaign”.

The Academy was founded to provide a stepping stone into motorsport for women and to widen the appeal of the sport in an attempt to increase the pool of female drivers.

Susie Wolff, the managing director of the F1 Academy, said: “We’re not just providing a platform for the current generation of female drivers; together we’re building a pathway to support generations of talent to come.

“We continue to be impressed by the depth of female talent coming out of the world of karting and are encouraged by the growth and strength of the emerging talent pool.”

The Academy started in 2023 racing separately from F1. From 2024, it was put on to the support bill at a number of grands prix and all the F1 teams supported drivers, whose cars were painted in the colours of their team.

Reigning champion Abbi Pulling was backed by Alpine when she won the title in 2024. The Briton graduated to the GB3 championship in 2025.

Frenchwoman Doriane Pin, who leads this year’s championship heading into the final round at the Las Vegas Grand Prix on 20-22 November, is a Mercedes protege, and second-placed Dutchwoman Maya Weug is in the Ferrari Driver Academy.