Maya Martine Els Weug (born 1 June 2004) is a

Dutch Dutch commonly refers to: * Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands * Dutch people () * Dutch language () Dutch may also refer to: Places * Dutch, West Virginia, a community in the United States * Pennsylvania Dutch Country People E ...

Belgian Belgian may refer to: * Something of, or related to, Belgium * Belgians, people from Belgium or of Belgian descent * Languages of Belgium, languages spoken in Belgium, such as Dutch, French, and German *Ancient Belgian language, an extinct language ...

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: ** Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Ca ...

female racing driver, currently competing in the

Italian F4 Championship Italian Formula 4 Championship is the first formula racing series regulated according to FIA Formula 4 regulations. The inaugural season was the 2014 Italian F4 Championship, effectively replacing the Formula Abarth. History Gerhard Berger a ...

for

Iron Lynx Iron Lynx Motorsport Lab is an Italian auto racing team founded by Andrea Piccini, Deborah Mayer, Claudio Schiavoni and Sergio Pianezzola. The team is based in Cesena, Emilia-Romagna. They currently operate Lamborghini Huracán GT3 Evo 2 spor ...

. She is a member of the

Ferrari Driver Academy Ferrari Driver Academy is an initiative from Formula One team Scuderia Ferrari to promote young talent inside its own organisation, with several drivers being selected and funded by the team, being under long-term contracts. Some notable former ...

and the first female driver to have ever joined the academy.

Career

Karting

Weug started karting when she was seven years old. She has competed in multiple national championships, such as the

Spanish Karting Championship The Spanish Karting Championship is a kart racing Kart racing or karting is a road racing variant of motorsport with open-wheel, four-wheeled vehicles known as go-karts or shifter karts. They are usually raced on scaled-down circuits, al ...

, where she finished second in the Alevin Class in 2015. 2016 was Weug's first year on the international karting stage, where she would immediately show her talent, winning the

WSK Final Cup The WSK Final Cup is a kart racing competition organised by the WSK. Its inaugural season took place in 2011. Today, the series holds championships in four karting categories: KZ2, OK, OKJ and 60 Mini. Notable champions have been Formula 2 ra ...

in the 60 Mini category, where she beat fellow future academy member

Dino Beganovic Dino Beganovic ( bs, Beganović �dino bɛˈɡanovitɕ born 19 January 2004) is a Swedish-Bosnian racing driver, currently set to compete in the 2023 FIA Formula 3 Championship with Prema Racing. He was the 2022 Formula Regional European champ ...

. In the next four years the Dutch racer continued to compete on the international karting stage, making appearances in both the

CIK-FIA Karting European Championship The CIK-FIA Karting European Championship is a kart racing competition organised by the CIK- FIA. Its inaugural season took place in 1972. Today, the series holds championships in four karting categories: KZ, KF2, OK and OKJ. Notable champions ...

and

Karting World Championship The Karting World Championship is a kart racing competition organised by the CIK- FIA. It is held annually since 1964, and is karting's flagship event. The FIA (International Automobile Federation) created the CIK (International Karting Commis ...

; her best result in the former ended up being a 17th place in 2020.

Lower formulae

2021

In 2021 Weug made her debut in Italian F4 for Iron Lynx Motorsport Lab as part of their ''Iron Dames'' program in association with her

FDA The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA or US FDA) is a federal agency of the Department of Health and Human Services. The FDA is responsible for protecting and promoting public health through the control and supervision of food s ...

-membership. Driving alongside the Italian pairing of

Leonardo Fornaroli Leonardo Fornaroli (born 3 December 2004) is an Italian racing driver who is set to compete in the 2023 FIA Formula 3 Championship for Trident. He is the 2022 Formula Regional European rookie champion. Career Karting Fornaroli began kart ...

and Pietro Armanni, Weug would score three rookie podiums, one each at Le Castellet, Misano and

Vallelunga Vallelunga (Italian for ''long valley'') is a valley, or plateau,Tonino Floris, Marco Spada, ''Pedalando nel Lazio''p. 97 Edizioni Mediterranee, 1996 . near Campagnano di Roma, Italy. See also * Vallelunga Circuit The Autodromo Vallelunga P ...

