F1 Academy: Double points finish for Chambers in Jeddah
March 12, 2024
The 2024 F1 Academy Series sparked into life around the fastest street circuit in Formula 1 history last weekend, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, as anticipation was at an all-time high for the championship.
The 16-strong field participated in a test around the Jeddah Corniche Circuit a week prior, with optimism and excitement coming from MoneyGram Haas F1 Team driver Chloe Chambers following a successful pre-season with Campos Racing.
New to F1 Academy this season, having previously raced in W Series and the Toyota Formula Regional Oceania Championship, the American racer was quick to get to work with the only practice of the weekend. Finishing the session in seventh with a time of 2:05.966, it was onto qualifying, where the first and second-best lap times of the session would determine the grid for the two races. A smooth session resulted in Chambers qualifying eighth and sixth, with respective lap times of 2:05.192 and 2:05.449.
Race 1 would set the tone for the opening weekend of the series, with action and overtakes aplenty from the very first corner. Chambers gained a position in the second lap after finding a way around the Williams-supported Lia Block, before an intense battle with the McLaren liveried car of Bianca Bustamente. A Safety Car on Lap 3 halted the duel for a couple of laps before Chambers finally overtook the Filipina driver.
Maintaining P6 for the majority of the race, a last-lap collision between the Rodin of Lola Lovinfosse and Campos driver Nerea Marti allowed Chambers to climb to fourth and bring home 12 points in her first race.
Saturday’s race ended up being a frustrating one for Chambers, who started the race in sixth. The American was able to maintain position throughout the opening laps of the race before once again becoming embroiled in a side-by-side tussle with Lovinfosse, this time ending in Chambers making contact with the French driver and resulting in Block also making contact with the stationary Charlotte Tilbury liveried car.
Two Safety Cars featured during the race, and Chambers was in a good battle for fifth place with Rodin’s Jess Edgar towards the latter stages of the race. Two time penalties were given to Chambers for her role in the earlier collision as well as leaving the track and gaining an advantage, resulting in a final classification of P10, but with another vital point earned.
Chloe Chambers sits sixth in the driver’s standings, with Campos Racing, third in the teams’ battle.
Round two of the 2024 F1 Academy will take place at the Miami International Autodrome on May 3-5. Chambers will be one of the only drivers with experience around this unique street track, scoring a point in the second race with W Series in 2022.