Aston Martin Aramco Driver Ambassador and Head of F1 Academy Jessica Hawkins reveals what she got up to over the summer break, what it takes to unlock laptime at Zandvoort, and previews Tina Hausmann's latest F1 Academy outing ahead of the Dutch Grand Prix.

How did you spend the summer break?

"I went on holiday which was lovely. I did a lot of relaxing, a lot of sunbathing, and it was nice to switch off after a hectic first part of the season.

"I also saw friends and family. It was great to be able to join them in lots of activities that you simply don't get the time for during the season when the racing is on. I had a fantastic time and now feel refreshed, recharged and ready for the second part of the year – there's a lot to look forward to."

There are 10 Grands Prix remaining this season. What's the team's focus for the rest of the campaign?

"We're always learning and we'll continue to apply what we learn to the AMR24. Everything we learn about the AMR24 will only help us with next year's car too. Everyone in the team is pushing as hard as they can to close the gap to the front.

"We're on a very exciting journey and still growing as a team. Buildings Two and Three of the AMR Technology Campus will be open soon and we have welcomed lots of new recruits to our already very talented team. Naturally, it takes time for everything to gel but that's what we're working towards. All the pieces of the puzzle are coming together."

What can we expect at Zandvoort this weekend?

"It's a technical circuit and one of the shortest on the F1 calendar, so the grid will be closely packed together in terms of laptime. Qualifying will be very tight and small margins could be the difference between progressing into Q2 and Q3.

"There could be plenty of opportunity for strategy calls to make a big difference in the race. Zandvoort can provide some unpredictable weather and there's also a high Safety Car probability, so Lance and Fernando and the team may have to think on their feet.

"In terms of driving the circuit, the banked corners are the highlights. Turn Three is a great corner because there are several different lines you can take, and you can make overtakes there that you wouldn't be able to on a conventional corner without the banking.

"Similarly, the last corner is so steep it's incredible. If you walk the circuit it almost feels vertical. You can't appreciate how much banking there is until you're at the corner and it's a lot of fun to drive in a racing car."

Aston Martin Aramco F1 Academy driver Tina Hausmann is back behind the wheel for the latest round of the ultra-competitive, all-female, single-seater series at Zandvoort this weekend. How has Tina developed and progressed as a driver so far this season?

"We've always planned for this to be a bit of a learning year for Tina given a lot of the other drivers are competing in their second season of F1 Academy, and this is only Tina's first. She's also learning a new car, new tracks and a new team. However, she's done a great job taking in as much information as possible to keep developing race by race; she's doing very well.

"It was great that she got two points finishes at the last round in Barcelona and that should give her confidence moving forward into the next few races.

"We're impressed with how quickly Tina is progressing. She's taken everything in her stride and is constantly developing. Tina has spent time in the simulator at the AMR Technology Campus and at PREMA and that's opened up a wealth of data and knowledge for her to use in her driving, with her being given detailed feedback from some of our simulator engineers."

Other than guiding Tina through the remainder of her maiden F1 Academy campaign, what else are you looking forward to for the rest of 2024?

"I'll be joining the team at a lot of races and I'm looking forward to them all but particularly Singapore: it brings back a lot of great memories for me and is one of my favourite circuits to drive. It will also host the next round of F1 Academy after Zandvoort so that'll be a great experience for Tina.

"I've been competing at the wheel of an Aston Martin Vantage GT3 in the British GT Championship this season and there are two races left on the calendar. I race at Donington Park the weekend after the Italian Grand Prix and then the last round is at Brands Hatch, which is the weekend after the Singapore Grand Prix.

"Between F1 Academy, racing in British GT, and working closely with the team, it will be a very busy second part of the year, but that's when I thrive. I'm raring to go."