, however she would miss out on scoring any points in the main championship, thus ending up 35th in the standings. In an interview, Weug stated that "

hey Hey or Hey! may refer to: Music * Hey (band), a Polish rock band Albums * ''Hey'' (Andreas Bourani album) or the title song (see below), 2014 * ''Hey!'' (Julio Iglesias album) or the title song, 1980 * ''Hey!'' (Jullie album) or the title s ...

were so close so many times o score points, and said that her lack of experience hindered her throughout the season. F4 Italy 2021 Spielberg Nr

2022

For the 2022 season the Dutch driver would remain with Iron Dames, partnering Ivan Domingues. A mixed-weather qualifying session in the opening round at the

Imola Circuit The Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari, better known as Imola, is a motor racing circuit in the town of Imola, in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy, east of Bologna. It is one of the few major international circuits to run in an an ...

enabled Weug to start third in both races on Sunday, and after scoring her first point in Race 1 she would finish sixth on Sunday. At the following round in Misano, Weug continued this run of form by scoring yet more points, and despite a heavy collision at the end of Race 3 she would be classified eighth due to the countback rule. The Belgian took a tenth place from the next meeting at

Spa-Francorchamps The Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps (), frequently referred to as ''Spa'', is a motor-racing circuit located in Stavelot, Belgium. It is the current venue of the Formula One Belgian Grand Prix, hosting its first Grand Prix in 1925, and has hel ...

, before yet another top-ten finish at

. Having scored points in three more races during the remainder of the season, Weug was placed 14th in the championship, one place ahead of teammate Domingues.

Formula Regional

Having taken part in several post-season tests with KIC Motorsport, Weug would progress to the

Formula Regional European Championship The Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine (FRECA) is a FIA-certified regional European Formula 3 racing series. On 12 October 2018 it was announced that the Italian autosport regulator Automobile Club d’Italia (ACI) and karting pro ...

, driving for the Finnish outfit.

FIA Formula 3

Weug was selected to take part in a one-day

FIA Formula 3 The FIA Formula 3 Championship is a third-tier international single-seater racing championship and organised by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). The championship launched in 2019 as a feeder series for the FIA Formula 1 ...

test at

Magny-Cours Magny-Cours () is a commune in the Nièvre department in central France. It is the home of the ''Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours'', a famous motor racing circuit (whose name is often abbreviated to 'Magny-Cours'). It formerly hosted the Formula On ...

in November 2021, alongside fellow Iron Dames racer Doriane Pin and W Series drivers

Nerea Martí Nerea Martí (born 2 January 2002 in Albalat dels Sorells) is a Spanish female racing driver. She currently competes in F1 Academy. Career Karting Martí began karting aged nine through her father's rental kart track. Late in her karting caree ...

and

Irina Sidorkova Irina Antonovna Sidorkova ( rus, Ири́на Анто́новна Сидорко́ва; born 27 June 2003 in Petrozavodsk), also known as Ira Sidorkova, is a Russian racing driver. She has competed in the W Series and the F3 Asian Championship ...

Formula One

In October 2020 Weug was nominated as one of twenty female drivers of ages between 12 and 16 to compete in the "Girls on Track - Rising Stars" programme organized by the

FIA Women in Motorsport Commission FIA is the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (English language, English: International Automobile Federation), the world's governing body for all forms of motor sport where four or more wheels are used. Fia or FIA may also refer to: Peo ...

, with the reward for the victor of the shootout being a place in the

. Weug made it into the final selection stage alongside

Doriane Pin Doriane Pin (born 6 January 2004 in Paris) is a racing driver from France. She is the reigning Ferrari Challenge Europe champion and is competing in the FIA World Endurance Championship and European Le Mans Series. Career Karting Having started ...

, Julia Ayoub and Antonella Bassani, and on 22 January it was announced that she had won the shootout and would be joining the

Personal life

Weug was born in

Costa Blanca The Costa Blanca (, , literally meaning "White Coast") is over of Mediterranean coastline in the Alicante province, on the southeastern coast of Spain. It extends from the town of Dénia in the north, beyond which lies the Costa del Azahar (or ...

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = '' Plus ultra'' ( Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , ...

to a

father and a

mother. She has competed under the flags of all three nations across her career.

Karting record

Karting career summary

^† As Weug was a guest driver, she was ineligible to score points.

Complete Karting World Championship results

Racing record

Racing career summary

^† As Weug was a guest driver, she was ineligible for championship points.

Complete Italian F4 Championship results

(

key Key or The Key may refer to: Common meanings * Key (cryptography), a piece of information that controls the operation of a cryptography algorithm * Key (lock), device used to control access to places or facilities restricted by a lock * Key (ma ...

) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in ''italics'' indicate fastest lap)

Complete ADAC Formula 4 Championship results

(

) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in ''italics'' indicate fastest lap) ^† As Weug was a guest driver, she was ineligible for championship points.

Complete Formula Regional European Championship results

(

) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in ''italics'' indicate fastest lap)

References

External links

*
Maya Weug
on Ferrari.com {{DEFAULTSORT:Weug, Maya 2004 births Living people Ferrari people Italian F4 Championship drivers Dutch racing drivers Dutch people of Spanish descent Dutch people of Belgian descent ADAC Formula 4 drivers Karting World Championship drivers Formula Regional European Championship drivers KIC Motorsport drivers