INTERVIEW: Carrie Schreiner “couldn’t say no” to F1 Academy and aims to go out on a high

As her father Frank's racing activities were nothing more than a hobby, it was not until Schreiner was ten years old that she had the opportunity to sample a go-kart for the first time, which even then was "spontaneous," she said, due to "bad weather on our summer vacation."

Although "not great at the beginning," it was the start of a love affair that blossomed over those formative years. Given her age, Schreiner was a late bloomer in comparison to many who take up karting at four or five years old.

"He never tried to push me into it," said Schreiner of her father. "Before, it had never happened. It was my own decision to start. When I started to go more often, they said I had talent, and I loved it."

From that unborn glimpse into the racing world until that debut karting outing ten years later, Schreiner was at least ingrained into paddock life thanks to her father's exploits.

"I was always travelling with him, always driving different vehicles through the paddock," she said. "First a bicycle, then a motorbike, and then a quad. Then I had an electric Ferrari. You could see that I really liked the speed."

Over time, as confidence grew, Schreiner's competitive instincts kicked in. Less than two years later, aged 12, she was taking part in her first season in junior karts. "At the end of the year I had the best race lap in Ampfing, that's a kart track in Bavaria," said the German native. "I knew the next year was going to be my year because I felt really strong."

Underlining her dedication to the cause, she added: "I practiced the whole winter, even at two degrees. I was dying because my hands hurt that much. It was really tough preparation.

"At the beginning of 2012, I felt so strong that I said, 'I will win this year', and I did. I won the German ADAC Kart Master Series, the strongest national kart series at that time, against 30 other guys. It was a really, really good moment." It was the launchpad for Schreiner's career that saw her move on to single-seaters, before turning to GT and sports cars, and then back to single-seaters with F1 Academy.

The transition from karting to Formula 4 in 2015 was tough for Schreiner. Over her two seasons in the series, competing with HTP Motorsport and then US Racing, she failed to score a point. She dovetailed her second campaign in F4 with the British F4 championship, at least scoring 14 points from 12 races with Double R Racing.

Those two years were "very difficult,” Steiner admitted. “At that stage, it was a really strong generation. I competed against a few drivers who were in Formula 1 a couple of years after." Intuitively recognising her "dream" path to F1 was hindered, not least by the expense of moving to F3, she "made the step to go to GT Racing" at the age of 18.

There was an offer from Double R to race in British F3, but after being taken on as a Lamborghini junior driver, she took up an opportunity to switch to the Super Trofeo events. In the Middle East Pro competition, she finished second overall from the six races. The breakthrough had been made.

Schreiner followed that up the next year with victory in that series, scoring three races wins along the way. She also won the DMV Gran Turismo Touring Car Cup with Rutronik Racing, scooping four wins and eight poles.

Over the years, Schreiner has competed in several series, notably taking on the Nürburgring 24 Hours with the 'Girls Only' programme which has sought to help women up the motorsport ladder. She notably secured a class victory in the 2021 event.

Schreiner conceded it was never her plan to go back to single-seaters, but when approached by ART Grand Prix two years ago, she saw it as an opportunity she could not refuse.

"To drive in the first all-female series organised by Formula 1, and with a team like ART, one of the best in motorsports in single-seaters, I couldn't say no," she said. But there was a steep learning curve to conquer given all those years in GT.

"In the beginning, it was a nightmare because when you are such a long time in sports cars, driving heavy cars with ABS, with traction control, and then suddenly you're back in a completely different car, you can go much quicker into the corners, you have no ABS, no traction control, it was not easy.

"But I'm really, really happy that I did it because I've learned so much in the last two years. I was able to win a race last year. I got another season, I got a contract with Sauber. That's everything I ever could imagine, and I've learned a lot."

Schreiner's first season in F1 Academy saw her finish 11^th in the standings, including 11 points finishes, with the obvious high of a win in the second of the three races at Zandvoort.

For this season, with the ten F1 teams taking an F1 Academy driver under its wing, Sauber turned to Schreiner to represent them this season.

In the last of her two seasons in F1 Academy, the 26-year-old has found it more difficult as the level of competition has increased, even though she feels she is "driving much better this year."

With two rounds remaining, in Qatar and Abu Dhabi, Schreiner naturally hopes to go out on a high, albeit with a relatively modest target of a top-five finish – something she has yet to achieve this year across the ten races, with her best result sixth.

As for her next step, it is back to GT and sports cars. “I would like to drive in ADAC GT Masters again. I haven't signed yet but we're not that far already, and something at the Nürburgring Nordschleife. I would like to do it in an Audi. That's my only goal. I'm still talking to a couple of teams, so let's see."

Next year will be Schreiner's 11^th in her motorsports career, a remarkable achievement after starting in karting so late. As a recognised name on the scene, it is no surprise she is viewed as a role model for many aspiring young girls.

"There's even one who only started because of me," she said. "She saw me win a race in Hockenheim. Then a couple of months after, I was told she'd started kart racing just because of me.

"She saw it was possible for a girl to do it, and that was a really nice moment. I always meet many small girls at the racetrack who are so excited to see me and the other girls."

Schreiner's only regret is that F1 Academy came along late in her career. She feels that if it had followed her time in F4, when she was 18, then "maybe things would have changed – but I'm still really grateful that I had the opportunity to be in the series.”

Recognising a discernible difference these days in the number of women in motorsport compared to a decade ago, Schreiner has no doubt a female driver will again compete in F1.

"The generation which is coming now, they are really strong," said Schreiner. "The support is better, the talents are getting more chances. Maybe in a couple of years, there's a big chance."

Images courtesy of Motorsport Images.