F1 Academy Series | A women’s Grand Prix in Montreal next year

For the first time next year, female drivers will set off on the Gilles-Villeneuve circuit, alongside the Canadian Grand Prix.

Montreal is one of the seven destinations selected to host an event of the F1 Academy, a women’s motor racing circuit, during the 2025 season. The event will take place during the weekend of the Formula 1 Grand Prix, from June 13 to 15.

The metropolis will thus host the fourth race of the series, which will start in China during the weekend of March 21 to 23. F1 Academy drivers will also race in Saudi Arabia, the United States, the Netherlands and Singapore.

« [Notre calendrier] demonstrates our continued commitment to taking the series to new heights, expanding our global reach and continuing our mission to an increasingly diverse and engaged audience,” said F1 Academy Director Susie Wolff in a statement. press release.

“F1 Academy continues to bring brilliant on-track action to our fans and inspire girls and women around the world. We’re seeing huge interest in the series, and it’s fantastic to see that the calendar contains new circuits and is once again taking place across three continents, meaning we can continue to build our audience and connect with fans across the world,” said Formula 1 President and CEO Stefano Domenicali.

Enjoy the wave

For Sandrine Garneau, Chief Operating Officer of the Octane group, “the arrival of the F1 Academy in Montreal is a monumental moment for Canadian motorsport”.

“Hosting this series alongside the Canadian Grand Prix not only enriches the weekend’s offerings, but also reinforces our commitment to diversity and inclusion in motor racing,” he said. she argues in a press release.

At a time when women’s sport in general is arousing more and more interest, in Montreal as elsewhere, it stood to reason that the F1 Academy would end up racing its cars in the metropolis, according to the various speakers on the file.

“We are very active. We work very hard to organize events for women. It’s part of our DNA,” explained The Press the CEO of Tourisme Montréal, Yves Lalumière.

“Women’s sport is growing exponentially. It’s already a good move to benefit from the visibility offered by the Grand Prix. This can only demonstrate the enthusiasm for women’s sport,” underlined the person responsible for sports and leisure at the City of Montreal and vice-president of the executive committee, Caroline Bourgeois.

In all likelihood, the F1 Academy event will replace one of the other races usually presented during the Grand Prix weekend. We also promise various activities on the sidelines of the women’s race, including the opening of the paddocks to the public.

Formula 1 also announced on Monday that the Canadian Grand Prix would take place towards the end of May starting in 2026, rather than in early June.