Preview
MIAMI PREVIEW: Talking Points ahead of Round 3
The streets are once again calling F1 ACADEMY’s name as the paddock reconvenes for Round 3, heading Stateside to the Miami International Autodrome.
Another returning round from the 2024 campaign, the Miami circuit is preparing to dish up a very different challenge to last time out in Jeddah. With some drivers and teams looking to breathe new life into their season, let’s take a look at the key storylines before the field light up the 305.
A NEW STANDINGS LEADER
For the first time in her F1 ACADEMY career, Maya Weug stands tall at the top of the Drivers’ Standings. Her first win of the season, and fourth consecutive podium, has seen the Ferrari driver assert her place as one of the leading title contenders.
Bouncing back from the disappointment of failing to convert her pole position into victory in Shanghai, Weug turned a five-point deficit to Doriane Pin into a seven-point lead after Jeddah. Whilst in Sunday’s races, the pair are fairly evenly matched with a win and a podium each, it’s the reverse grid Race 1 where the Dutch driver has distinguished herself.
Across the two rounds, Weug has made up nine places compared to Pin’s six, enabling her to score 59 points out of a possible 78 so far. Those margins might seem miniscule but if she continues in this fashion, it will steadily build a gap Pin could struggle to close.
As she tries to help her MP Motorsport team to close in on leaders Campos Racing, how will the 20-year-old fare as she turns from the hunter to the hunted in Miami?
INTO THE UNKNOWN
The rookies have shown that experience, or a lack thereof, is no barrier to success in the series. Out of the 36 possible points finishes across Shanghai and Jeddah, 20 of them have gone the first year drivers’ way.
READ MORE: Ciconte hails ‘well deserved’ maiden points in Jeddah at ‘one of the hardest tracks’
The crucial difference this time is they’ll be jumping straight on track in Free Practice 1 without a meter of mileage beforehand. The absence of in-season testing around the 5.41km circuit gives an early advantage to those returning from 2024, including the likes of title contenders Weug, Pin and Chloe Chambers, but the two Practice sessions should even the playing field.
Looping around the Miami Dolphins Hard Rock Stadium, the 19-corner layout is less complicated than the 27 turns in Jeddah. However, the elevation changes across uneven ground and technical nature of the track will force the field to be calculated in how they balance out all the different variables across one lap.
LLOYD WANTING MORE AFTER JEDDAH WIN
Delivering her first win in her third F1 ACADEMY weekend, you’d be forgiven for thinking that Ella Lloyd would be immediately jumping for joy at her success.
Yet no sooner was the McLaren driver out the car that her thoughts turned to the bigger prize — winning on Grand Prix Sunday. Whilst her masterful performance in Jeddah Race 1 brought satisfaction, Lloyd admitted it was not where she wanted to win from, with the reverse grid format converting her P7 result in Qualifying into a P2 start.
Despite her own lack of experience in Miami, she’s got a strong set of data to rely on with Champion Abbi Pulling dominating the weekend with Rodin Motorsport last year. Now more comfortable with the set-up in the car, 19-year-old Lloyd can turn her attention towards Qualifying and putting herself within reach of more silverware.
ART SEARCHING FOR REVIVAL OF FORTUNES
If there’s one word that characterises the start of ART Grand Prix’s 2025 campaign, it’s unlucky. Williams' Lia Block has missed out on completing both Qualifying sessions, after suffering contact from Rafaela Ferreira in Shanghai Practice and hitting the wall early on in Qualifying in Jeddah.
Meanwhile, PUMA's Aurelia Nobels and Haas driver Courtney Crone have also been caught up in their own incidents and misfortunes, with no points and three retirements between them. Fortunately, the return to Miami could deliver exactly what ART desperately need — results.
READ MORE: ART searching for consistency after unlucky opening rounds says Team Manager Soullier
Last season, Bianca Bustamante achieved the team’s only podium of the year around the American circuit, whilst Lia Block scored her first point in the series with a P10 finish in Race 2.
Stuck at the bottom end of the Standings, one point ahead of last-placed Hitech TGR, the French squad are left staring at an 89-point deficit to leaders Campos. It begs the question, is there enough time for ART to play catch up and brings themselves back into the fight…