Former Keswick School pupil Jessica Edgar took her first F1 Academy win as the inaugural season reached its finale in Austin, Texas.
The 18-year-old’s victory, as part of the Rodin Carlin team, was watched by viewers across the world as the race was televised live by 18 international broadcasters, including Sky in the UK.
F1 Academy is a new all-women driver category, racing for the first time in 2023, which aims to help accelerate the progress of women in the junior ranks and aid their promotion to the higher levels of single seater racing, of which F1 sits at the top.
Jessica said: “It was a great weekend for me – I feel I have progressed very well throughout the year and the hard work me and the team have put in has definitely paid off.
“Coming into the weekend I was aiming for the win. It all started off with good results in both free practice sessions, then fifth in Q1 and pole in Q2.
“I then went on to finish fifth in race one, third in race two and race three was where I started pole and I managed to lead from lights to flag.
“This was an amazing achievement, especially on the F1 weekend with everyone watching!”
After a thrilling seven rounds consisting of 21 races – featuring nine different winners – the inaugural F1 Academy campaign is now complete.
The 2024 season will kick off in Saudi Arabia in March, and all seven rounds will be in support of Formula 1 race weekends. Next year, all 10 F1 teams will also provide a driver to the series and have their livery on one car.
Jessica, of Ennerdale, left Keswick School two years ago and went on to college at Loughborough to do a Motorsport UK DISE course.
“This was the best route for me to go with having to balance school and racing at the same time, as well as the course being about racing,” said Jessica.
Her immediate goal is now to get ready for the season next year and prep as well as she can.
“My medium term goal is depending on what I am racing next year hopefully get a top three in the championship,” said Jessica. “My long term ultimate goal is of course F1.”
Jessica has long held a passion for racing, having been accepted into the Motorsport UK academy at the age of just 14.
Part of a racing family and having raced in karts since 2010, Jessica stepped up to GB4 in 2022 for her first full season of single-seater racing. She finished that season seventh overall, scoring points in every single round and achieving a best finish of second at Oulton Park.
