2024 F1 Academy Singapore preview: timings, how to watch, and more

It’s the third time this season that all drivers are arriving at a race track they’ve never driven on before, so the immediate challenge will be getting up to speed. Mercedes driver Doriane Pin was dominant in similar conditions at Jeddah at the start of the season, and she arrives in Singapore fresh from a return to the top step of the podium at Zandvoort.

She’s going to need to hope for a substantial change in fortunes for current championship leader Pulling, though, who currently holds a 71-point cushion at the top of the standings. There are still 150 points remaining on the table, but Pulling has finished on the podium in every race so far this season, so that run will need to come to an end quickly if Pin wants any chance of overthrowing her rival.

Elsewhere, Maya Weug will be keen to continue her welcome return to form during her home weekend in Zandvoort. The Dutch driver scored back-to-back podiums and was on the pace of both Pin and Pulling throughout the weekend, she must surely be targeting a win before the season comes to a close. Her battle with Chloe Chambers and Nerea Martí for third place in the drivers’ standings looks set to rage on until the final round.

It's worth noting Martí’s position as the highest placed driver not affiliated with a Formula 1 team. She took her third podium of the season with a spirited second place in race one at Zandvoort, and she’s proven competitive on street circuits so far this season, so expect more of the same this weekend.

Who is F1 Academy's wildcard driver in Singapore?

At chosen races over the course of the 2024 F1 Academy, a wildcard driver will be selected to join the grid in a 16^th car run by the Prema team.

This weekend it’s British driver Ella Lloyd who has the opportunity to showcase her talents on the world stage. Lloyd is currently competing in British F4, where she has scored three podiums so far this season with the JHR Developments team. She sits ninth in the championship standings while Abbi Pulling, who leads the F1 Academy championship, is sixth.

Looking forward to the weekend, Lloyd said: “I am very excited and honoured to be given the opportunity to be the F1 Academy Wild Card entry in Singapore. My hard work and dedication throughout my rookie season in single seaters have led me to this amazing moment in my career and I am looking forward to putting everything I have learned into practice and making the most of the weekend.

“I will show everyone what I can do behind the wheel while making the most of the experience and hopefully inspiring other young female drivers to push for their dreams. I would like to thank Susie Wolff, F1 Academy and everyone involved for making this possible.”

She fills the shoes of Nina Gademan, who became the most successful wildcard entrant of the season so far, scoring 13 points in all across both races at Zandvoort. Gademan took an impressive fourth place finish in race one, and crossed the line in the same position in race two, only to drop to tenth after a penalty.

F1 Academy session format

The F1 Academy event schedule varies slightly from weekend to weekend. Some races feature two free practice sessions, others only one. F1 Academy will be joined by the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia on the support schedule in Singapore, so the grid will be limited to just a single practice session on Friday morning before qualifying gets underway later in the day.

Qualifying will set the grid for both races. Race one is set according to the drivers’ quickest lap times, but they will need to complete several hot laps, because the grid for race two is set according to their second fastest times.

Each race runs for approximately 30 minutes, race 1 on Saturday morning, and race two on Sunday.

What is the F1 Academy points system?

The old saying that points are only given out on Sunday doesn’t apply here; the drivers who achieve pole position in race one and two will each score two points. If the same driver takes pole for both races, they bag four points.

On race day, F1 Academy follows the same points system as F1, with the top ten drivers receiving 25, 18, 15, 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2, 1 respectively. The driver with the fastest lap takes an additional point providing they finish in the top ten.

When can I watch F1 Academy in Singapore?

F1 Academy in Singapore kicks off with first practice at 08:20 UK time (15:20 local time) on Friday before qualifying at 12:00 (19:00) to set the grids for both races.

Race one gets underway at 08:05 (15:05) on Saturday morning before F1 third practice, and the F1 Academy schedule comes to an end with lights out for race two on Sunday at 08:35 (15:35).

UK viewers can watch F1 Academy in its entirety on Sky Sports F1 in 2024. Every session will also be streamed live on the F1 Academy YouTube channel.

Images courtesy of Motorsport Images.