Czech Formula 4 - An Overview & History

First launched in 2022, Czech Formula 4 enters its fourth season in 2026. Held in Central and Eastern Europe, the FIA certified series focuses on showcasing the talent from that particular region of Europe while providing the opportunity for drivers to both gain and develop their own single seater experience. Zénó Kovács won that first season in 2022 with familiar names such as Nandhavud Bhirombhakdi, Joanne Ciconte and Nicole Havrda having competed in the series since then.

In 2026, there are expected to be a whopping eighteen teams on the grid with forty-five drivers spread out amongst them as they battle it out for the top honour of Czech Formula 4 Champion.

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The Format

Three races will be held per weekend this year in Czech Formula 4. Each weekend includes a 50-minute test session which is then followed by a 30-minute official practice session.

Qualifying lasts 20 minutes and determines the starting order for the first of the three races. The starting grid for race two will be taken from the finishing results of race one, while for the third race, the starting order is formed by reversing the top four to eight finishers of race one. The exact number of drivers to be reversed is determined by a lottery draw held after that first race. Each of the three races is the same in length - 25 minutes.

The points distribution mirrors that of F1, with the winner receiving 25 points, second place 18 points, third 15 and so on.

The Car

Much like the other regional Formula 4 Championships across Europe, such as Spanish and Italian F4, the Czech F4 series will continue to use the Tatuus F4-T421. It will also use the Pirelli DMA tires. This lends more of a balance to the scales when it comes to showcasing the drivers’ abilities on track through their racecraft, rather than seeing teams in a development battle with one another over the course of a season.

The 2026 Czech Formula 4 Calendar

The 2026 Czech Formula 4 calendar will be made up of six rounds across three countries in Europe and will run from the beginning of April until the end of October. Check it out in full below.

Round 1: Red Bull Ring, Spielberg - April 10th - 12th.

Round 2: Salburgring, Plainfield - May 29th - 31st.

Round 3: Automotodróm Slovakia Ring, Orechová Potôň - 5th June - 7th.

Round 4: Autodrom Most, Most - July 31st - August 2nd.

Round 5: Brno Circuit, Brno - September 11th - 13th.

Round 6: Hungaroring, Mogyoród - October 23rd - 25th

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Six Women Competing This Year

This year, six women will be competing in Czech Formula 4. Alexia Danielsson, Ava Dobson, Ginevra Panzeri, Mathilda Paatz, Jade Jaquet and Ella Hakkinen will all take to the grid and you can learn more about them in our next article which will give you a snapshot view of each driver and why they’re ones to keep an eye on as the season progresses.

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In our previous article, we provided you with everything you need to know ahead of the eagerly anticipated 2026 Spanish Formula 4 season. Now, let’s turn our attention to the three female drivers set to make their debuts in the series this year

Amongst the thirty-six drivers competing in the 2026 series, there lies three of the most promising up and coming young female talents in junior single-seater racing, who are paving the way for the next generation of female success stories in motorsport. They are: Luna Fluxà, Maria Neto and Zoe Florescu.

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Luna Fluxà - Campos Racing (#10)

You may have already come across the name Luna Fluxà. The Mallorcan-born driver is one of the most eagerly anticipated female drivers amongst all of the motorsport categories. Beginning her karting journey in 2017 and competing across Europe since 2019, she has ascended through Spanish and international categories at a rapid pace.

At just eleven years old, she was signed by the Mercedes Junior Team, showcasing huge potential from a young age. She has lived up to the expectations placed on her, making history by racing in the OK Karts category for PREMA in the 2024-2025 season and becoming only the fifth woman to win a senior international karting title. Consistently battling within the top ten across both the FIA World and European championships earned her selection for the F1 Academy Discover Your Drive programme, as well as entry into both Champions of the Future and the Champions of the Future Academy, where she ultimately clinched the title.

At fifteen years old, she is now making the step up into single-seaters, driving for Campos Racing in the 2026 Spanish F4 Championship and continuing to be supported by the Mercedes Junior Programme. Already having gained valuable experience in the Campos car competing in the 2026 Eurocup-4 Winter Series, it only took Luna two races to achieve her maiden podium in F4 machinery and single-seaters, securing P2 at Portimão on debut.

The Aragón finale confirmed Luna as one to watch ahead of the 2026 Spanish F4 season, securing a triple top-ten with P6, P9 and P8 across the three races.

Five top-ten finishes across nine races and consistent recovery drives through fields of over thirty drivers proved her ability to instantly adapt from karting to single-seaters. She has proven and continues to prove that she is one of the brightest emerging talents of her generation, and she’s only just getting started in her professional career. Debuting in Spanish F4 could prove to be a monumental step in her career, showcasing her talent on an international stage. The sky is the limit for Luna.

Maria Neto - TC Racing (#78)

Karting is all Maria Neto has ever known, having pursued karting from the age of four. The now fifteen year old is about to fulfil her childhood dream, making a first step towards Formula 1 by entering into the 2026 Spanish F4 Championship. She began her junior career by winning the Portuguese Cup, earning the title of national karting champion in different categories. She also then became the first Portuguese female driver to achieve international victories in Spanish and Italian championships.

From the very beginning she has stood out, getting noticed by FIA promoted programmes such as FIA Girls on Track - Rising Stars, which she went on to win in 2021. This resulted in her receiving support and backing from the Ferrari Driver Academy (2021-2025) as she progressed through the international karting structures. Adding to her list of accolades, she was named best female driver in the FIA Karting World Ranking, increasing her following and confirming her as one to watch.

Like Luna, Maria also recently made her debut in F4 and single-seaters in the 2026 Spanish Winter Series, in which she gained valuable experience and mileage in the car. It was a learning curve for the young Portuguese driver, preparing her for what’s to come in the main F4 series. After a tricky first round at Portimão, she showcased her true pace at the Circuito de Jarama, finishing P11 in Sunday’s final race to produce a personal best, narrowly missing out on the top ten.

Maria’s arrival at TC Racing marks a historic milestone, becoming the first ever female driver to represent the team. Demonstrating her adaptability to the F4 machinery in the short Winter Series, Maria will hope that she can consistently fight for the top ten positions. Alongside this, she will also be aiming to outperform Luna Fluxà and Zoe Florescu throughout the season to earn the title of best female driver. Maria is certainly deserving of this if she can push to her limits.

Zoe Florescu - Tecnicar (#18)

The seventeen year old Zoe Florescu will be hopeful that she can outperform both Luna and Maria, having accrued two years of extra racing experience. The American-Romanian driver has risen through the ranks of international karting, competing in three seasons in FIA European and World Championship events. Like Maria, she has also won the prestigious FIA Girls on Track - Rising Stars title, also earning her support and backing from the Ferrari Driver Academy. Following this, she joined the Tony Kart Racing Team programme, enabling her to progress through the highest levels of international karting.

Competing in OK Karts in 2023, Zoe excelled and became the youngest and fastest female in the qualifying standings within a lineup of over one hundred drivers. The following year, she advanced into the elite KZ2 shifter category, securing podium finishes in the ACI Italian Karting Championship with Birel ART. She was then invited to participate in the F1 Academy Rookie Test at Navarra with Campos in September 2025. Finishing 8th overall, she gained her first taste of single-seater racing, competing against some admirable female drivers. In January 2026, she was selected as one of the new drivers for the More Than Equal driver development programme, aimed at identifying and developing the first female Formula 1 World Champion.

Over the winter, Zoe juggled both the 2026 Pirelli Winter Series with Campos, and the 2026 Spanish Winter Series with Tecnicar. Delivering a remarkable first F4 weekend at Portimão in the Pirelli Winter Series, she claimed two Female Trophy victories, whilst consistently fighting inside the top-twenty.

In the Spanish Winter Series, Zoe remained in the spotlight by showcasing encouraging race pace and the ability to produce impressive recovery drives, making up for her struggles in qualifying.

Her biggest challenge lies ahead in Spanish F4 with Tecnicar; an opportunity to make a name for herself in single-seaters and prove that she can be future World Champion, paving the way for female drivers in Formula 1. Her focus will be on consistency and maximising performance, particularly in qualifying, which will allow her to reach her full potential.

The Countdown to 2026 Spanish F4 is On

After the conclusion of the Spanish Winter Series, all three drivers leave with valuable lessons learned and momentum to carry into the beginning of their debut seasons in Spanish F4. Luna Fluxà leads the female line up in the best form, securing twenty-seven points and P11 over the three winter rounds.

The 2026 Spanish F4 season kicks off in Valencia (10-12 April). Could we see one of these women outperform the male-dominated grid and take the Spanish F4 crown? They are all worthy winners, that’s for sure.

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Sophia Flörsch has become the first driver to be announced as joining Formula E’s newest team, Opel, ahead of its debut in the all electric racing series in the 2026/27 season. The twenty-five year old German has signed on as a test and development driver for the team.

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“Formula E is currently the toughest racing series in the world – and that’s exactly where Opel and I are now competing together…The fact that a brand with 125 years of motorsport DNA is now taking the step into a world championship is impressive. As a German driver, being part of this factory team is more than a privilege for me.” - Sophia Flörsch

Sophia will make her first public appearance on April 21 and 22, when the new Gen4 cars of the all-electric series will be officially presented in France. She is then expected to get her first laps in the Stellantis Gen4 development car at the launch event. The Opel GSE Formula E team will be front and centre at the event too.

While yet to be confirmed, it appears that Opel are targeting Mitch Evans and Theo Pourchaire to be their full time drivers for their first season in Formula E. Sophia’s addition as a test and development driver makes her the sixth female driver to be associated with a Formula E team in 2026. The news also comes after a recent rookie test session for Formula E in Madrid that all five of those drivers take to the track.

“Her precise technical feedback, as well as her analytical way of working in the simulator and on the track, will play an essential role in the further development of our Gen4 package. At the same time, her fresh approach fits perfectly with our ‘OMG! GSE campaign’, with which we present the emotional side of our all-electric high-performance models. We combine targeted talent promotion with high sporting standards and thus strengthen the visibility of a new generation in motorsport that combines sporting performance with public presence.” - Jörg Schrott, Opel Team Principal

Sophia was previously meant to make her Formula E debut back in 2018 in Saudi Arabia but injuries sustained during the Macau Grand Prix prevented her from doing so. In 2024, she was meant to be on track again with Formula E for the all female test in Valencia, only for it to be called off because of the floods in the region at the time. It would appear that the third time is now the charm for Flörsch. Hopefully her inclusion in a brand new team, combined with the presence of the other female test and development drivers in Formula E means it won’t be long now before we see a female driver in a full time race seat in the series.

Prior to Formula E, Sophia has competed in a vast array of motorsport series, including DTM, Indy NXT, the Macau Grand Prix, the European Le Mans Series and remains the last full time female driver in Formula 3.

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Formula E returns May 2nd in Berlin, Germany.

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With the start dates of the Regional Formula 4 Championships fast approaching, let’s get up to speed with everything you’ll need to know.

Following on from the first round of French Formula 4 earlier this month, the Spanish Formula 4 Series kicks off this weekend in Valencia (10th-12th April). Let’s familiarise ourselves with the format, calendar, history, as well as highlighting the three female drivers debuting in the series in 2026.

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Formula 4: An Overview

Formula 4 first launched in 2014: its mission to be a stepping stone for drivers towards the path to Formula 1 and other formula series. The focus is on young drivers rising through the ranks from karting, assisting them in their development as they begin their professional careers in single-seater racing.

