Written by Sophie Harvey, Edited by Vyas Ponnuri
F1 Academy have announced that Courtney Crone will act as this weekend’s wildcard entry, partnering reigning champions PREMA Racing to compete in Miami. The announcement also brings the news that she is donning a livery sponsored by live shopping retailer QVC, for the event.
After almost two months of waiting, the much anticipated wildcard entry has been announced for Miami. Crone will take up PREMA’s fourth car, granting her the ability to earn points in the driver’s championship like any other contestant, although she will be unable to contribute to the team’s position in the overall standings.
Despite having participated in an official test event two weeks ago, Crone will take to the Miami International Autodrome with a big task in hand — unlike her competitors, the 23-year-old’s career is far from rich in single seater experience. Hence, the experience will be a steep learning curve.
However, the Californian will be hoping to hone in on the skills she has acquired across alternative categories. After graduating from karts, she has been active across Sprint Cars, LMP3’s and as of late, Lamborghini Super Trofeo.
In response to the news, Crone expressed her delight at the announcement:
“It’s a huge opportunity that F1 ACADEMY is giving drivers through Wild Card entries, especially in America. It can be difficult for young girls from outside Europe to know how to get into international series like this, and the support that I’ve been given by F1 ACADEMY, and the PREMA Racing team, has been hugely positive for me.”
She went on to praise the series' all-new sponsor, live shopping retailer QVC, of which she will use a branded car and race suit for the duration of the weekend: “I’d also like to say thank you to QVC for their support of the Wild Card initiative here in Miami. I think this is an amazing opportunity to grow both this series and the sport.”
Crone will be F1 Academy’s second wildcard entry, following in the footsteps of Jeddah’s Reema Juffali. The initiative hopes to support upcoming talent from the locations that F1 Academy visits, offering them the opportunity to gather experience, benefit from coaching and gain global exposure.
F1 Academy’s Managing Director, Susie Wolff, continues to emphasise the project’s mission. She stated: “The Wild Card entries are designed to promote regional talent and show young women in all our race locations that there is a clear pathway into our sport for anyone who is committed and talented.”
“We’ve had a huge amount of interest in the Wild Card since it was introduced in Jeddah and I’d like to thank QVC for supporting our vision and joining us to present our Wild Card entry, Courtney Crone, for the second round of our season alongside Formula 1 at the Miami Grand Prix.”
If one thing is for certain, it will be interesting to see how this young and exciting talent gets on. If you’re looking to follow the action, you can find each session LIVE on F1 Academy’s official YouTube channel this weekend, and also on F1 TV.