The 2025 F1 Academy season reaches its climax this weekend in Las Vegas, where two of the series’ standout drivers, France’s Doriane Pin and the Netherlands’ Maya Weug, arrive separated by only a narrow margin after one of the most competitive campaigns since the championship launched. The season finale, staged alongside the Formula 1 Grand Prix weekend, has amplified global attention on the all-female series and intensified pressure on both title contenders as they prepare for the final three races of the year.

Pin, representing Mercedes and entering the finale as the championship leader, has delivered one of the most consistent performances in the field. Her season has combined sharp qualifying pace, strong race management and minimal errors, giving her a slight statistical advantage heading into Las Vegas. Weug, racing for Ferrari, has matched that pace with late-season momentum, scoring crucial podiums and race wins in the final rounds to keep the title fight alive.

The format for the weekend raises the stakes even further. With 67 points available across qualifying and three races, a single mistake could decide the championship, while a strong opening day may create an insurmountable lead. The street circuit has added unpredictability, with low grip levels, high-speed sections and tight walls expected to test precision and racecraft.

Pin’s strengths this season have been her one-lap speed and clean wheel-to-wheel execution, traits that suit the demands of Las Vegas. Weug counters with strong race pace, late-race tyre management and a proven ability to deliver under pressure, particularly in multi-restart and safety-car-affected races. Their battle has defined the 2025 F1 Academy narrative, and both drivers have already been involved in Formula 1 development programmes, heightening the stakes for what this title could mean for their futures.

The Teams’ Championship also comes down to this weekend, with Mercedes and Ferrari separated by a small margin after consistent contributions from both squads’ second drivers. For the F1 Academy, the Las Vegas finale represents not only a sporting conclusion but also a global showcase. The series, now fully integrated into Formula 1 weekends, has expanded visibility, commercial support and talent pipelines, aiming to elevate women in motorsport across the junior ladder.

A strong finish in Las Vegas could accelerate either Pin’s or Weug’s progression into Formula 3 testing roles, official reserve programmes or expanded manufacturer development duties. The metrics teams will monitor include sector-by-sector consistency, tyre degradation curves on the abrasive sections of the circuit, and pace variance across high-fuel and low-fuel runs, all factors that influence next-step evaluations.

As the paddock prepares for one of the most anticipated finale weekends in F1 Academy’s short history, the margins separating the two title contenders underline how tightly contested the 2025 season has been. The championship will come down to execution under pressure, strategy calls in a high-risk environment and the ability to deliver clean laps on a circuit that punishes even the smallest error.

Both Pin and Weug have risen to become the defining figures of the season. Las Vegas will determine which one carries the title into 2026, and potentially, which driver takes the next major step toward the top tiers of global motorsport.