Spanish F4 boasts a unique combination of circuits - all of them being venues of Formula 1 or Moto GP events. With a well-balanced calendar, a wide testing programme and official events, it offers the optimal environment for young drivers to progress in the world of motorsport.

Spanish F4 in History

Spanish F4 was launched in 2016, with support from all stakeholders involved allowing the championship to be recognised almost instantly at a European and global level. Certified by the FIA, it is supported by major brands such as Hankook, Tatuus, Abarth and the endorsement of the Real Federación Española de Automovilismo (RFEDA).

Since the category’s introduction ten years ago, many drivers have managed to carve out successful careers, competing at the highest level in categories such as FIA F2, F3, ELMS or WEC in the LMP2 category. Some have gone on to become members of young driver development programmes of the likes of Ferrari and Mercedes, and some have even been able to gain experience in Formula 1.

A large majority of female drivers who have participated in the series have been selected to take part in W-Series, which has now been replaced by F1 Academy - undoubtedly one of its greatest achievements by recognising the success and talent of women in the sport.

The Spanish series has since become one of the leading single-seater categories in the world, about to host its eleventh season in 2026. Since its inaugural season in 2016, the championship has evolved from three teams and 19 drivers to 12 teams and 36 drivers competing in 2026. However, our main focus here is on the three female drivers who will be competing this season: Luna Fluxà, Maria Neto and Zoe Florescu.

Format

Each weekend is divided into seven sessions:

There are at least 180 minutes of guaranteed track time every weekend. This ensures the main objective of the championship is fulfilled: to train young drivers in the best possible way ahead of their promotion to higher categories.

The best lap from Q1 sets the grid for Race 1, the second-best lap from Q1 sets the grid for Race 2, and the best lap from Q2 sets the grid for Race 3. In the case that Q1 cannot go ahead, Race 1’s grid will be set using the classification from free practice, and Race 2’s grid will be set using the fastest laps from Race 1. The same goes for Race 3 as Race 2 - if Q2 cannot go ahead, the fastest laps from Race 2 will be used to set the grid.

Races 1 and 3 are awarded with the standard FIA points format, with 25 points awarded to the winner down to one point for the 10th-place finisher. Race 2 follows the same format, but with 18 points awarded to the winner and one for the ninth-place finisher. One point is awarded to the driver with the fastest lap, and two points to the pole-sitters in the qualifying sessions.

Each driver is given three sets of new tyres each weekend and two sets of used tyres from previous official events. For the first event, each driver has four sets of new tyres and is not allowed to use already used tyres from previous season’s official events.

The Car

Tatuus is the sole vehicle supplier for Spanish F4. Since 2022, the championship has been raced with the second generation of single-seater: TATUUS F4-T421.

Tyres: Hankook F200 (C7).

Engine: 1.4 TURBO ABARTHENGINE, 176 hp.

Chassis: TATUUS F4-T421.

2026 Calendar

The 2026 Spanish F4 Championship will host seven rounds - five events across venues in Spain, and two events abroad.

The calendar ensures to offer a balance between fast, technical and demanding circuits. For drivers to be successful and stand out amongst the competition, they must adapt to these different track styles and potentially tricky conditions.

Next: Meet the Women Competing in the 2026 Spanish F4 Championship

Now that you’re prepped and ready for the 2026 Spanish F4 season, all that’s left to do is introduce the three female drivers who will be making their mark on the series. Luna Fluxà, Maria Neto and Zoe Florescu all begin exciting new chapters of their motorsport careers in 2026, making their full debuts in F4 in the upcoming Spanish Series.

With a new challenge awaiting for all three, they will be determined to prove themselves and their capabilities. 2026 will be the most significant year of their lives and careers so far, and it’s only just the beginning.

Stay tuned for our next article: Spanish Formula 4 in 2026 - Meet the Female Driver Line up.

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The French Formula 4 Series kicked off at the Circuit de Nogaro over the Easter weekend and it sees seven female drivers competing full-time in the series. A mix of rookies and experienced drivers make up the list with a number of French drivers joined by an Italian, a Canadian and in a European single seater history first, a Cuban.

So let’s take a look at the female driver line-up for the French Formula 4 2026 Season and how they got on in their opening round.

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Isabella Abreu

Born in Cuba but now based in Miami, Isabella Abreu is a one-woman powerhouse determined to make it all the way to the pinnacle of motorsport. Having competed in Spec Miatas and the JSF4 Series in the United States, Isabella has now made history in 2026.

That’s because, by entering this season of the FFSA Championship, she’s become not only the first female Cuban but the first Cuban in history to compete in single-seater racing in Europe. Participating in a series aimed at both developing drivers and ensuring they get to showcase their racing abilities to everyone across the continent, where cameo appearances in other F4 regional series is not uncommon, makes it a calculated and wise move from the young and exciting Cuban.

“None of this was easy. Nothing was given as a gift. My family and I left our whole lives in this dream — sleepless nights, workouts until the body gave out, sacrifices no one saw but that mean everything.

I grew up dreaming of this moment. And although many times the lack of money wanted to extinguish this road, it could never extinguish the desire. Because when you don’t have resources, you learn to be strong.. to run with rage, with hunger, with purpose.

Today I’m representing my country, Cuba, at the international level in automotive.. and that doesn’t come from luck. It comes from a struggle. Of pain. Of not giving up when everyone said I couldn’t.. exactly what we Cubans represent to us.” - Isabella Abreu

Isabella’s debut in French Formula 4 was one to be proud of too. From Practice 1 right up until the final race of the opening round saw consistent improvement from the Cuban, most represented in both improving lap times and clean racecraft. In a field of over thirty drivers, chaos can and does often happen. Putting together a neat race weekend when starting out is more important than finishing positions. It’s a brilliant way to kick off a maiden campaign and that’s exactly what Isabella did on the first time of asking. Aiming to be noticed by F1 Academy in the near future and as one of the few rookie female drivers on the grid this year, we’ll be watching her career this year with great interest.

Annabelle Brian

The eighteen year old Dutch Driver has competed in Formula 4 before in 2025. With a best result of P11 at the opening round of the season at the Circuit de Nogaro, where she was also noted as the best female driver that weekend, Annabelle will be looking to build on that solid foundation in 2026. This year, she’ll already be familiar with the nature of the Championship, how a race weekend works and what to expect come race day. Prior to French Formula 4, Annabella had the traditional route up the motorsport ladder via karting and also competed in the IAME Ladies Cup.

Back in the present day, Annabelle had a highest finishing position across last weekend of P14 was a good way to start the new season. On top of that, Annabelle also finished in second place in the Ladies’ Championship at the end of the third race, one of seven different drivers to be on the podium in that class over the weekend.

Sofia Zanfari

Karting for the first time in Marbella led Sofia Zanfari to compete in Europe, the U.S and in Abu Dhabi. Sofia got into karting with her debut outing in 2013. In 2015, the Moroccan Driver finished tenth overall in the championship and then went on to finish first in the US Open in Micro Max which saw fourty-three participants competing.

After some time away following 2019, Sofia returned and this time, she competed in the OK Senior category, returning to the fold in 2024 too. Last year, Sofia stepped up to single seaters properly by joining the FFSA grid with a highest finishing result of P18 in two of the three races held in Spa. This year, she returns to the series. also with the target of reaching F1 Academy in the future.

Sofia was consistent at the Circuit de Nogaro, finishing in P17 in both the first and second race of the weekend before a DNF took her out of the running for the third race. That seventeenth place was enough to secure third place on the podium for the Ladies’ Championship after the second race on Sunday.

Clara Stiebleichinger

2026 won’t be Clara’s first time racing in single seater machinery and out of all of the drivers listed here, is potentially the one with the most expectation on her shoulders. After a foundational amount of time karting, Clara competed in the Indian Formula 4 Championship last year - one of a number of female drivers to do so. While the podium eluded her, she put on many impressive performances, including a P4 finish at the Madras International Circuit and a strong four race streak of points at the end of the season across the Kari Motor Speedway and again at the Madras International Circuit.

Last weekend, Clara was well and truly in the mix in the first two races of the weekend. Finishing in P16 and P14 respectively, she was on the podium for both races as a result in the women’s class. A DNF came her way during Monday’s final race for the opening round but with as solid a showing as she displayed, many will be hoping that to be a case of the exception, rather than the rule in 2026.

Autumn Fisher

With three karting series in her rear view mirror that she’s competed in over the last two years, the Canadian driver will now make her single seater debut in 2026 in the FFSA Championship. The second and final female driver from across the pond to compete in the series alongside Abreu, Fisher will be aiming to learn the ropes of the series as quickly as possible so that she can build a solid first season together over the course of the year.

Like Abreu, Fisher had a really promising opening round of the French Formula 4 Championship. She kept it clean throughout, taking advantage of the opportunities that came her way. P24 would be her highest finishing position across the weekend with a steady improvement in lap times too as the sessions wore on.

Angélina Proneca

Another driver with a full season of French Formula 4 under her belt is Angelina Proneca. Like Annabelle, her best performance of the season came at the opening round of the season at the Circuit de Nogaro where she finished the third race in P13. That potential returned later in the season too with a P15 finish in Spa and a P17 finish at the season finale in Le Mans.

The sixteen year old French driver has been karting since 2020, honing her fundamental racing skills in that category of racing until last season when she jumped up into single seaters for the first time. Like the other returning drivers on this list, Angélina will be looking to build on what has come before and apply all of her racing knowledge to break firmly into the top ten come race day this season.

Proneca qualified in P24 for all three races and improved upon that starting position for all three races. Getting as high as P18 in the second of the three races held last weekend, she was also able the following day, with her result of P21, to claim second on the podium in the women’s class.

Héloïse Goldberg

The seventeen year old French driver had a character building debut year in the FFSA Championship last season. While she struggled to break into the top twenty all season long, only one DNF plagued her results, one of only four drivers to have such an experience. Having karted before then and also been an assistant karting coach, Héloise’s focus for the 2026 season will be take that consistency that she demonstrated last season and use it to move herself further up on the order on a regular basis, while keeping out of trouble with any battles between rival competitors up ahead.

That consistency that Héloise demonstrated last year came straight back into play as the new season began. Finishing in the mid to high twenties over the three races across the weekend, her focus was on building upon that foundation from last year and becoming quicker in the process. This was most evident in her lap times as she was almost two seconds quicker by the end of the weekend than she had been at the start. At the end of the final race too, she claimed the final spot on the women’s podium.

Ginevra Panzeri

Another driver racing in this year’s FFSA Championship who isn’t a newcomer to the single seater way of life is Ginevra Panzeri. The Italian Driver enters the series for the first time having competed previously in the Formula Winter Series. Competing for six races at the tail end of the 2025 season, she returned full time in 2026. Ginevra finished in an impressive P9 on her debut in Estoril but was sadly unable to replicate that performance again. She finished the season in P29 overall with a next highest finish of P18 at the Circuit de Barcelona Catalunya.

Still, with a solid amount of F4 experience now under her belt, Ginevra will be looking to hit the ground running when the FFSA Championship gets underway at the Circuit de Nogaro.

However, that didn’t go exactly to plan. After a decent time in practice and qualifying, the first race ended in a DNF for the Italian. To further compound her problems, it was later revealed that she suffered from a shoulder injury prior to the first race that then became compounded. As a result, she would not be able to compete in the second and third races of the opening French Formula 4 weekend.

