The 2025 Chinese Grand Prix weekend will be a landmark moment for Australian motorsport, as two Australian drivers prepare to make their debut in the F1 Academy. Their inclusion in the all-female junior series represents a significant step forward for female representation in motorsport, marking a new era for aspiring Australian racing drivers.
Aiva Anagnostiadis to race with Hitech TGR
The first of the two drivers announced is 17-year-old Aiva Anagnostiadis who boasts an impressive racing résumé. After discovering her love for speed at the tender age of six, she went on to enjoy a successful karting career, excelling past rivals, including her brother James.
Anagnostiadis would show her talent in karting during the 2021 Australian Kart Championship, where she won the inaugural Australian Ladies Trophy after an impressive performance. This earned her a place at the 2022 Motorsport Games in France where she represented her country well, bringing pride to the Australian flag.
Avagnostiadis’ impressive skills behind the wheel drew the attention of the BWT Alpine F1 team, who, in 2023 recruited her to the Alpine Rac(H)er Academy programme. As one of only six athletes selected, this recognition served as a crucial stepping stone in her transition to single-seater racing.
Following a strong 10th-place finish in the 2024 Indian F4 Championship, Anagnostiadis sought a move to the European motorsport scene. Then, in February 2025, F1 Academy officially announced that the Australian driver would join the grid for the new season. She will now drive the TAG Heuer car for Hitech TGR, where she will partner with Canadian F1 Academy rookie Nicole Havrda.
Joanne Ciconte to race with MP Motorsport
Meanwhile, 16-year-old Joanne Ciconte will join her fellow Australian on the 2025 F1 Academy grid. Like Anagnostiadis, the teenager has demonstrated remarkable perseverance throughout her racing career and has developed a strong reputation as a talented driver on the global stage.
Ciconte fell in love with racing at the age of nine and has worked hard to establish herself as a formidable competitor, rapidly climbing the karting ranks. Her rapid, eye-catching development saw her earn a place at the 2023 Pink Plate event where she took the win at the all-female Karting Australia event. Her exceptional performance saw her selected as an FIA Girls on Track Rising Star, slingshotting her into the global spotlight.
Ciconte further proved her talent with a step up to single-seater racing. Since her debut behind the wheel in the 2024 Australian F4 championship, Ciconte has proven herself capable though noteworthy campaigns in the Spanish and Central European Zone F4 championships, and most recently, the Formula Winter series. This experience has earned her a place on the 2025 F1 Academy grid. She will race with MP Motorsport in the F1 ACADEMY-liveried car.
