The storylines to get excited for ahead of the 2025 F1 ACADEMY season finale in Las Vegas

Their battles have had fans on the edge of their seats all season long, but for the 2025 F1 ACADEMY field, it all comes down to this as the Drivers’ and Teams’ titles hang in the balance.

Breaking new ground as the first single-seater category to race on the streets of Las Vegas, every driver has something at stake – whether that’s a title, potential 2026 opportunities or one final hurrah as they look towards the next chapter in their racing journeys…

A fight to the finish

Doriane Pin and Maya Weug have been neck and neck throughout the season, each leading the standings at various points throughout the campaign.

Last time out in Singapore saw a much-needed storming performance from Weug, with the Ferrari driver claiming pole, a podium from P8 on the Race 1 reverse grid and snatching the Race 2 win away from her Mercedes rival on the final lap.

Each have brought their own strengths, with Pin’s consistency evident in a points-scoring streak stretching back to her F1 ACADEMY debut last year. Meanwhile, Weug has been the outright quicker of the two, with three pole positions to Pin’s zero, and has one additional podium finish.

Separated by only nine points and tied on three victories apiece, it’s Pin who holds the slender advantage. But with 39 points to play for, the fight to become the series’ third champion can only be decided in a Saturday afternoon showdown.

Can PREMA go three for three?

The battle between Pin and Weug has a knock-on effect for their teams, PREMA Racing and MP Motorsport. Reigning Champions PREMA, who also field Aston Martin’s Tina Hausmann and Alpine racer Nina Gademan, are looking to secure their third consecutive Teams’ title and hold a 49-point advantage over their Dutch rivals.

For MP, they’ll be relying on their rookies Alba Larsen in the Tommy Hilfiger car and Wella’s Joanne Ciconte to push towards the top end of the field, mirroring how the pair started the year in Shanghai.

Campos Racing still remain in the hunt, albeit in a distant third place, 70 points adrift of PREMA.

One last chance

For seven drivers, Round 7 is their final chance to make their mark as their time in the series draws to a close at the end of their two-year stint. While Pin and Weug have the title in their sights, race winners Chloe Chambers and Lia Block will be looking to climb on to the top step one last time at their home event.

Although silverware has eluded Hausmann, Chloe Chong and Aurelia Nobels up until this point, the unpredictability of the Las Vegas circuit, combined with the reverse grid race on Friday afternoon, opens up a world of opportunities for them to seize.

New faces eyeing up 2026 seats

Two new names have joined the field for the final round – and each will be eager show they’ve got what it takes to earn a spot on next year’s grid.

Payton Westcott becomes the seventh Wild Card driver of the year, with the American one of nine karters supported by F1 ACADEMY DISCOVER YOUR DRIVE in the Champions of the Future Academy Program last year. Strong showings across her rookie campaign in Italian F4 and a promising showing in the inaugural F1 ACADEMY Rookie Test have earned her a spot behind the wheel of the #15 Visit Las Vegas car.

There is also a change in the TAG Heuer car as Rachel Robertson steps in for the injured Aiva Anagnostiadis. The 18-year-old finished third in the 2025 Radical Cup UK campaign before achieving back-to-back top-five finishes in the Rookie Test.

Four of 2024’s Wild Card drivers earned full-time seats for this year – but how many familiar faces will we see next season?