Bonus Drivers - Jade Jaquet and Lisa Billard

Fresh from the opening round of F1 Academy in Shanghai last month, Jade and Lisa took advantage of the lack of a round in Saudi Arabia to return to French Formula 4, having both competed last season. Lisa had an excellent weekend, qualifying as high as P11 and P10 and converting that into a best finish of P8 for Sunday’s second race. All three of her results were good enough to put her on top of the podium in the women’s category after each race. It’s of little surprise that she was the women’s champion in the series last year.

Jade had a mixed bag of a weekend in contrast. P13 was her end result for the first race after starting in P18. But back to back DNFs for the other two races in the weekend halted her progress. Both were unfortunate learning curve moments for the Williams backed driver but there’s no doubt that she’ll be one to take the positives from the weekend, especially in terms of gaining more track time and overall experience.

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French Formula 4 returns May 15th at Dijon.

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What is French Formula 4?

French Formula 4 is an open-wheel racing series that was originally founded in 1993 by Louis Drouet. Based in France, its aim is to help with the transition from karting to single-seater racing and prepare drivers for the next step on their single-seater journey. The series itself is currently organised by the Fédération Française du Sport Automobile (FFSA) - hence why you often see it referred to as the FFSA Championship.

Crucially, since 2018, the series runs under the umbrella of the FIA. Around thirty drivers compete each season, with fifteen different nationalities on the grid this year. Importantly too, the drivers of the French Formula 4 Championship will be able to score points towards the super license needed to compete in Formula 1.

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A Look Back in Time

Since 1993, a number of notable names have competed in the series and gone on to win the Championship. Jean-Éric Vergne won the title in 2007, followed by Stoffel Vandoorne in 2010, Caio Collet in 2018 and Ayumu Iwasa in 2020. Pierre Gasly, now racing for Alpine in Formula 1, also competed in the series as did Red Bull’s latest driver Isack Hadjar.

French Formula 4 Format

A race weekend in French Formula 4 usually takes place over three days, Friday to Sunday, with free practice sessions on the first day.

Naturally, the qualifying session determines the starting order for the first race while the second fastest time the grid sets the order for the third race. The grid for the second race, however, is set by reversing the top ten finishers of the first race.

Each race lasts twenty minutes plus an additional lap. Tyres are allocated to each driver in sets of four for each race weekend and must last the duration of the race weekend. When it comes down to the points awarded for each race, it’s pretty straightforward. For Race 1 and Race 3, it’s done in the same style as Formula 1. 25 points are awarded to the race winner, 18 for second place, 15 for third and so on down to one point for finishing in tenth place.

Race 2 however is slightly different, as it’s the reverse grid race of the weekend. It sees first place take fifteen points, all the way down to one point for the driver that finishes in P8.

The Car

The French F4 Championship are run 100% French cars that are created in line with the latest safety and performance standards required for the FIA Formula 4 specifications, which includes an identical power to eight ratio. Built by Mygale and FIA-certified since 2021, it is a 100% carbon monohull of the latest generation.

The halo is one of the latest safety features on the car, introduced in 2022 and the Renault Sport 1.3-litre turbocharged direct injection engine is powered by Repsol’s 100% renewable biofuel. It also includes front and rear impact absorbers, anti-intrusion side panels as well as front and rear, hoops, extractable seat, head restrain, wheel retention cables, on-board fire extinguisher and retractable steering column, improved seat and tank safety and crashworthiness, weight savings and improved aerodynamic efficiency are its strengths.

The 2026 French Formula 4 Championship Calendar

The 2026 calendar will be composed of six rounds held between April and October, racing all over France with one stop outside of the country as the series visits the legendary circuit as Spa for the third round of the Championship. Check out the full calendar below:

Round 1 - April 4th – 6th: Circuit de Nogaro

Round 2 - May 15th–17th: Dijon-Prenois

Round 3 - June 19th-21st: Spa-Francorchamps

Round 4 - July 31st – August 2nd: Magny-Cours

Round 5 - September 18th–20th: Lédenon

Round 6 - October 9th – 11th: Le Castellet (Paul-Ricard)

Eight Women Competing This Year

This year, eight women are competing in the French Formula 4 Series. Isabella Abreu, Annabelle Brian, Sofia Zanfari, Clara Stiebleichinger, Autumn Fisher, Angelina Proneca, Ginevra Panzeri and Héloïse Goldberg will all take to the grid and you can learn more about them in our next article which will give you a snapshot view of each driver and why they’re ones to keep an eye on as the season progresses.

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Formula 1 welcomed Mickey Mouse to the 2025 Las Vegas Grand Prix, with the iconic character dancing in front of the Bellagio Fountains before a flurry of fireworks lit up the skies. Now, following the thrills of the Shanghai Grand Prix and the exhilarating start of the 2026 F1 Academy season, Disney has announced the extension of the ‘Fuel the Magic’ campaign.

The entertainment conglomerate has expanded its partnership with F1 to include F1 Academy, set to premiere later this Spring. The project will bring the classically beloved Minnie Mouse and Daisy Duck into the series to promote the representation of women-led partnerships and encourage young girls to pursue new passions in motorsports. Exclusive merchandise, character experiences and new original content will also be unveiled, offering an exciting gateway into the world of racing.

Managing director of F1 Academy Susie Wolff has commented,

“By bringing together two worlds united by creativity, ambition, and a belief in what’s possible, we’re building pathways that inspire and empower future fans, drivers and leaders to shape the future of our sport.”

Disney’s decision to deepen its involvement in motorsports comes as F1 Academy enters its fourth year, announced just shortly after a new partnership with Sephora. Sharing the same goals of increasing visibility and boosting confidence, these initiatives present the growth of women’s motorsports and the series’ rising popularity.

When F1 Academy first launched in 2023, it offered a launchpad for women to compete in a male-dominated sport, despite previous challenges with Formula Woman and the W Series. Since then, F1 Academy has expanded in both scale and reach to showcase incredible talent and unique stories. Innovations such as bringing in Wild Card drivers for specific weekends have created a truly global community, opening further opportunities to break into racing and captivate audiences worldwide.

Additionally, the involvement of major sponsors - including all F1 teams to fund cars and drivers - demonstrates a newfound commitment to greater diversity and a dedication to the growth of women in motorsports. This level of support was lacking in F1 Academy’s predecessors, resulting in limited opportunities and their eventual closure.

Disney and F1 Academy’s collaboration also indicates a wider shift in the way motorsports are embracing new tech in sports media. The introduction of interactive digital content and the wide adoption of social media indicate that sports are moving past traditional broadcast models that separate athletes and fans. This enables audiences to step directly into the action through immersive experiences, fostering deeper engagement and connection.

The success of Formula 1’s own media strategy, with the release of Netflix’s Drive to Survive, led to an impressive boom in global viewership. The show revealed a behind-the-scenes look into drivers’ lives and team dynamics to captivate a new generation of fans - an approach that F1 Academy now hopes to replicate. The debut of their own Netflix series, F1: The Academy, last year displayed the inner workings of the sport, alongside the efforts made to bring women back to the F1 grid.

F1 Academy’s partnership with Disney aims to promote women’s stories and provide an accessible platform for young girls to hear the inspirational narratives of female drivers. Chief commercial officer for F1, Emily Prazer, said,

“Disney is a global storytelling powerhouse that unites young and old generations alike, while celebrating individuality. It’s therefore a natural step as part of our collaboration for it to support F1 Academy, a series that champions women, encourages them to get involved in our sport and ultimately thrive. It marks another momentous step in how we continue to build impactful integrations that not only deliver enormous fan engagement, but underline the values of our wider sport.”

More information about Disney and F1 Academy’s partnership is expected to be released in the coming months, but the collaboration has already set out clear goals. The two organisations hope to engage new audiences and increase female participation in motorsports, delving into creative storytelling and fan-driven campaigns to support women and girls in the years to come.

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Earlier this year, it was announced that there would be another Formula E rookie test session - this time in Madrid, Spain at the Jarama Circuit. Of the twenty drivers selected to participate, four were women. With both the latest race weekend and the test sessions themselves in the rear view mirror, let’s take a look at how those four drivers fared.

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Pulling sets the early Pace

As the morning session got underway, it was Abbi Pulling who set the benchmark time in the opening minutes. Those keeping a close eye on Pulling’s time in Formula E so far will know that she’d visited this particular track before - having participated in the inaugural Women’s Test in 2024.

By the end of the morning session, Pulling had put in a time worthy of P8 out of the twenty drivers participating. The British driver remained consistent throughout the afternoon session too, finishing in a respectable P9 overall, 1.4 seconds off the best lap time set by Nikita Bedrin for DS Penske.

Gaining More Experience

One of the other three female drivers at this test was Bianca Bustamante. This wasn’t Bustamante’s first time in Jarama as the Filipino took part in last year’s all women test session at the Spanish circuit.

But Bianca struggled primarily with managing the traffic out on track during the morning session. It’s not the most surprising issue to have in a session filled with drivers that don’t know when their next opportunity to test a Formula E car will be. She finished that first session in P16 overall and the second in P17.

“I had the amazing, lovely, lovely chance of, yeah, getting behind the wheel

again in Valencia, Spain, which honestly, I’m not gonna lie, it’s probably the toughest it’s ever felt physically.” - Bianca Bustamante

Ella Lloyd hit the track for Envision Racing, finishing in P17 and P18 in both sessions respectively. Juju Noda made her second appearance for Jaguar TCS Racing, having also participated in the all female test at the tail end of last year. The Japanese driver finished in P18 and P19 across the two test sessions.

“Being part of this incredible team is something truly special, and I’m thankful for every lap, every lesson, and this amazing opportunity. It only makes me more motivated to get back behind the wheel of the I-Type 7, keep pushing, and come back even stronger.” - Juju Noda

But there was more to the lap times than met the eye. While Saturday’s race day for Formula E was held in mixed conditions - and therefore goes some of the way to explaining the massive gap in lap times set by the full drivers when compared to the rookies in the latter’s favour, Free Practice was held the previous day and, like Sunday’s rookie test, in dry conditions. 1:29.403 was the fastest lap time set in that session. Bedrin’s quickest time from the rookie test for comparison was 1:29.250. So while, Pulling, Bustamante, Lloyd and Noda were not at the top of the time sheets the lap times they set were not as far off the pace set by the full time drivers as some might think, especially when the full complement of full time drivers and their lap times from Free Practice are taken into account.

Moreover, the times set at Jarama back in October during the all women’s test are also worthy of note. On that occasion, Chloe Chambers set a fastest lap time of 1:22.767. With the five other drivers making up the top six in that session all within a second of her lap time as well as the slowest driver still setting a lap time quicker than those set by Bedrin and the full time drivers this weekend, it becomes something worthy of a more in depth look in the near future - particularly when last year’s rookie test session in Berlin is taken into account too.

Nerea Marti Returns to Formula E

There was a bonus driver out on track too over the course of the Madrid race weekend in the form of home hero Nerea Marti. The Spaniard is an ambassador for the Andretti team and as part of her duties, she got to take the Gen3 Evo car out onto the Jarama Circuit for a demo run. Check it out below.

