F1 Academy showcased for the first time at Festival of Speed

Red Bull driver Hamda Al Qubaisi was at the wheel for her first-ever appearance at Goodwood, a watershed moment for the new all-female racing series as many members of the public got their first experience of the car in action.

The 21-year-old Emirati driver graduated from karting in 2019 to race in Italian F4 and the Formula 4 UAE championship. She picked up six wins over two seasons in UAE before making the jump to Formula Regional in 2022 which paved the way to an F1 Academy drive with MP Motorsport for the inaugural season in 2023.

There, she took four victories on her way to third in the drivers' championship, a performance for which she was rewarded with a place in the Red Bull Academy Programme.

Al Qubaisi’s form in 2024 has been consistent, and a podium finish last time out in Barcelona was her best result of the season so far. She sits sixth in the drivers’ standings with eight races to go.

Alpine Academy driver Abbi Pulling currently leads the F1 Academy championship after a dominant start to the year, and we’ll watch on with interest to see where these drivers go next when their time in F1 Academy comes to an end.

The 2024 Goodwood Festival of Speed takes place from the 11th-14th July, and you can watch every moment of the action on our live stream right here on GRR!