Maya Weug is a 16-year-old driver who will compete under the flag of Spain for the Ferrari Driver Academy. She was born in Spain to a Belgian mother and a Dutch father. On joining the FDA, she will become the first female driver in the academy.

Weug earned the opportunity to drive for FDA when she won the Girls on Track-Rising Stars. She beat out 3 other drivers in the final: Doriane Pin of France (17), Antonella Bassani of Brazil (14), and Julia Ayoub of Brazil (15), in this initiative run by Ferrari and FIA jointly.

Weug first started karting at the age of 7. Before taking part in the Girls on Track-Rising Stars initiative, she was a part of the Richard Mille Talent Academy.

She cites Charles Leclerc as her favorite driver, a former FDA graduate. She will be taking part in a Formula 4 Championship, certified by FIA. This is considered the first step toward attaining an F1 seat.

Thoughts on Weug from Ferrari and FIA

In an interview with Formula 1, Jean Todt, FIA President said, “This is an important moment in Maya Weug’s career, and I extend my warmest congratulations to all four drivers who reached this final selection.

“The FIA Girls on Track – Rising Stars programme is key to our commitment to supporting gender diversity in our sport. I would like to thank Ferrari Driver Academy [and] all our partners who have joined us in embracing such an innovative and positive initiative.”

Ferrari Team Principal, Mattia Binotto had been approached for comment and replied, “This is a key moment in the history of Scuderia Ferrari and its Academy, the FDA, set up in 2019 to shape the drivers of the future for our Formula 1 team.

“Now, thanks to the partnership with the FIA in the Girls on Track-Rising Stars programme, for the first time, a female driver will join the Ferrari Driver Academy.

“She is Maya Weug and over the course of this year, she will progress along with us and also take part in one of the F4 Championships Certified by FIA, the category seen as the first step in single-seaters on the road to Formula 1.”

Will Weug be a potential female race winner in Formula One in the future?

Weug’s gonna be up against a lot of history before she secures an F1 seat. She will be the first female driver to race in a Formula One race since 1976.

Italian Leila Lombardi was the last female driver to compete in a Formula 1 race. Lombardi is also the only woman to score points in the F1 Championship.

In recent times, there has been a good many female test drivers with Susie Wolff being the most notable. In 2014, she became the first woman in 22 years to take part in an F1 race weekend.

She took part in Free Practice 1 for Williams. Weug will be looking to have dominant performances in the F4, F3, and F2 championships to consider competing in F1.