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There is more to delve into regarding this test session, especially when taken into the larger context of Formula E and other test sessions of a similar notion that have been held in recent times. But one thing is certain. These rookies tests are vital for ensuring that the best fresh talent rises to the top. Motorsport is always about pushing the boundaries of what’s possible, taking chances and being bold. For Formula E, that’s always been something embedded in their DNA.

Love it or hate it, it’s a series that isn’t afraid to try new things and when that approach is combined with these four female drivers showing up consistently and performing, with a fraction of the experience and opportunities available to those around them, the question has to be asked of when we are going to get to see one of them in a full time race seat in Formula E. Their presence in these sessions alone removes the idea of if from the equation - and forces everyone to accept that it has to be a matter of when. Hopefully that means it’ll be sooner rather than later. These tests are just the start.

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With three seasons of F1 Academy now in the rear view mirror, the all-female racing series has seen a plethora of drivers graduate from it and go off to pastures new. But what have those drivers been doing and where are they now?

It’s Race Week! takes a look at six of F1 Academy’s alumni and how what they’re doing now is not only benefiting themselves but also paving the way for other women entering motorsport in the future.

Marta Garcia

For many general and die-hard motorsport fans, Marta Garcia will already be a household name. The 25-year-old Spaniard is someone who oftentimes comes across as having been around for a lot longer than she actually has been. Such is the breadth and depth of her career so far.

Joining F1 Academy in its inaugural season in 2023, Marta notched up seven race wins from the twenty-one races. On top of that, she scored five additional podiums, five pole positions and six fastest laps. Garcia finished P1 in the Championship by the end of the year with 278 points, 56 points clear of Lena Buhler in P2.

After winning in F1 Academy, Garcia moved over to the Formula Regional European Championship, where she raced with Iron Dames in 2024. This came about as part of F1 Academy’s prize for winning the Championship. At the same time, she competed in the Ligier European Series for four races, an endurance racing series, also with Iron Dames. Two wins in this series in Spa and Portugal came Marta’s way, and her transition into endurance racing looked to have gone very well indeed.

The move from single-seaters to endurance racing is not an uncommon one in motorsport. Many single-seater drivers do it not only to stay afloat in the racing world when competition for seats is especially high, but also to further develop their overall racecraft abilities. The more different disciplines of racing one competes in, the more rounded a driver becomes and their ability to adapt from one racing series to the next becomes more and more impressive.

We’ve also seen drivers use this pathway to return to single-seater racing. When Mick Schumacher left Formula 1, he spent time racing in the World Endurance Championship with Alpine before securing his seat for the 2026 IndyCar Season with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. While it may come across as frustrating to some fans to see the pathway towards higher classes of single-seater racing appear to become closed off to a driver like Marta, it’s a door that is not as firmly shut as it may seem.

Iron Dames and Formula E Debut

In 2025, Marta teamed up once again with Iron Dames to compete in the Le Man Cup GT3, a support series for the European Le Mans Series. She finished in P4 overall. This was made even more impressive due to the fact that she had a massive shunt at the season opener in Barcelona and also had to miss racing at Le Mans due to her teammate being injured. On her comeback in Spa, however, she hit the ground running with a podium finish. Marta then followed this up with a victory in Silverstone, her first win in this category of racing, and a solid P5 finish in Portugal.

Marta also made her Formula E debut back in 2024, taking part in the rookie test with ERT - now Cupra Kiro. Later that same year, she tested with Porsche in the pre-season women’s test. She then switched teams again, partnering with Lola Yamaha ABT in this season’s pre-season women’s test. Experience across multiple teams allows Marta to enhance her skills at transitioning into different working environments, learning and adapting to differing procedures and not letting these behind-the-scenes changes negatively impact her performance inside the car. Being involved with Formula E consistently like this also helps her to keep the door ajar to the single-seater world.

While we don’t yet know what Garcia’s plans are for 2026, it’s clear that a number of options are open to her. There’s also the potential to switch things up entirely again and explore a new corner of the motorsport landscape.

The Al Qubaisi Sisters: Amna & Hamda

Following her two seasons in F1 Academy, the elder Al Qubaisi, Amna, also moved over into endurance racing. She competed in the Ligier European Series JS P4 with Team Virage in 2025. It was a unique situation as her sister, Hamda, was also racing with her as her teammate. Amna achieved multiple P3 results in Barcelona, Spa and Silverstone.

Amna would go on to finish in P4 overall in the Championship, just eleven points behind P3. Earlier this year, she doubled down on her endurance racing potential by competing in the 2025–26 24H Series Middle East at the Dubai Autodrome. During the race, she was running very solidly in the podium places before contact with another car resulted in her having to retire from the race.

Like Marta, perhaps Amna is honing her craft in another way aside from in single-seater racing. But her participation in the endurance race at Dubai could suggest that she’s looking to develop her skills in this discipline of racing, perhaps with an eye on the European Le Mans Series or even the World Endurance Championship in the years to come.

Hamda, the younger Al Qubaisi, joined her sister in the Ligier European Series JS P4 with Team Virage after her stint in F1 Academy. The move from single-seaters to prototype machinery is not always a straightforward one, but it’s not the first time that members of her family have competed in this type of racing, with her father being a well-known endurance racing driver in the past.

Both Hamda and Amna have expressed interest in competing alongside and against their father in a race, so perhaps the sisters’ delve into this style of racing is leading them closer to realising that dream. Hamda is also two years younger than Amna, and while age shouldn’t make a difference, drivers are often judged on this, and younger drivers are often prioritised over older ones - even if the gap is only a couple of years.

By switching disciplines and being able to learn both from her father and her sister, Hamda is laying a solid foundation to ensure a lengthy career in motorsport.

Nerea Marti

In 2025, Nerea moved across to Endurance Racing. Part of the BMW M Racing Academy and racing for BMW España, Nerea competed in the Supercars Endurance Championship. She competed in the series back in 2024 too, where she got onto the podium three times. In 2025, Nerea built on that success by winning a race at Jarama. She then repeated this feat by winning in Valencia too and would finish the season in P5 overall in the GT4 Pro Class. Just six points stood between her and third place.

Nerea also transitioned into the E1 Series with Team Alula for the final two rounds of the 2025 season. She joined the team again for the opening round of 2026 in Jeddah, where she finished in third place. It wasn’t the only electric racing series that she would be involved in though as Nerea went on to become an ambassador for Andretti. She tested with the team in the Formula E pre-season women’s test, having tested with them in 2024 too.

When you combine her sublime single-seater ability (P4 overall in both seasons of F1 Academy, along with a solid stint and string of results in W Series) with her proven adaptability to both endurance racing and electric racing, Nerea presents herself as a strong and reliable competitor who is an exciting prospect to any team on the lookout for a new driver signing.

A proven winner and podium finisher across all forms of racing she’s competed in in recent years, Nerea is reminiscent of more traditional, old school racing drivers who used to compete in just about anything. Being able to not only do that but also deliver results makes her someone to watch with great interest not only for the rest of the year, but into 2027 and beyond.

Bianca Bustamante

Following a less-than-stellar second and final season of F1 Academy in 2024, it was unclear as to where Bianca would land in 2025. Post F1 Academy, though, Bianca was able to secure a seat in the GB3 Championship with Elite Motorsport. Bianca scored points in seventeen of the twenty-four races and finished in P22 overall.

This year, Bianca has once again doubled down on making it in single-seater racing, rather than pivoting into an alternative racing category. The Filipino has signed with Palou Motorsport to compete in the Euro-Cup 3 Series. In the opening round in Portugal, Bianca had a highest finish of P13. An unfortunate error in the final race sent her tumbling down the order after having made significant progress up through the field prior to that.

Still, at only twenty-one years of age, much of the racing that Bianca is doing is to help her gain more and more valuable experience inside the car out on track. Seat time is difficult to come by in racing, regardless of the category and on paper, results often don’t tell the full story, leading to drivers being judged too harshly too soon into their careers. But by committing to single seater again for another year, Bianca is demonstrating how seriously she’s taking the challenge and that she wants to succeed.

Moreover, Bianca has also been signed up as a development driver in Formula E with Cupra Kiro. The first major duty she had to undergo for the team was representing them at their rookie test in Berlin and then again in the pre-season women’s test in Valencia. Much like Marta Garcia, Nerea Marti and Abbi Pulling, her place there both helps to normalise the presence of women in single-seater racing, gives them an opportunity to develop their skills in different machinery and opens up another potential pathway for them to compete in a high level of racing in the future.

Abbi Pulling

Having raced in British F4 for a number of races in 2024 alongside her F1 Academy duties, where she won a race alongside two further podiums, it was only natural for Abbi to move into GB3 in 2025. The F1 Academy Champion had the highest result of P3 at Brands Hatch, becoming the first woman to do so in the series since its formation. She would go on to finish in P10 overall that year. In 2026, she’ll return to that series for her second full season, competing once again for Rodin Motorsport.

But that’s not all. In 2025, the Nissan Formula E Team signed Pulling to be their test and reserve driver. She took part in the Formula E rookie test in Berlin back in July as well as the women’s test held in Valencia back in October and the series’ recent rookie practice session in Miami.

While not a full-time seat racing in the series, Abbi’s role here, as with Bianca’s too, is steadily normalising young women taking on these roles at teams and further paving the way for a woman to get the opportunity of competing in the series on a regular basis in the near future. By driving in Formula E too and having a consistent relationship with one of the teams further captures her intent to make single seater racing her prime focus of where she wants to compete in not only this year, but in the future.

Like Bianca, Abbi has appeared to pick her path and is determined to throw everything she has at it until she succeeds. That kind of commitment hopefully won’t go unnoticed, along with the results she’s achieving to back up the potential many know her to hold.

Doriane Pin

Pin finished her rookie season of F1 Academy in an impressive second place overall with only the unstoppable force of Abbi Pulling being able to beat her to the title.

However, in 2025, it was Pin who took that mantle and quite simply dominated. The Mercedes-backed driver won four races and collected a further four podiums with a lowest result all season of P6. She stood 15 points clear of Maya Weug at the end of the year, sealing the 2025 Championship in Las Vegas.

Prior to the finale in Las Vegas, Pin hinted that whether or not she won the Championship would ultimately decide if she continued along the single-seater ladder or returned to endurance racing. With the Championship now in her back pocket, many thought a seat in GB3 or something similar was on the cards for the French Driver. Instead, it’s been revealed that Pin will, in fact, return to her endurance racing roots as she competes in the LMP3 category of the European Le Mans Series with Duqueine Racing. Alongside this, though, Doriane has also been given the role as a test and development driver for the Mercedes F1 Team - hinting that her future in single-seater racing may not be done quite yet.

Having both pathways open to her will be a huge relief for Pin, as she’ll be able to continue exploring both properly without risking compromising a future in either for the sake of the other. As much as it may seem like an obvious point to make, Pin getting this chance also helps set the standard for other women looking to compete in both categories in the future. The more examples of it that are seen, as demonstrated by Pin, Pulling, Bustamante, etc. the less reason there will be to deny that to others in the future.

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The Shift Up Now Foundation recently announced that it is awarding over $300,000 in grants this season to more than fifteen talented female drivers who are making history across ten different racing series. The news came as part of the foundation’s celebration of Women’s History Month.

What is Shift Up Now?

The Shift Up Now Foundation was launched in December 2022 to help find the funding, partners and sponsorship for female athletes to continue competing at professional and semi-professional levels in motorsport. 2026 marks the foundation’s fourth round of grants. The funds distributed this year will take the total number to more than a whopping $750,000 since the Shift Up Now Foundation was launched.

