Red Bull F1 Academy star handed double grid penalty in Shanghai

Red Bull Academy star Rafaela Ferreira was handed a double penalty during the first F1 Academy race weekend of the season.

19-year-old Ferreira is part of the Red Bull setup, and is backed by Racing Bulls in the all-female series, where she races with Campos Racing having replaced Amna Al Qubaisi.

F1 Academy returns this weekend, for the first time taking to the Shanghai International Circuit, but Ferreira has been hit with two three-place grid drops.

She will serve her penalties in both the reverse grid race and the feature race, having been deemed by the FIA to have caused a collision with Lia Block during the free practice session.

F1 Academy penalties handed out

Ferreira was weaving, trying to get some warmth into her tyres, when her and Block came together.

Block was on a hot lap when the Racing Bulls driver drifted into her path, with the pair colliding at the Turns 13 and 14 section of the Shanghai International Circuit.

Ferreira qualified down in 13th, so will start the main race on Sunday from 16th, while the reverse grid order for Saturday's race will also see her starting in 16th.

Maya Weug achieved a stunning pole position for the first weekend of the season, while 2024 championship runner-up Doriane Pin put her Prema Racing car in second.

The all-female racing series is running exclusively alongside F1 races this season, starting in Shanghai with trips to Saudi Arabia, Miami, Canada, The Netherlands, Singapore and Vegas to come in 2025.

BREAKING 🚨

Rafaela Ferreira has received a three-place grid penalty for both F1 ACADEMY races in Shanghai after causing a collision with Lia Block in Free Practice.

The Racing Bulls driver was found at fault for weaving to warm her tyres between Turns 13 and 14, colliding… pic.twitter.com/75rn7Zvmkh

— F1 Academy (@f1academy) March 21, 2025

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