Academy Preview: Busy weekend ahead for Jade, Sasha and Luke

F1 Academy returns in Montreal while Italian F4 and Super Formula continue in Europe and Japan

Published

21 MAY 2026

Est. reading time

3 min

Several members of the Atlassian Williams F1 Team Driver Academy are back in action this weekend, with campaigns continuing across three different championships.

Jade Jacquet returns to F1 Academy competition in Montreal, Oleksandr Bondarev resumes his Italian F4 season at Vallelunga, and Luke Browning heads to Suzuka for the next rounds of the Super Formula campaign.

Jade Jacquet

F1 Academy – Round 2, Montreal

Jade was in French F4 action last weekend

Jade Jacquet returns to F1 Academy action this weekend as the series heads to Montreal for Round 2 of the 2026 season.

The Canadian event introduces a brand-new format for the championship, with F1 Academy expanding to a three-race weekend for the first time. Alongside the existing Reverse Grid and Feature Races, drivers will also contest a new Opening Race on Saturday.

The grid for that race will be decided by each driver’s second-fastest qualifying lap, adding an extra strategic element to qualifying as drivers aim to piece together multiple strong laps during the 30-minute session.

Jade arrives in Canada after continuing to build valuable race experience in French F4 last weekend, where she produced several strong recovery drives and added more women’s category podiums during her latest outing at Dijon-Prenois.

Montreal also marks Jade’s first street-style circuit weekend in F1 Academy, with the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve presenting a fast, unforgiving challenge.

Oleksandr Bondarev

Italian F4 Championship – Round 2, Vallelunga

Sasha returns to Italian F4 action this weekend

Oleksandr Bondarev heads to Vallelunga this weekend looking to build on an encouraging start to his 2026 Italian F4 campaign.

Our Ukrainian racer opened the season at Misano with a podium finish, a P5 and a P9, leaving the opening round sixth in the standings on 54 points — already more than halfway to his total points tally from the entire 2025 season.

Vallelunga now presents a fresh challenge as the Italian F4 field continues one of the most competitive junior single-seater campaigns in Europe.

Luke Browning

Super Formula – Rounds 4 & 5, Suzuka

Luke's set to take on the iconic Suzuka Circuit this weekend

Luke Browning returns to Super Formula action this weekend as the championship heads to Suzuka for Rounds 4 and 5 of the season.

The Atlassian Williams F1 Team Reserve Driver enjoyed a standout opening weekend at Motegi earlier this year, including a remarkable charge from P21 to P4 in Race 2 to secure his first points in the category.

Most recently, Luke travelled to Autopolis for Round 3, although worsening weather conditions ultimately led to the cancellation of the race after heavy rain and poor visibility made running unsafe.

Suzuka now offers another major test in Luke’s rookie Super Formula campaign, with the iconic Japanese circuit regarded as one of the most demanding tracks on the planet.

The weekend follows the championship’s double-header format, with qualifying and a race taking place on both Saturday and Sunday.

With Luke in action in Japan, Victor Martins will take up our reserve driver duties in Montreal this weekend.