"I was just looking around like OMG" - how Aiva Anagnostiadis embraced the F1 Academy spotlight

JEDDAH–F1 Academy rookie Aiva Anagnostiadis is settling into the spotlight after her first round in the all-female championship.

The 17-year-old Australian was preparing for qualifying in Shanghai when she saw seven-time F1 world champion Lewis Hamilton pass by her TAG Heuer Hitech.

"He was standing, like in front of my car, and I was like yeah, we're actually at the grand prix."

The Melburnian has been thrust into the spotlight after her promotion from karting to the global series on the Formula 1 undercard.

While she made her debut in the Indian F4 series last year before warming up in the Spanish Formula Winter series this year, she says her experience on the F1 Academy grid has been on another level.

"I don't think it actually hit me until I was on the grid for qualifying, going into the pits," she says ahead of the Saudi Arabian grand prix in Jeddah.

"In the first practice session, seeing everyone in the grandstands, even in practice, there are people there. I think the first two laps; I was just looking around. I was like, "oh my god, this is really cool."

"But I think now that we've gone through that experience, I think it's a bit more normal in a way, going into this weekend, and we know what to prepare."

It is a series of firsts for the Aussie, racing with returning F1 sponsor TAG Heuer for Hitech, the team also making their debut in the series.

"I think it's such a well-known team throughout the whole paddock, and they've had some amazing accomplishments," says Anagnostiadis.

"I had trust in them to get up to speed, though it is going to take us a little bit to catch up with the other teams. I think we know that as a group and a team, but you know, we're making progress, and it's quite fast.

"And, you know TAG, they've been involved in motorsport, like Formula One back a little bit, and then Rolex took over, and now they're back. To have Ayrton Senna and to be with Max Verstappen, they both had TAG on board as well. So, there are good racing idols that I can look up to that were a part of the sponsorship."

Her duties now settled, including as an ambassador for the Australian Grand Prix, Anagnostiadis is fully focused on her season ahead. Vital to her preparation for Jeddah was in-season testing just weeks earlier at the circuit.

"I think we all got a feel for the conditions and how it's going to be, over the race, especially qualifying, hopefully it cools down a bit more at the night."

"But just to adjust to that heat and do quite a few laps over the practice series and have just a bit less than over the race weekend. So, I think we're all prepared quite well."

The preparation is especially important in Saudi Arabia, with just one practice session before qualifying. The shootout is all-the-more important with overtaking difficult around the seaside circuit, although more possible in the F1 Academy machinery than in hulking F1 cars.

"Especially for the rookies, we're still kind of learning, some of us, how to get that qualifying right," says the Melburnian. "I think for me, it's quite crucial. And then I guess you're going to have to send it in wherever you can and try, and everyone's going to have to just give each other a decent amount of room, and hopefully it all stays clean."

With the top eight reversed for race one this year in the category, it makes qualifying that much more important to get into the eight and avoid having to fight through the field all weekend.

"If you're qualifying P8, I think you're always going to be happy about it, because you're on pole for that race," says Anagnostiadis, reflecting on if it changes her approach to the weekend.

"It just depends on where you qualify. If qualify P8 and you are going to be starting off pole, it's quite a positive thing, and then if you qualify pole and then you start at P8, you'll be a bit annoyed about it. But the challenge changes the racing up, changes things for everyone at the back as well, just to give them a chance to try and get through. And the racing is quite good as well."

The Aussie knows just how competitive that part of the midfield can be, having finished eighth in the series opener in Shanghai after starting 16th, earning a point in her debut race and leaving the grand prix sitting tenth in the standings.

But while Anagnostiadis is focused on the week ahead, conversation also turns to the role the sport is playing in developing opportunities and visibility for young women.

The series is growing quickly, adding Hitech this year and additional spots on the grid, and with a Netflix series about the inaugural year reportedly set to be released in the coming months.

"I think it's just going to grow more and more," says the Aussie.

"I think as well, being a teenager, I think we go on Netflix quite a bit, and as a girl, I think they all watch quite a few TV series. So that's on there for them to watch, and hopefully they can use that to learn stuff about motorsport and get involved.

"Hopefully it gets the same kind of layout as the F1 Drive to Survive did, and it goes well, and we can do it again."

Qualifying for the second round of the 2025 F1 Academy season begins at 4.30am AEST on Saturday before race one at 10pm, and race two at 10.05pm on Sunday.

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