But who are the female drivers that will be on the receiving end of these grants? Keep reading to find out who each of them are and a little bit about their backstory and what they’ll be doing in 2026.

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Erika Hoffmann

Erika Hoffmann has gone from dreaming of a life in motorsport to becoming a fully fledged racing driver in her own right. The Canadian Racer took it upon herself to forge a career in motorsport, despite not having any connections in the industry whatsoever. So far, Erika’s raced a McLaren 570S GT4 car in the 2022 GT Cup Championship in the UK and represented her country in the FIA Rally Star competition. Now, Erika competes with Kellymoss, the most successful Porsche customer racing team in history, where she drives for them in the Porsche Sprint Challenge North America. She also co-founded Slate Racing, an all female racing team with an eye on raising awareness and creating opportunities for women in motorsport, both on and off track.

Ashley Freiberg

Born and raised in Illinois, Ashley started karting in 2004 and hasn’t looked back since. She’s gone on to compete in open-wheel, sports car and endurance racing. Freiberg has won numerous titles on her ascension up the motorsport ladder. Having competed in series such as the Star Mazda Championship and the Lamborghini Super Trofeo, she returned to the Porsche Sprint Challenge North America in 2024, where she’ll continue to race in 2026, also driving for the Kellymoss Team.

Loni Unser

Coming from a strong and iconic lineage in motorsport, it’s not surprising that Loni became a racing driver. While her love for Pikes Peak will never waver, Loni doesn’t just compete in arguably the best hill climb race in the world. In 2020, she also competed in World Racing League races in a Porsche Boxster with Round3Racing, finishing seven of the eleven races on the podium. This enabled her to secure the Eastern Championship that year. Loni continued entering and winning WRL events in a Porsche Cayman in 2021. She’s competed in the Mazda MX-5 Cup too and became the first woman to finish in the top in ten back-to-back races in St. Petersburg. Today, Loni also races in the Porsche Sprint Challenge North America for the Kellymoss Team.

Laura Hayes

Laura Hayes began racing when she was eight years old. Starting out in karting and quarter midgets, she proceeded to rise up the ranks and into endurance racing. Laura won the inaugural Pikes Peak GT4 Trophy by Yokohama in 2024, setting the record for the fastest woman ever up the Mountain in the process. Last year, she competed in the SRO GT4 America series, finishing on the podium on multiple occasions and also won at Barber Motorsports Park in the Am Class.

In 2026, Laura will drive the No. 37 Mercedes AMG GT4 for Dome Motorsport in the Pirelli SRO GT4 America series alongside her teammate Eddie Killeen.

Sabré Cook

Sabré Cook started out her motorsport career in single seater racing. She’s competed in W Series, the Indy Pro 2000 Championship and the Formula 4 US Championship to name a few. The American then switched to Sports Car and Endurance Racing, competing in the likes of the Mazda MX-5 Cup and the Porsche Carrera Cup North America.

This year, Sabré returns to JDX Racing in the Porsche Carrera Cup North America for a fourth consecutive season. There, she’ll debut the Type 992.2 Porsche 911 Cup car.

Charlotte Traynor

Charlotte Traynor began karting when she was thirteen years old. The Arizona born driver moved up into racing cars four years later, competing in the Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup. Traynor has also taken part in select World Racing League events with AEVictory racing, driving their Toyota Supra GT4 car. In 2026, Charlotte will race again in the Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by Michelin, where she’ll drive the No. 43 entry for Parker DeLong Racing.

Sally Mott

Sally Mott started her motorsport journey in go-karts before transitioning to Spec Miata racing. Within a year, she advanced from local club racing to regional Spec Miata and then into the notoriously competitive MX-5 Cup. In November 2023, Sally earned the Mazda MX-5 Cup Women’s Initiative Scholarship, which secured her a place on the 2024 MX-5 Cup series grid as a factory-supported Mazda driver. She finished in P12 overall in her rookie season. She also featured in the Amazon Prime docuseries First to the Finish, which is available to watch now.

Ellie Gosset

Hailing from South Carolina, Ellie first competed in the INEX spec series, winning several races and earning multiple podium finishes. In 2024, she was awarded the Max Papis Hard Charger Award at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Ellie then began competing part-time in her own Mazda Spec Miata and finished in P20 overall in SARRC points for the 2024 season. Last year, she competed full-time in the series and finished thirty four of the thirty five races with only a single DNF due to a mechanical failure. Ellie achieved several top ten results and finished the year in P10 overall.

In 2026, Ellie will once again be competing in the Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup, alongside Charlotte Traynor. She’ll be driving the No. 77 for BSI Racing.

Melanie Johnson

As the daughter of fourteen-time NHRA Top Fuel National Championship-winning crew chief Alan Johnson, it’s not a surprise that Melanie Johnson followed in her father’s footsteps. In 2025, she finished in P10 overall in the NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster National points standings. Melanie was also named in the Drag Illustrated 30 Under 30 Class of 2025, which recognised her impact and potential in the sport. This season, she’ll be competing in the Top Alcohol Dragster for McPhillips Racing.

Madelyn Tabor

A third generation rally driver, it was inevitable that Madelyn would dive head first into the motorsport landscape. Her inclusion in the Shift Up Now grant programme is a first because Madelyn has now become Shift Up Now’s first rally racer to receive a grant from the foundation. This year, she’ll be competing in the American Rally Association for Tabor Racing Team in the Limited 4 Wheel Drive (L4) class, driving a Ford Fiesta Rally 3 car.

Alana Carter

Alana Carter is one of the rising talents in Canadian Motorsport. Part of the first all-female lineup to win a World Racing League GTO race, Alana then became the first Canadian woman to finish on the podium in TC America - something that she achieved on her debut weekend! Carter was also the first woman to compete in Radical Cup Canada. In 2026, Alana will be racing with Radical Academy Canada for Fel Motorsports in the Emzone Radical Cup Canada Championship.

Emy Kissick

Emy started driving and racing in 2023 when she was fifteen years old. From the Pacific Northwest, Emy won the 2024 Mazda Spec Mx-5 Shootout and became the first female winner of the Spec Mx-5 Shootout in the process. In 2026, she’ll be racing in the Spec Miata and Spec Mx-5 Championships.

Michele Abbate

Heralding from Las Vegas, Michele has raced in the Sports Car Club of America and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. In 2026, she’ll be competing in the World Racing League for the AE Victory Racing Team, driving a Toyota Supra GT4.

Paityn Feyen

Originally from Colorado, Paityn moved to North Carolina so that she could pursue a career in racing. She started karting when she was thirteen years old and had her first Championship win in 2024. This year, she’ll be competing in over thirty Legends races.

Brenna Schubert

Brenna started competing in rental karting when she was ten years old. She then competed in 2023 STARS KA100 in 2023 as well as in the Northeast Karting Challenge (X30). Schubert transitioned to car racing the following year. Brenna also finished in P5 in the European NASCAR Rookie Challenge debut in 2025. In 2026, she’ll be competing for the AE Victory Racing Team in the Prodigy Racing League.

Candice Pahl

A Canadian stock car driver from Alberta, Candice began racing in the Future Stock division in 2010. In 2011, she became Future Stock Champion at Edmonton International Raceway. She was also the first female winner of NASCAR Thunder Cap 100 lap special. Candice finished fifth overall in the Women In Motorsport North America standings in 2024. In 2026, Candice will continue on her path on the road to NASCAR.

Taylor Ferns

The first female to get onto the podium in a USAC Silver Crown race (twice), Taylor was also the first female to win a 500 Sprint Car Tour race. She holds the record for most USAC wins in a single-season by a female racer and has over fifteen career Sprint Car wins between pavement non-wing and dirt wing cars to her name. Ferns was also the 2011 USAC Regional Midget Champion with more than twenty Midget wins between pavement and dirt on her record as a result. Aside from Shift Up Now, Taylor will also be supported by Mobil 1 Racing in 2026.

Ella Martin

From Toronto, Canada, Ella has had multiple top five finishes as well as a podium finish in the Briggs Lo26 class, a grassroots karting series. She’s participated in the Radford Racing School F4 U.S. Karts to Cars Scholarship School and in 2026, will be competing in the Canadian Formula 1200 Championship.

Supporting The Next Generation Too

But that’s not all. In addition, the Shift Up Now Foundation collectively decided to add both a winner and runner up for the Loni Unser Karting Scholarship. This will be the first time that the foundation has awarded funds to kart racers. The two recipients as the winner and runner up are

Ashlyn Taylor - a twelve year old karting driver and junior driver for Spark Performance and Maddie Grace - a young American karting racer.

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Learn more about Shift Up Now here.

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The opening round of the 2026 F1 Academy Season got underway last weekend in Shanghai and gave fans a tantalizing glimpse into what we’ve got to look forward to for the rest of the season. With two race winners, two rookies on the podium and over half of the field scoring points in the opening round, let’s take a look at what we learned from F1 Academy’s trip to Shanghai.

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Experience Delivers Results

Only six drivers on the grid this season competed in last year’s Championship full time. Of those six, all currently sit inside the top ten places in the Driver’s Championship, with three of them locking out the top podium spots.

Felbermayr, Palmowski and Gademan lock out the top of the standings and their consistency across the weekend was remarkable. Felbermayr impressed the most as the Austrian driver converted P6 to P3 for Race I and then took the win on Sunday for Race II after having started in third place following a strong qualifying effort.

Palmowski finished in fifth in the first race, but then finished in second place on Sunday, adding the accolades of Pole Position and Fastest Lap to her name to boot. Gademan meanwhile won Saturday’s race while under constant pressure throughout before finishing in a solid P4 on Sunday. Just nine points separate all three drivers as F1 Academy departs from Shanghai.

“I really liked Gademan - she stood out for me.” - Jenny Craig, Inside F2

Elsewhere, Rafaela Ferreira had her best weekend yet in F1 Academy, finishing in P4 and P6 across the weekend. Ella Lloyd finished inside the top ten in both races too while also getting the fastest lap of the race on Saturday. Experience is always key in motorsport but in this season of F1 Academy, it looks set to give us an extremely exciting and tightly fought Championship as a result.

Speed is Nothing without Control

The last of the experienced drivers to return full time in 2026 is Alba Larsen. Now backed by Ferrari, there is a large spotlight on the young Danish driver. Across the race weekend in Shanghai, Larsen demonstrated once again what she did all of last year - that there’s a lot of potential within her. But an unfortunate racing incident (along with a questionably late call from the team to return to the garage to fix damage to the car) ruined her race on Saturday.

On Sunday, Larsen had a blistering start and launched herself into the lead going into T1. But trouble came for her again after a Safety Car period. Taking too much kerb on the exit of the final corner on the Shanghai International Circuit, Alba found herself on an unplanned trip through the gravel trap on the opposite side of the track and haemorrhaging positions as she tumbled down the order. In the end, Larsen had to settle for P8.

Following both races, Larsen was quite critical of herself and rued the ultimate outcome of the weekend. But the seventeen year old has time on her side and appears to have the right kind of support around her. Such lessons are always tough in motorsport but they are ones that can be learned from if approached correctly. With a significant gap until F1 Academy goes racing again in Canada, it won’t be surprising if Larsen does all she can to ensure she doesn’t repeat the same mistakes again next time out.

