Points haul for the Sauber Academy after the summer
After the traditional month-long break from racing in August, the Sauber Academy drivers resumed their activities both on and off the track, bringing forward their respective campaigns as the season progresses towards its closing months.
As part of his Reserve Driver role for Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber, Théo Pourchaire resumed his simulator duties during the Singapore Grand Prix, providing insight to the trackside team as he gathered crucial data back at the Hinwil headquarters. The young Frenchman also got to support the team on site, as he joined trackside for the Italian and Azerbaijan Grands Prix. While he evaluates his next steps, Théo will continue his simulator work for the upcoming triple header in the Americas.
Returning on track in Monza, Zane Maloney showed a strong performance since the beginning of the weekend, where he was fastest in free practice and successively went on to claim his maiden F2 pole. Starting P10 by virtue of the reverse grid rule, the Barbadian driver fought for positions throughout the Sprint Race, claiming fifth place at the chequered flag. A brilliant start in the Feature Race led Zane away from Turn One drama, as he quickly put over a second and a half between his car and that of Oliver Bearman at the restart. The second Safety Car came at the wrong time for the Barbadian, who was yet to execute his mandatory pit stop – but he still finished on the second step of the podium. Action resumed a fortnight later in the streets of Baku, where Zane claimed P4 in Qualifying. In a hard-fought Sprint Race, he finished tenth – the last slot allowing a points finish; a lock-up and a subsequent, unfortunate contact with Antonelli saw Zane losing P3, eventually finishing last in the Feature Race. Now, Formula 2 enters a mini-break, until it resumes in Doha next November. A new challenge will await Zane at the end of the year and in 2025, as the talented Barbadian prepares to transition to Formula E with ABT.
Carrie Schreiner returned on track in Zandvoort, a track she knows well and that also saw her crossing the line to victory in the previous F1 Academy season. Representing Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber in the series, the young German enjoyed a positive weekend in the Netherlands, getting the most out of her Campos-operated car despite the less-than-ideal weather and scoring points in both races – including an impressive sixth place in Sunday’s main race. The following weekend Carrie was in Monza, joining fellow Sauber Academy members Théo Pourchaire and Zane Maloney and supporting Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber trackside. After a couple of weeks, F1 Academy travelled to Singapore, debuting on the iconic street circuit. Quickly adapting to the typical challenging humid weather, Carrie kept up with her points-scoring streak in both the Saturday and Sunday race, leaving Singapore with a good haul and ninth in the championship standings.
With a handful of races left, and several points still up for grabs, a couple of busy months await the Sauber Academy drivers, as they go on to wrap up their respective 2024 campaigns.
