Joanne Ciconte joins 2025 F1 ACADEMY grid with MP Motorsport

The 2025 F1 ACADEMY grid is almost set, with 16-year-old Joanne Ciconte joining this year’s line-up with MP Motorsport.

Becoming the penultimate full-time driver to be announced, the Australian joins Ferrari driver Maya Weug and Tommy Hilfiger’s Alba Larsen at the Dutch team and will race in an F1 ACADEMY-liveried car for the opening round in Shanghai, China.

Ciconte enters the all-female series off the back of her debut single-seater season. After achieving points in Australia F4, she made the move over to Europe to compete in a round of the Central European Zone F4 Championship followed by a two-round appearance in Spanish F4.

Her preparations for her rookie F1 ACADEMY season got underway last month, racing in the Formula Winter Series.

16-year-old Joanne Ciconte is joining this year’s F1 ACADEMY line-up with MP Motorsport

Prior to that, she competed in regional and national karting championships in Australia, scoring the 2023 Australian Karting Championship Pink Plate win and was a finalist in that year’s edition of the FIA Girls on Track – Rising Stars programme.

Speaking on her upcoming campaign, Ciconte said: “I’m proud to be moving up into the F1 ACADEMY series with MP Motorsport.

“To be able to race in front of large crowds and the Formula 1 stars during Grand Prix weekends is a dream come true, and to be able to do that with such an experienced team like MP Motorsport is all I could ask for.

“I’m very much looking forward to get going with the first test to further hone the car and our cooperation and can’t wait to start my first race in Shanghai.”