Rookies on the Rise

Eleven rookies are on the grid full time this year. Three stand out in particular after the first race weekend in Shanghai. The first of those is, of course, Natalia Granada. Announced just days before the series hit the track in China, the opening round marked Granada’s first time competing in single seater machinery. What a fantastic story it was then when she proceeded to finish on the podium in P2 in her debut race. For a driver who just a short time ago had no idea if she’d even have a racing future, it’s a simply astounding turn of events.

Having finished in a respectable P6 on Saturday, Mercedes’ latest signing, Payton Westcott made her way onto the podium on Sunday by finishing in P3. The American was a Wild Card entry in Las Vegas at the end of last season and was only one of two rookies to score points in both races in China. The second of those was Lisa Billard. While a podium finish eluded her on this occasion, P8 and P7 were both excellent starting points for the French Driver’s full time debut in F1 Academy.

Last year, rookies such as Lloyd, Palmowski and Gademan impressed everyone up and down the grid. Might we be seeing more of that as we head into the 2026 season? It certainly looks like it.

More Action on Track

Even with six returning drivers, there was an air of rebirth about F1 Academy at its season opener. For dedicated fans, many of the names and faces on the grid, rookie or veteran (as much as one can be in this series) will have been familiar. But for the most part, there won’t have been any household names - and that’s a good thing. For the first time since F1 Academy made its debut back in 2023, it feels like it’s showcasing a full complement of unknown drivers that fans can embrace and support for the first time.

This freshness has transitioned into action out on track too as all eighteen drivers last weekend seemed hungry to prove themselves.

“There seems to be a lot more overtaking than usual and the series feels like it’s a lot less dominated.” - Jenny Craig, Inside F2

Without the presence of a dominant driver such as Marta Garcia or Abbi Pulling, it felt truly as if it was anyone’s game. All drivers, both rookie and experienced, had a legitimate chance to win the race or get onto the podium. Both podiums on Saturday and Sunday proved that by who was standing upon them. Even when moves didn’t go the driver’s way or rookie mistakes happened, such as Jacquet’s collision with Kosterman, it still felt more organic and more action packed than we’ve seen in past seasons. Tight battles throughout the field - and crucially the pressure on the drivers out in front - came across more naturally and it became harder to predict who would win. It’s what a series like F1 Academy needs and it’s brilliant to see.

Less Domination in 2026?

As mentioned, so far in 2026 there doesn’t appear to be a runaway driver in terms of the Championship. Sure, Felbermayr looks very strong but coming into the weekend, most people’s money would have been on Palmowski, Lloyd or Larsen. To get this shake up so early is a brilliant sign and a potential tease for the remainder of the season.

“I enjoyed both races actually quite a lot, it was more competitive and there were less crashes.” - Jenny Craig, Inside F2

In 2023 and 2024, it was all but a sure thing from the word go that Marta Garcia and Abbi Pulling would win their respective Championships. Last year, we knew it would be between Pin and Weug and despite it going down to the final round, it was all but guaranteed to be Pin’s time as top dog. That’s not the case in 2026 - at least not yet. The favourites had a mixed weekend and a different standout rookie from last season took the reins instead, while fresh rookies wasted no time in making names for themselves.

Can Felbermayr keep this momentum up and run away with the Championship or will one of the plethora of other drivers steal it away from her? We just don’t know. Isn’t that fantastic?

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F1 Academy returns May 22nd in Montreal, Canada.

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More female drivers have been taking part in these rookie practice sessions, too, a welcome occurrence that builds upon the separately held all-women’s test sessions. What’s more, the venues for these sessions keep changing, with previous editions being held in Miami and Berlin, for example. The variety of locations is naturally beneficial to these rookie drivers as they get to better understand circuits that they may have only ever experienced on the team’s simulator. Hopefully, these up-and-coming drivers can gain enough experience to warrant their teams looking to sign them full-time for a season of Formula E in the near future.

Let’s take a look at the women driving in this latest rookie test session at Circuito del Jarama in Madrid.

Bianca Bustamante - Cupra Kiro

In 2025, Bianca was signed as a development driver for Cupra Kiro in Formula E. As a result, the Filipino driver has already gotten the chance to take the car out on multiple occasions. The first of these came just after the team’s race weekend in Berlin. Her next opportunity then came at the Formula E Women’s test in Valencia towards the end of last year. Bianca finished in P3 overall in that session.

The Madrid test will now be Bustamante’s third outing for the Cupra Kiro team and at her third different venue to boot. Bianca becoming more accustomed to street circuits will have multiple benefits for her future too. Getting to grips with different circuit types not only strengthens her overall racecraft but further highlights her worth for a possible full time future in Formula E or a series like Indy NXT in the U.S where racing on street circuits is the norm.

Ella Lloyd - Envision Racing

Ella Lloyd made her Formula E debut back in November 2024, alongside Bianca Bustamante, at the all women’s test in Jarama. She finished the session in a respectable seventh place on that outing. Her next chance to test Formula E machinery came in Berlin in July last year which was then followed by another appearance at the all women’s test in Valencia. On that occasion, she finished in fifth place overall.

With McLaren now having departed Formula E, Ella has made the switch to Envision Racing, for whom she’ll drive for in Madrid.

Juju Noda - Jaguar TCS Racing

Hailing from Japan, Juju has already had one bite of the Formula E apple, back in 2025 at the all women’s test in Valencia. She finished in P9 overall, ahead of drivers such as Marta Garcia and Jessica Edgar.

Away from Formula E, Juju began karting back when she was just three years old. In 2023, she won the F2000 Italian Formula Trophy and in 2024, she made history by becoming the first Japanese woman to race in Super Formula - a series she is set to return to in 2026.

Abbi Pulling - Nissan Formula E Team

Another of the latest wave of female drivers to step into Formula E, Abbi Pulling has already participated in two of the women’s tests held by the all-electric Championship. In Valencia, she was just 0.004 seconds behind Chloe Chambers - the driver who topped the time sheets on that occasion. Bianca Bustamante was 0.770 seconds behind Chambers in third.

These opportunities fell under Pulling’s purview as both a rookie and simulator driver for the Nissan Formula E Team. Back in Miami in January, Abbi also took part in the rookie practice session held there as she got to grips with the latest evolution of the Formula E car.

Nerea Marti - Andretti Ambassador

Like Lloyd, Nerea Marti got her first taste of Formula E back in 2024 in Jarama. She tested for Andretti alongside Chloe Chambers - who has since switched allegiances to Mahindra. She finished in P13 at the end of that test and would return to the driver’s seat a year later at the all women’s test in Valencia where she finished in P8 overall.

While not driving in the Madrid rookie test, Nerea will be present throughout the weekend. This is due to the recent news of her becoming an ambassador for the Andretti Team, a role Marti is happy to take on.

“My role as an ambassador is about representing the Andretti name and its values at Formula E circuits around the world. It’s about connecting with fans, bringing them closer to the team and the Championship while helping share what makes Formula E and Andretti so special. I see it as being a link between the team and the fans, especially in key markets, while continuing to contribute from a performance perspective.” - Nerea Marti

Calderón & FIA Girls on Track

The rookie test this weekend also comes after a demonstration run held in Madrid that saw Tatiana Calderón jump back into Formula E machinery. This proved to be the perfect way to invigorate the locals ahead of the race weekend and hopefully means that this won’t be the last time that we get to see Calderón in Formula E this year. The Colombian driver was previously a test driver for DS Techeetah back in the 2018-19 season. Last year, she joined Lola Yamaha ABT for the rookie test session held in Jeddah before switching to Citroen for the all-women’s test at the tail end of the year, where she finished in P7 overall.

Elsewhere at the circuit this weekend, the FIA Girls on Track initiative returns to Formula E. As part of its running this time around, they will be hosting up to 120 young women for it for its programme across the race weekend. Those in attendance will be able to take part in activities such as workshops, gaming, career talks and a Pit Lane Walk.

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In April 2003, a marshland area in the Jiading District of Shanghai was earmarked for a future in Formula 1. Eighteen months later, at a cost of roughly $450 million, the state-of-the-art Shanghai International Circuit was completed. Formula 1 was about to make its debut in China.

The Chinese Grand Prix has thus been on the calendar since 2004. Rubens Barrichello won the inaugural race at the Shanghai International Circuit on that occasion for Ferrari, with Jenson Button and Kimi Raikkonen finishing alongside him on the podium. Since then, we’ve had a further seventeen Grand Prix held at this venue, including Formula 1’s 1000th Grand Prix back in 2019.

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But F1 Academy only made its debut in China for the first time last year. It was the first race of the series’ third season. Maya Weug claimed Pole Position for Sunday’s Race by half a second from season long rival, Doriane Pin. Meanwhile, then rookie, Nina Gademan took Reverse Grid Pole for the first race, which would be held on Saturday.

The races themselves were dramatic and the action even began before the racing got underway, courtesy of a significant crash in practice between Ferreira and Block. Collisions continued into the first race as Block and Nobels made contact on Lap 5 while Chong and Havrda came together five laps later. Gademan did a brilliant job to maintain the lead of the race, despite having to successfully navigate the challenge of three Safety Car race restarts. But a gut-wrenching issue with the car on the penultimate lap took the win away from her and instead saw fellow rookie Alisha Palmowski take her maiden win.

In the second race, Pin overtook Pole sitter Weug at the very start. But the Mercedes-backed driver wasn’t able to gain much of a lead. The Safety Car bunched up the pack when it came out because of a collision between Gademan and Hausmann. Nobels and Havrda were again involved in an incident, this time with each other, while Chong made contact with rookie Ciconte as she attempted to avoid this incident. Pin would go on to win the race though, with Weug keeping her honest in P2 and Chloe Chambers rounding out the podium in third.

This year, F1 Academy returns to kick off its brand new season. The Shanghai International Circuit is 5.451km long with sixteen corners, including the famous twisty opening three corners and the long back straight that leads drivers from T13 to T14.

Being held in March, the climate should be mild and comfortable, but prone to change. Shanghai usually has an average annual temperature of 17.5 °C (63.5 °F) and with rain occurring 111 days each year, there is a chance that we may see some for the opening round of the F1 Academy Season.

If you’re reading this and you’re also trackside in Shanghai, check out the Fan Stage if you want to see the drivers themselves from F1 Academy making an appearance this weekend.

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With the end of the 2025 season came a major reset in F1 Academy. The series’ two-season limit means that a wave of drivers have now graduated, opening the door to a new generation ready to step in. The 2026 F1 Academy Grid is now closed and ready to race.

Each rookie will be looking to make their mark early on and set themselves apart from the established drivers that are returning to the championship this year.

With the new season kicking off this weekend in Shanghai, let’s meet the young women competing alongside Formula 1 and who hope to make it there one day.

Meet the 2026 F1 Academy Grid

PREMA

Payton Westcott

Payton Westcott demonstrated her abilities enough to earn herself a full time seat in the 2026 Season after participating as a Wild Card Driver in 2025 on the final round in Las Vegas. Backed by the Mercedes F1 Team, Payton brings experience from the UAE4 Series, the Italian F4 Championship, and the Formula Winter Series.

Mathilda Paatz

Another 2025 Wild Card Driver, Mathilda made her F1 Academy debut last year in Montreal following stints in the French F4 Championship and the Formula Winter Series, amongst others. For 2026, she’s back full time, making the switch from Hitech TGR to PREMA and will be supported by the Aston Martin Formula 1 Team.

