Ciconte ready for F1 Academy step up

Five years ago Joanne Ciconte stood next to Daniel Ricciardo on the grid at Albert Park and this weekend she will be racing at the Chinese Grand Prix in F1 Academy.

Ciconte will make history as the youngest driver to ever compete in the highest all female series in the world.

The 16-year-old from Melbourne will suit up for MP Motorsport with support from support Kaboodle and Cotton On.

She will be one of two Aussies making history alongside Aiva Anagnostiadis, who will race for Hitech.

Both teenagers have ridden a rapid rise to the biggest female series in racing, but come to grips with the Tatuus F4-T421 car across some recent tests.

Meanwhile, MP Motorsport’s Ciconte will become the youngest ever to drive in the championship, snatching the record held by Chloe Chong, who raced in the inaugural season.

Joanne Ciconte is ready to race this weekend. Image: Supplied

But don’t let the age fool you, she feels ready for the challenge.

“I definitely feel ready,” the Melbourne based driver told Auto Action.

“Getting prepared for the first race at China will be a huge week of emotions and there will be a lot of pressure.

“I think being the youngest is remarkable, but I don’t think it is either an advantage or disadvantage.

“The aerodynamics are big being new to Formula 4 in general, so getting used to something so different has been a huge step.

“There are a lot of good and competitive drivers on the grid with so much experience.

“That will keep me motivated to try and help me progress better.

“I am so excited to get on track with the visor down and race representing Australia.”

Daniel Ricciardo with Joanne Ciconte at the 2019 Australian Grand Prix. Image: Supplied

Just five years ago at the 2019 Australian Grand Prix, Ciconte was a Grid Kid alongside home hero Ricciardo ahead of his first race for Renault.

Then she was still a karting, but has rapidly risen up the ranks since with the experience only further fueling her journey and now she will be a role model for many youngsters, especially girls who want to go racing.

“Daniel Ricciardo was one of my biggest inspirations, seeing an Australian in F1,” she recalled.

“I remember to get an opportunity to walk with him and it was crazy. I had always looked up to him.

“I was at the very start of my karting journey then and that moment really inspired me to keep going and follow his footsteps.

“What I desperately want to do is become Australia’s first female F1 champion.”

An opportunity through the Ferrari Driver Academy proved to be a breakout moment where she drove a Formula 4 car for the first time and also caught the eye of three-time Grand Prix winner Giancarlo Fisichella and GT racer Marco Cioci, who remain her mentors as her career progressed from Australia to Europe where she got into the top 20 of some Spanish F4 races.

Both of them are excited at her progression as she follows a similar timeline to traditional single-seater route to F1.

Ciconte is heading into the opening round with an open mind.

“This year I am more determined than ever and have my eyes forward,” she said.

“It will be important to recognise what can go wrong and amazing, so I am just focusing on progressing across the season.”

Two 30-minute races kick off the season and will be broadcast on Fox Sports/Kayo with the first broadcast on-track session at 17.03 AEDT just before Sprint Qualifying.

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