Red Bull Ford driver Chloe Chambers took her maiden pole position for Round 3 of the 2025 F1 Academy campaign at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit in Saudi Arabia.
The American snatched a tow from McLaren’s Ella Llyod to gain crucial tenths in the final sector, and Chambers’ time of 2:04.320s couldn’t be beaten.
Such was the strength of the tow, Chambers enjoyed a 0.255s advantage over Mercedes’ Doriane Pin in second.
The 30-minute session was stopped at 23 minutes remaining as Lia Block smashed her Williams liveried machine into the outside barriers at the final corner.
Block’s crash came just moments after the American complained to her race engineer over a lack of grip compared to opening practice.
Just like Yuki Tsunoda in the Formula 1 session that came just before F1 Academy qualifying, Block turned the inside wall, sending her car to the outside barriers.
The remaining 17 drivers had no such trouble, however, and the times at the top were tight until Chambers’ tactical effort.
Behind her and Pin was Ferrari’s Maye Weug, 0.524s back from Chambers’ chart-topping effort.
Tommy Hilfiger’s 16-year-old rookie Alba Larsen went fourth fastest, ahead of Aston Martin’s Tina Hausmann and McLaren’s Lloyd.
Sauber’s Emma Felbermayr went eighth fastest, meaning the rookie will line up on reverse pole position for Saturday’s Race 1.
Alpine’s Nina Gademan and Charlotte Tilbury’s Chloe Chong rounded out the top-10.
But the qualifying plaudits belonged to Chambers, who was impressive at the Shanghai season opener, on the podium in both races and she will line up on pole for Sunday’s Race 2 in Saudi.
READ MORE – F1 Academy Exclusive: Chloe Chambers
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