F1 Academy Champion Marta García is set to join Prema Racing to compete in the 2024 Formula Regional Championship by Alpine.
This year the 23-year-old Spanish racer competed in F1 Academy, with an impressive season that saw her claim 5 poles, 7 wins, 12 podiums and 6 fastest laps, and ultimately becoming the first F1 Academy Drivers Champion. On top of this, along side teammates Bianca Bustamante & Chloe Chong, she also helped her team Prema achieve the title of inaugural F1 Academy Teams Champion.
Speaking on her move to FRECA, Marta said, “So thrilled and excited to be racing in FRECA next year. Coming from F1 Academy, it’s going to be a big step. We know we will have to work a lot with the team to succeed but I’m really determined to do well. I can’t thank F1 Academy enough. It is such a fantastic initiative, and it is the right way to do it, trying to take drivers with the best results to the top level. What an amazing opportunity, I’m looking forward to it and to the work that we have ahead, inside and outside the track.”
Renee Rospin, PREMA Team Principle, added, "We are really happy to continue working with Marta for 2024. We were really impressed by her approach and professionalism, and the progress she made throughout the year showed that she is ready to take the next chapter of her career. This step is also a great testament to the work done by F1 Academy in the development and promotion of young woman talent in motorsport. The Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine is a challenging and competitive championship, but we think that Marta will be up to pace, and we will support her to get there as quickly as possible.”
Marta's FRECA seat will be fully funded by F1 Academy, Prema, Pirelli & Tatuus . The series is a stepping stone between Formula 4, the series which F1 Academy was equivalent to, and Formula 3. Marta receiving a fully funded seat is a huge step forward for women in formula racing and part of the initiative set by F1 Academy to develop female drivers in order for them to progress to higher levels of competition.
Susie Wolff, F1 Academy Managing Director, spoke on this and said, "F1 Academy is all about progression and creating more opportunities for young women across motorsport, so to offer a fully funded seat in FRECA for our inaugural champion is a significant moment. The fact that she will also continue to race with Prema, whom she has built a relationship with and are current team champions in this category, will also aid in her future development."
In addition to this news, FRECA will from next season allow teams to run a fourth car, providing they sign a driver who finishes in the top 3 of the F1 Academy standings.
In F1 Academy for 2024, the series will reduce the amount of money a driver has to pay to take part in the series to €100,000 from €150,000 in order to try and make it more accessible to drivers.
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