Step 1
Read the Article
Read the article to understand the main idea.
記事を読んで、おおよその内容をつかみましょう。
Female racer struggles to find sponsors after F1 Academy
Everything seemed to go well for Maya Weug. She was the first female member of Ferrari's young driver program. In F1 Academy, a racing series for women, she was one of the best drivers. But things changed for her in 2026.
F1 Academy started in 2023 to give women a chance to race at higher levels. In 2025, Weug was the second-best driver in the series. However, drivers can only stay for two seasons, so she had to leave.
F1 Academy and Ferrari supported her plan to move into sports car racing. But the plan failed in March 2026. After that, she competed only three times.
Many top drivers from the series struggle to find enough sponsor money, and Weug had the same problem. In August 2026, she wrote a heartfelt post on social media. The post said that she expected her past results to help her career. She also asked teams and sponsors to contact her.
(AP)
Step 2
Check the Vocabulary and Phrases
Check the following vocabulary and phrases.
以下の単語やフレーズの発音、意味、使い方を確認しましょう。
series
シリーズ戦
a set of races or other sports events of the same type that happen one after the other
My son races in a local go-kart series every summer.
息子は毎年夏になると、地元のゴーカートのシリーズ戦に出場しています。
compete
出場する
to take part in a contest or game
We will compete in a swimming race next month.
私たちは来月、水泳の大会に出場します。
struggle
苦労する
to try very hard to do something when it is difficult or when there are a lot of problems
I always struggle to wake up early on Monday mornings.
月曜日の朝は、いつも早起きするのが大変です。
heartfelt
気持ちがこめられた
showing strong feelings that are sincere
I wrote a heartfelt thank-you letter to my grandmother.
祖母に心のこもったお礼の手紙を書きました。
post
(ネット上の)投稿
a piece of writing, an image, or other content that someone shares online, for example on social media
Did you see my post about the new café?
新しいカフェについての私の投稿を見ましたか?
Step 3
Comprehension Questions
Answer the following questions based on the article.
理解度問題に挑戦しましょう。
What was Maya Weug the first female member of?
Why did Weug have to leave F1 Academy?
Step 4
Discussion
Share your opinions on the following questions.
以下の質問について、自分の考えを述べてみましょう。
Do you think watching a car race is more fun on TV or at a racetrack? Why?
Would you like to drive a race car someday? Why or why not?
Weug used social media to ask for help. What are some other good ways to ask people for help?
F1 Academy lets drivers stay for only two seasons. Do you think this is a good rule? Please explain your answer.
What can F1 Academy do to help its drivers after they leave the series?