The F1 Academy has announced a new structure for a three-race weekend for its 2026 rounds, aiming to maintain a 14-race calendar after the cancellation of the event in Saudi Arabia, scheduled for April.
The female single-seater competition will kick off this new phase in Montreal during the second round and will then repeat the format in Austin, Texas, for the fifth round. This change aims to ensure that the season maintains an adequate number of races despite the loss of the Saudi date.
Weekend format
The race weekends in Canada and the United States will include an ‘Opening Race’, which will take place alongside the reverse race and the main race. The starting grid is set based on each driver’s second-best qualifying time, eliminating the need for an additional qualifying session. All championship points will be up for grabs in this ‘Opening Race’.
Susie Wolff, managing director of the F1 Academy, highlighted that this change aims to maximize track time for participants, thus fostering talent on the circuit. “As the F1 Academy grows, I am constantly looking for ways to elevate our race weekends,” Wolff stated.
Organizers’ response
Delphine Biscaye, race operations manager, added that the introduction of the ‘Opening Race’ allows for an evolution of race weekends while preserving the sporting integrity of the series. “This new strategy brings an additional layer of competition and flexibility to the calendar,” Biscaye said.
The second event in Montreal will take place from May 22 to 24, 2026, a highly anticipated event for both fans and F1 Academy drivers.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
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