Maya Weug: “If you have a dream, go after it, work hard, and never give up”

The name Ferrari comes with legacy. It’s a name that carries weight and to carry that badge is a dream nurtured by many, but lived by few. Maya Weug is living that dream and inspiring a new generation of young women. She is the first-ever female driver in the Ferrari Driver Academy, currently competing in the F1 Academy.

Walking through the gates of Maranello for the first time would always be special for any Ferrari driver. 

“It was a great feeling,” Maya tells Females in Motorsport. “When I put the t-shirt on, I got goosebumps, because it's something very special.“I think everyone has a dream to walk into Ferrari and to be surrounded by people that have so much experience and so much knowledge around you is just amazing.”

Of course, carrying the badge comes with a fair share of expectations. The weight of the Ferrari name brings a kind of pressure not everyone can handle. Maya explains that most of the pressure doesn’t come from others, it comes from within.

“We just want to win all the time,” she says. “I put more pressure on myself and sometimes there’s pressure from outside, but the biggest one is definitely internal.” 

With this kind of a mindset we know, she’s constantly pushing herself to be better.

There have been times when Maya has finished P2 or P3, and you can tell she’s not thrilled. She doesn't deny this either. “Yeah, sometimes I do come out grumpy,” she says with a smile. “Even my team-mates thought I was very serious. From what you see on TV or on the podium, I’m mostly not happy unless I’m winning.” 

But off-track, she’s a completely different person. 

“With the team, I’m always smiling,” she says. “It’s just that in the moment, I would have wanted more and that's how I express it.”

Having spent five years with Ferrari, it’s only natural that a bit of Italians has rubbed off on her. “My Italian is quite fluent now,” Maya says. “A particular phrase I picked is bocca al lupo which means good luck. And then you have to reply crepi.

“I never drank coffee before. Now I drink coffee every day. So that's definitely something I’m picking up from the team.”

Coffee isn’t the only ritual that Maya has picked up - routines also extend to race weekend. “I always have a bit of a routine like what I do to warm up,” she says. “And the only thing is, I always jump in from the left side of the car. It's more of a habit rather than superstition. For breakfast, I just like to have sweet breakfast. I'm quite easy with my routine.”

Thinking about her journey through F1 Academy, Maya reflects on how far she’s come. “It’s been such a great journey, I started so young, and now I’m here, driving all around the world.” she says.

But the road hasn’t always been smooth. Motorsport is competitive, and being a woman in that world brings unique challenges. “If you have a dream, go after it, work hard, and never give up,” she says. “Don't care about what people think about you or say, just do what you think is the right thing to do. Just keep pushing until you reach your goals. There's no limits.”

Of course, racing runs in her blood, so we wanted to know if not for a driver what she would be doing. “I would be either an engineer, because I really enjoy it,” she says. “But I love all sports, paddle, basketball, football, everything. So yeah, you’d probably find me in other sports or as an engineer.”

Maya Weug is a beautiful blend of talent and intelligence. Apart from being the first woman to race in red, she’s showing that motorsport has space for everyone and women can lead it too!