Natalia Granada

The final piece of the F1 Academy 2026 puzzle - Natalia completes PREMA’s line-up, announced just days before the season gets going. The seventeen year old Spaniard will be supported by the Sephora brand, a French multinational make-up and beauty brand. It has also teamed up with F1 Academy directly as an Official Partner and the Official Beauty Retail Partner of the series.

Natalia began racing when she was eleven years old, in local and regional karting championships. She became the first Junior Driver selected by Iron Dames, and was mentored by Miguel Molina, Ferrari factory driver and Le Mans winner. Last year, she explored the world of GT racing while also testing in Formula 4.

Campos Racing

Megan Bruce

The first of the drivers to be announced to be competing with Campos Racing for 2026, Megan Bruce will be a familiar face for F1 Academy fans. She made her debut in the series at last season’s round in Singapore, where she finished in P12 and P13 across the two races of the weekend. This year, she’ll be backed by one of F1 Academy’s partners, Tag Heuer. Previously, Bruce has competed in Saudi Arabian F4, GB4 and the Caterham 270R Championship.

Rafaela Ferreira

Hailing from Brazil, Rafaela enters her second full season of F1 Academy in 2026. Last year, she finished in P12 overall with a best result of fifth which came at the opening round in Shanghai. Prior to that, Ferreira has competed in both the Formula Winter Series and the Brazilian F4 Championship. In the latter, she achieved ten podium finishes, including three wins - the last of which occurred in Interlagos.

Alisha Palmowski

Palmowski also enters her second full season of F1 Academy this year, once again competing for Campos Racing. Finishing in fifth overall with three podiums to her name, including a win in China, the Red Bull Junior Driver impressed many up and down the paddock. This came off the back of her F1 Academy debut as a Wild Card driver in 2024 in Qatar, where she finished in fifth place.

The nineteen-year-old British driver moved into single-seater racing for the first time in 2024, after racing in the Ginetta Championship in the UK. She competed in both the GB4 Championship and the Formula Winter Series.

MP Motorsport

Nina Gademan

Last year, Nina made her full time F1 Academy debut after having joined the series in 2024 as a Wild Card Driver at her home event in Zandvoort. She finished the year in P6 overall with four podiums to her name. This included a home win in Zandvoort, racing on the same weekend as Formula 1.

Switching to MP Motorsport from PREMA in 2026, Nina is once again backed by the Alpine Formula 1 team and enters the 2026 season as one of the favourites for the title.

Alba Larsen

After a solid foundation in racing, which included karting and competing in the Indian Racing League, Alba Larsen moved into F1 Academy for her rookie season in 2025. Supported by Tommy Hilfiger and racing for MP Motorsport, she finished her debut season in P7 overall. Larsen got close to the podium on several occasions and scored points in all but four races in 2025.

Now backed by the Ferrari Formula 1 Team (and part of the Ferrari Driver Academy), Alba is a driver many will be keeping a close eye on this year as she looks set to be one of the Championship contenders.

Esmee Kosterman

An immediate fan favourite from her Wild Card debut in F1 Academy last year in Zandvoort, Esmee returns in 2026 to compete in the entire Championship. While racing with MP Motorsport, she’ll be backed further, not by an F1 Team, but by Lego. Prior to F1 Academy, Esmee competed in British F4, the Indian Racing League and the Ford Fiesta Sprint Cup Benelux.

Rodin Motorsport

Ella Lloyd

Lloyd was announced as part of the McLaren Driver Development programme ahead of her debut season in F1 Academy. She hit the ground running and finished the year as the highest placed rookie, in P4 overall with a victory in Jeddah to her name. Returning to race for Rodin Motorsport again in 2026, as the highest returning driver, Ella looks set to be the main title contender.

Ella only began her competitive racing career in 2022, making her debut in the Ginetta Junior Championship. She finished in the points in 15 of the 25 races before graduating to the Ginetta GT Championship in the following year. The Welsh driver became vice-champion that year in a highly competitive field. Lloyd has also competed in the Formula Winter Series, achieving the Female Driver Trophy several times, and in the British F4 series where she stood on the podium several times.

Ella Stevens

McLaren announced a second female driver to their development programme last year in the guise of Ella Stevens. Ella is a double English KZ2 Champion as well as a British BirelART Cadet Champion and the 2025 British KZ2 Vice-Champion, along with being the first woman to win in the UK’s premier karting class.

Ahead of being announced by McLaren last year, Ella topped the time sheets in the F1 Academy rookie test held in Spain.

Emma Felbermayr

Emma made her F1 Academy debut in 2025, backed by the Kick Sauber Formula 1 Team. Emma finished the year in P10 overall, with a victory in Canada to her name, along with several other top ten finishes. In 2026, she’s backed by the new Audi Formula 1 Team and will once again compete for Rodin Motorsport.

Emma’s racing journey began when she was just seven years old, making her karting debut. Emma has since competed in the Micro, Mini, and Junior Classes of karting and finished as runner-up in her first international race in the 2021 ADAC Ladies Cup. In 2023, she qualified 23rd out of 119 drivers in the KZ category of the World Championship in Wackersdorf, Germany and in 2024, Emma competed in all major shifter karting events, including WSK-Karting and the World and European Championships.

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ART Grand Prix

Lisa Billard

Lisa made her F1 Academy debut last year in Singapore, where she was backed by F1 Academy partner Gatorade. She moves up to the series full time this year with ART and once again backed by the drinks company. This follows two seasons in French F4 and six years of competing in a number of karting championships.

Jade Jaquete

The sixteen-year-old French driver arrives in F1 Academy after competing in both the French Junior Karting Championship and in French Formula 4, having only driven a single-seater car for the first time back in 2024. As Lia Block heads away from single-seater racing, Jade replaces her as the driver to be backed in F1 Academy by the Williams F1 Team.

Kaylee Countryman

Sixteen-year-old Countryman hails from the great state of Arizona and will be backed by the original American F1 Team in 2026 - Haas. Countryman began racing three years ago, competing in a four-stroke Briggs & Stratton-powered kart in the LO206 J2 class. Kaylee competed in the North American-based USF Juniors as one of three female drivers in the 22-driver field, scoring four top-10 finishes. She’ll be competing in this Championship again in 2026, alongside her F1 Academy duties.

Hitech

Rachel Robertson

Taking over from an injured Aiva Anagnostiadis at the final round of F1 Academy last year, Rachel finished in an almighty P4 on her debut. This was more than enough for the Scottish driver to secure a full time seat in the series for 2026. She’ll be backed by one of F1 Academy’s partners, PUMA, this season and enters the series after competing in both the Radical Cup UK and the Saudi Arabian F4 Championship.

Ava Dobson

Another of F1 Academy’s Wild Card Drivers, Aba Dobson didn’t get a fair shake of the stick in 2025 as she was only able to compete in one of two planned races across the Miami Grand Prix weekend, due to the treacherous wet weather conditions leading to the cancellation of the second. But consistent performances across GB4, the USF2000 Championship, US Juniors and the US F4 Series have enabled Ava to find her way onto the F1 Academy grid full time in 2026, supported by American Express.

F1 Academy Wild Cards

Part of F1 Academy’s weekends is introducing a Wild Card Driver for each event. This is in addition to the season-long drivers that are competing for the Championship. The aim of the Wild Card driver is for them to showcase their abilities, possibly with an eye on securing a seat on the grid for the following season. These drivers are announced quite close to the commencement of each race weekend, which is why at present we only know the Wild Card Driver for the opening round in China - Wei Shi.

Wei Shi

In some ways, now the ultimate Wild Card Driver, Wei Shi was the Wild Card driver at last year’s opening round of F1 Academy in Shanghai. The Chinese Driver didn’t fare well, unfortunately, with a DNF in the first race and a P14 finish in the second.

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With 2026 firmly underway, it can be a challenge to keep track of every single motorsport series taking place around the globe - and who to pay attention to in each of them. That is especially true when you look just outside of some of the more mainstream racing series, where there is some truly epic action taking place as remarkable motorsport stories begin to unfold.

Today is also International Women’s Day, so it’s the perfect time to set you up with a list of ten drivers from across the motorsport landscape that you should watch out for as the rest of the year goes on - and why.

Let’s take a look.

10 Female Drivers to Watch in 2026

Hedda Hosås

Norwegian-born Hedda Hosås has been slowly but surely making a name for herself in the world of motorsport over the last few years. Catching the eye of Veloce Racing’s Ian Davies, he signed her as the team’s reserve driver for the 2021 Extreme E Season. In 2022, she switched over to JBXE, finishing on the podium on her debut in Sardinia.

Fast forward to 2026, and Hedda has competed in three seasons of Extreme E, gotten more experience under her belt in other off-road competitions, finished in P3 in the Extreme H World Cup, and earlier this year, won the Baja Jordan in the SSV Category.

Her raw speed, off-road abilities, attention to detail and delivering quality results, both when it comes to her racing and keeping her sponsors happy, are exhilarating to watch. When all of this is combined with her infectious trademark smile, Hedda becomes an easy driver to root for in any event. There’s something truly special about her that can only be explained by watching her race, and that’s what makes her one to watch in 2026.

Nina Gademan

After combining years of karting with building her own unique brand off track, Nina Gademan blended together the world of motorsport and content creation in a unique way. Signed by Veloce Racing (small world) as one of their content creators, Nina got the chance to test an F4 car at Snetterton. This translated to a full-time seat for the 2024 season. While not finishing in any points-paying positions overall, Nina did still manage to get points on the board. This was thanks to points being awarded in British F4 for overtakes made on track during a race – something that Nina proved to be rather good at. She notched up twenty five points over the season in this way, further backing up the tagline on her Instagram account: “I don’t chase boys, I pass them.”

Last year, she made her full-time F1 Academy debut after having joined the series in 2024 as a Wild Card Driver at her home event in Zandvoort. She finished the year in P6 overall with four podiums to her name. This included a win on home soil - an incredibly satisfying full circle moment from one year earlier.

Switching to MP Motorsport from PREMA in 2026 but still backed by the Alpine Formula 1 team, Nina enters the 2026 season as one of the favourites for the title. Is Nina the next Dutch Superstar? You wouldn’t want to write her off.

Isabella Abreu

If you don’t know who Isabella Abreu is, then now is the perfect chance to correct that. Born in Cuba but now based in Miami, Isabella is a one-woman team determined to be a contender for the ultimate underdog of motorsport. Having competed in Spec Miatas and the JSF4 Series in the United States, Isabella will make history in 2026.

That’s because she’ll become not only the first female Cuban but the first Cuban in history to compete in single-seater racing in Europe as she enters the FFSA Championship. Competing in a series aimed at both developing drivers and ensuring they get to showcase their racing abilities to everyone across the continent, it’s a smart move from the Cuban.

Isabella has also been instrumental behind the scenes in the founding and development of the South East Formula Series, based in Miami. All of this comes across as a brilliant foundation for a star of the future, the Hollywood script for which writes itself. With a backstory like this, how can Isabella not be one to watch in 2026?

Abbi Pulling

The 2024 F1 Academy Champion, which she won in a brutally dominant fashion, moved over to the GB3 Championship in 2025. She finished in P10 overall, which included a trip to the podium for her third-place finish at Brands Hatch. This result also marked the first time since GB3 began back in 2021 that a female driver has stepped onto the podium in the category. It’s a series that she’ll return to this year with Rodin Motorsport with the ambition to finish further inside that top ten.

