The drive that made Anagnostiadis’ breakthrough possible

Aiva Anagnostiadis will make her F1 Academy debut at the Chinese Grand Prix this weekend and this opportunity hinged on one important drive.

Within a year Anagnostiadis, 17, has progressed from karting around Europe or driving a race car for the first time to being signed up for the biggest female series on the planet.

The Melbourne girl will race for Hitech Grand Prix in the all female series that follows the Formula 1 season and starts at the Chinese Grand Prix.

Anagnostiadis is making history as the first Australian to secure a F1 Academy seat in the championship’s third season with fellow Aussie Joanne Ciconte being announced just a day later.

She hails from Melbourne and has motorsport in her blood with her mother Barbara a former Karter and brother James also in the Mercedes karting program, while her father is a mechanic.

Preparations are in full swing with Anagnostiadis regularly visiting the Hitech team, steering in the simulator or going to the gym, while she also recently completed a secret test at Jerez.

With her first drive of a race car was as recent as June last year, things have happened very fast for the teenager, but she has soaked it all up and is ready for the big opportunity.

“It has been a bit surreal but I am so stoked and can’t wait to get the season started,” Anagnostiadis told Auto Action.

“I am really excited and grateful to be so young and have such an opportunity.

“From when I stepped in a car last year this was the goal, so I feel ready for it and have been doing everything I can because it will be such an intense season.

“Not only on track, but with everything off it.

“I feel comfortable in the car and been in it quite a lot recently which has been great.

“I think we have prepared really well and I am ready for it.”

Last year Anagnostiadis headed to Europe as part of the Alpine Race(H)er Academy program to go karting, but she took the big risk of leaving it early to pursue her dream of going car racing.

She managed to secure a seat on the Indian F4 grid and started well being as high as fifth and finishing six of the first eight races in the top 10.

However, after four straight DNFs the pressure was at the maximum ahead of the final race and with her career on the line, she produced something special.

“That last race I got a phone call saying you need to drive your heart our because this could be your last race,” she said.

“It was mainly because we had not locked in a drive anywhere.

“I was going to either end up back in Australia and working at a go-kart team or where we are now.

“I spun out on lap one but drove it from 14s back from last to sixth and I don’t think I have ever driven a car like that.

“The aim for that race was to finish on the podium, but what I did was better.

“We were fastest on track and everyone was like ‘oh my god.’

“I was not that happy afterwards, but now knowing what has happened since it was mega.”

Anagnostiadis also stated that if it was not for F1 Academy, which only started in 2023, she may not be racing at all in 2025.

“F1 Academy was really the only option to keep me racing,” she said.

“It is such a great thing for females coming through and it is budget friendly compared to anything else.

“F1 Academy was the only way we could continue because we could not race anything else budget wise.

“It is the only reason I am still racing to be honest and hopefully will bring in some sponsors and get my name out there.

“Everyone wants to be athlete front but goals wise if we are top rookie and in that top 10 I would be really happy in my first year.

“We can get to the top five if we can get it all together.

“But it will be very hard because there are girls in the field that have three to five years more experience than me.

“It will take a lot of time and learning, but I am ready for the challenge.”

The first F1 Academy session at Shanghai is from 17.03-17.45 AEDT Friday evening on Fox Sports/Kayo.

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