Jeddah Race 2: Maya Weug wins after thrilling battle with Chloe Chambers

JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia — MP Motorsport and Ferrari-supported driver Maya Weug won her first race of the 2025 F1 Academy season at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit after Chloe Chambers lost the victory, due to a penalty for pushing Weug off the track during an intense battle at the front.

Doriane Pin rounded out the podium after she tried to push for second with Chambers’ penalty on the horizon. With thrilling battles up and down the grid, the final race of the weekend in Saudi Arabia gave fans the thrill from the start to the checkered flag.

“I mean, I can still take a lot of positives from the race,” Chambers told F1Academy.com after losing the win. “The pace was really strong at the end — to be able to pull a five-second gap to Doriane in third, I think, is something to still be proud about.”

Weug leaves Jeddah with a seven-point lead in the championship over Pin.

“Yesterday was really good from P6 to P2,” Weug told F1Academy.com. “Today, again, the pace was really nice in the first couple of laps and managed to make up the place on Doriane in Turn 1. After that, caught up to Chloe, overtook her, had a small touch here and there and then had to do the job again.

“Having to overtake again left my tyres a bit more destroyed than I would have liked in the end, but I knew Chloe had the five seconds. Then I could just stay calm, try to get the fastest lap. It didn’t quite work out because I was struggling in the last couple of laps, but really good pace and looking strong for Miami.”

Before Lights Out

Ella Lloyd won Race 1 in Jeddah, her first win in F1 Academy, after getting ahead of Alisha Palmowski in Turn 1 and keeping the lead with pressure from behind. Maya Weug conceded to second place after bringing the fight for first to the checkered flag.

However, the Ferrari-backed driver climbed from sixth to second place in the reverse grid race. Palmowski, the winner of the season opener in Shanghai, stayed in contention in the battle for first.

Chloe Chambers took pole position for Race 2 with her championship rivals, Doriane Pin and Weug, starting in second and third place. Full points were on the line in Race 2.

After Lights Out

Chloe Chambers was able to keep first place as the lights went out and many cars stalled back her, due to the hot weather conditions. Ella Lloyd was one of the drivers who stalled and fell back from seventh to 13th. Maya Weug went around the outside of Doriane Pin in Turn 1, taking second place from the PREMA Racing driver.

Aurelia Nobels made a move on Chole Chong, moving the Brazilian into the points as Lloyd got past Courtney Crone. Lloyd ended in 12th place after that overtake.

Emma Felbermayr spun out after being hit from behind by Rafaela Ferreira. Felbermayr was able to get back to racing, but in 17th place. After an investigation, Ferreira received a 10-second time penalty.

On Lap 2, Weug was able to catch up to Chambers and tried to go around the inside of the American but ran out of room, taking to the runoff area. Weug had to temporarily concede that battle to avoid a penalty. Soon after, Weug was able to get side-by-side with Chambers as she tried to go around the outside but was unsuccessful the first time.

However, the MP Motorsport driver was able to overtake Chambers on the main straight to take first. However, that battle was not over yet. Chambers was able to catch Weug on the inside, however, Chambers pushed Weug off the track.

Weug rejoined the pack in third place. Then, Chambers received a five-second time penalty for pushing Weug off track.

After that, Weug was able to take back second place from Pin by going around the outside on the main straight, and completed the move in the first chicane.

At the back of the grid, Nicole Havrda took 15th place from Aiva Anagnostiadis as Felbermayr joined this battle going around the inside of Havrda, but the American Express-backed driver moved into the runoff area and gave 15th to Felbermayr.

Chambers was pushing away from Weug, trying to open up the gap with a pending five-second time penalty to keep a podium finish and earn the fastest lap point. On the last lap, Chambers was able to keep over a five-second gap between herself and Pin, who was in third place, giving the American a second-place finish despite the penalty.

Weug got the Race 2 victory in Jeddah after Chambers’ five-second time penalty. Chambers was able to create a gap wide enough for her to only lose one spot, however, she was able to secure an extra point for the fastest lap. Pin took the last spot on the podium after pressure from Alisha Palmowski and Alba Larsen.

F1 Academy returns to action on May 3-4 in Florida at Miami International Autodrome.

Race 2 Results

1. Maya Weug
2. Chloe Chambers
3. Doriane Pin
4. Alisha Palmowski
5. Alba Larsen
6. Tina Hausmann
7. Nina Gademan
8. Ella Lloyd
9. Joanne Ciconte
10. Chloe Chong
11. Aurelia Nobels
12. Courtney Crone
13. Rafaela Ferreira
14. Lia Block
15. Emma Felbermayr
16. Nicole Havrda
17. Aiva Anagnostiadis
18. Farah AlYousef