Abbi is also a rookie and simulator driver for the Nissan Formula E Team. As part of this, she’s already been able to take part in two of the women’s tests held by the all-electric Championship. Moreover, earlier this year in Miami, she also fulfilled her duties for the team in the rookie practice session held in Miami.

As a driver who’s always had to fight hard for every opportunity to go racing, many believe that she’ll be the first female driver in Formula 3 since Sophia Flörsch. That’s why so many eyes will be on her in 2026 as she does everything in her power to turn that dream into a reality.

Toni Breidinger

After finishing in P4 overall in the ARCA Menards Series last year, Toni moved up into the Truck Series in 2025. In her rookie season, she finished in P23 overall with a highest finish of P18.

Following her first full season in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in 2025, Toni Breidinger returns for a part-time season in 2026 with Rackley W.A.R. At the time of writing, the plan is to compete in eight races this season, but with the door always open for more.

That’s where her 2.4 million Instagram followers and her 2.3 million followers on TikTok enter the picture. That, combined with being a model, having appeared in publications such as GQ and Sports Illustrated, means that people across the globe know who Toni is, which helps to open doors for her that might otherwise remain shut.

This, in turn, should help her get more of the resources she needs to ultimately keep racing. Much like with Nina and Bianca on this list, an alternate path to success in motorsport is being explored and developed. With an ever-growing focus on women in motorsport and an expectation of nothing less than excellent results, it’ll be fascinating to watch Toni’s season unfold both on and off track.

Bianca Bustamante

Another driver on this list who also competed in both W Series and F1 Academy, Bianca Bustamante is a household name. In 2025, she raced alongside Abbi Pulling in GB3, gaining valuable experience across the season. This year, the Filipino has signed with Palou Motorsport to compete in the Euro-Cup 3 Series. It’s a highly competitive championship that has seen drivers graduate directly into Formula 3 following their success in the series.

As a social media sensation, having built a following of 2 million on Instagram alone, Bianca is utilising her strengths to keep forging a path in the ruthless motorsport landscape. Following this non-traditional path makes watching her journey in 2026 that much more fascinating, and it is one that other young aspiring drivers will be watching with great interest as they work to follow in her footsteps.

Ida Zetterström

The 2023 FIA European Top Fuel Champion moved to the United States of America a couple of years ago to take on the challenge that is the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA). In 2024, Ida was named Best New Pro Talent as part of the NHRA National Dragster All-star Team. Last year, she built on her success and experience to date and reached a career-first NHRA final round in St. Louis.

In 2026, Ida will be teaming up with Shawn Reed Racing as she continues to compete to become Champion. It’s the next logical step in an already impressive career, which includes being the Super Street Bike Scandinavian Champion in 2019 and 2020. The Swedish-born driver isn’t interested in just being a one-time Champion either - she’s confessed to wanting to win multiple titles and create lasting change in the sport.

2026 is geared up to be Ida’s biggest year in the NHRA yet, and she’s not someone to underestimate.

Nerea Martí

Following two incredibly consistent years in F1 Academy (she finished in fourth place overall in both seasons), Nerea switched things up in 2025. Competing for BMW Promotion Motorsport, she raced in the Supercars Endurance Series, winning two races and finishing in fifth overall.

This year, Nerea’s evolved again and, this time, it’s by joining the E1 Series. Partnered with Canadian athlete Rusty Wyatt and racing for Team AlUla (championed by Lebron James), Nerea is proving to be a chameleon when it comes to racing. On debut in Saudi Arabia, she finished on the podium in third place. This versatility and skill behind the wheel of whatever she gets into is impressive and what makes Nerea such an exciting prospect to watch as the rest of 2026 unfolds.

Alba Larsen

After a foundation in racing, which included karting and competing in the Indian Racing League, Alba Larsen moved into the F1 Academy for her rookie season in 2025. Supported by Tommy Hilfiger and racing for MP Motorsport, she finished in P7 overall. The then sixteen-year-old got close to the podium on several occasions and scored points in all but four races. Now backed by the Ferrari Formula 1 Team (and part of the Ferrari Driver Academy), Alba will be looking to build on her strong debut season.

Off-track, she’s also been working hard to keep a constant presence in the public eye - something that is becoming more and more crucial in a social media-dominated age. An example of this has been the founding of the Girls International Racing Lab, which aims to make it easier for girls to try their hand in motorsport and to get 15,000 to take part in G.I.R.L activities, such as the recent karting session in Dubai, in 2026.

Now seventeen years old, many are looking at Alba and her growing high-level status among up-and-coming drivers and believe that she’ll make it to Formula 3 - and possibly beyond - within the next few years.

Luna Fluxa

In 2022, when she was just eleven years old, Luna Fluxa was signed by the Mercedes Junior Team, immediately highlighting the potential that the German giant sees in her. Having been karting in her entire racing career so far, she raced in OK Karts in the 2024-2025 season. Luna became only the fifth woman in history to win a senior international karting title, competing for PREMA in the process.

In 2026, Luna has made the step up into single-seater racing as she drives for Campos Racing in the Spanish F4 Championship. On debut in Portimao, Luna already racked up her first podium result with a P2 finish in the second race of the weekend. Having been on people’s radars for the last few years, this year will be Luna’s biggest yet - and she’s already proving it.

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Welcome to our Race Week Destination Guide series, where we speak with fans, creators, journalists and other motorsport professionals who are local to a race or have experienced it firsthand, and break down what it’s actually like to attend a race week around the world.

The 2026 Chinese Grand Prix is only two weeks away. It may not be a race weekend that steals the spotlight, but it is a hidden treasure that could make the season’s first F1 Academy round your new favourite. Here, the action plays out in a city where ancient temples stand just steps from gleaming malls, where a spicy hot pot dinner can lead to a dazzling stroll beneath neon-lit skyscrapers, and where entering the circuit feels like stepping into tomorrow thanks to facial recognition technology.

Why Shanghai feels different on the F1 calendar

Shanghai doesn’t do subtle. Infinite skyscrapers stack into the clouds, and neon lights shimmer on the Huangpu River. Metro lines weave through a city of over 30 million people. And once a year, the city’s electric energy intensifies, signalling the arrival of Formula 1.

Going to a Grand Prix alone, far from home, can feel scary. But not for Jemma Ankin, a 26-year-old adventurous fan and content creator who went to Shanghai by herself for the first time last season and liked it so much that she’s going again this year. She travelled 5,700+ miles as part of her mission to experience as many races as possible. Jemma had already been to Abu Dhabi, had experienced the excitement of races in Europe, and wanted to try something totally new.

“Shanghai is a lovely mix of modern and culture and tradition, new versus old. It’s a place like no other that I have ever been to,” Jemma told us. “It’s such a different experience to what you might get from some of the European races or the American races or even some of the Middle East ones.”

Some races feel familiar before you even land. You know the rhythm. You know the language. You know roughly how the weekend will unfold. Shanghai, however, doesn’t give you that comfort.

At the Shanghai International Circuit, entry works via facial recognition once your passport is registered. Jemma suggests doing this before you arrive at the track for a faster entry. Around the city, most payments are made through apps like Alipay or WeChat Pay, and translation apps become part of your daily routine. So, your phone isn’t just useful, it’s essential.

Compared to other rounds, Shanghai feels like stepping into a completely different world.

What’s happening at the 2026 Chinese Grand Prix?

The 2026 Chinese Grand Prix runs from March 13–15, marking Round 2 of the Formula 1 season and the opening round of the 2026 F1 Academy campaign. It’s the first time this year we’ll see the all-female grid line up, and it does so with a home story woven into it.

Shi Wei returns as the first F1 Academy Wild Card entry of the 2026 season, racing in front of a home crowd after making history last year as the first Chinese driver to compete in the series. Since then, she’s claimed victory in the F4 Chinese Masters — the first F4 race win by a Chinese female driver — marking a meaningful step forward in Chinese motorsport’s development.

Zhou Guanyu is also back in the Formula 1 paddock, this time as a reserve driver for Cadillac, the championship’s newest team. Even if he’s not lining up on the grid, his presence adds another layer for local fans.

“When I attended, I was lucky enough to have a full schedule of racing. We had a Sprint weekend for F1, we also had F1 Academy, GT World Challenge Asia and the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia, so lots of racing going on on the track,” Jemma told us.

This year follows that same high-energy pattern. Alongside Formula 1 and F1 Academy, fans will also see the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia and the SRO GT Cup – Greater Bay Area GT Cup. It’s also the first Sprint weekend of the 2026 season, meaning more competitive sessions packed into three days and very little downtime.

The fan zone keeps the excitement going with driver appearances, sponsor events, team merchandise, food stalls, and more. Although it can get busy, it’s well organised and easy to get around once you settle in. The main Fan Zone at Shanghai International Circuit sits just behind the main grandstand (Grandstand A). Here, you can try interactive activities like F1 SimRacing, the Pit Stop challenge, or a virtual pit tour. There are also plenty of merchandise shops, food and drink stands, and chances to meet drivers.

Race week takes over the city

In Shanghai, the Grand Prix doesn’t stay at the track. The race weekend opens alongside something much bigger: the 2026 Shanghai Auto Culture Festival, a 54-day programme of motorsport events, exhibitions and cultural activities centred largely around Jiading District, home of the Shanghai International Circuit.

And this is where Shanghai starts to feel different from many other rounds. Because your Grand Prix ticket isn’t just access to the track. It also unlocks free entry to Qiuxia Garden, Huilongtan Park and Yong’an Pagoda, plus discounted access to Guyi Garden, Tanyuan Garden and the Shanghai Auto Museum. Jiading has even introduced auto-themed tourism routes linking the circuit with surrounding cultural sites, turning race week into something closer to a city-wide itinerary.

Then there’s the Checkered Flag Carnival, China’s only F1-licensed theme event, running both at the circuit and at a second location along the West Bund in Xuhui. It blends automotive displays, test drives and motorsport tech with lifestyle markets and live music. It’s less corporate hospitality, more open-air festival energy connecting the racetrack with the city’s cultural hubs.

Across the wider programme, vintage Formula 1 cars go on display at the Shanghai Auto Museum. Classic car parades roll through Anting Old Street. An “Art in Motion” exhibition pairs vintage vehicles with contemporary installations to explore the aesthetics of speed beyond the grid.

If you arrive early or stay a little longer, Shanghai offers more than three days of racing, leaning fully into being an automotive city for more than just a weekend.

Experiencing the Chinese race weekend firsthand

For Jemma, Shanghai wasn’t just another stamp on the calendar. It challenged her on every level: culturally, logistically, and personally.

“I have been to a few Grand Prix now and I have to say this one was one of my favourites based on the experience I had in a country that was so different to what I’m used to,” she told us.

Seating in Grandstand B, Jemma enjoyed a panoramic view stretching from the start-finish straight all the way to Turn 6. This vantage point allowed her to trace the pulse of each lap, not just a single corner. At £360, she found it a bargain. Even booking just three months ahead, her 4-day adventure came to only £1,213 (€1,390 / $1,638).

But what stood out to her as a first-timer wasn’t just the racing. It was how structured everything felt. The security presence was visible but not overwhelming. The metro system ran efficiently. The fan zone was active without feeling chaotic. Once you understood the rhythm of the weekend, it flowed.

While reaching the track in some cities can be a headache, Shanghai makes it easy. From downtown, a straightforward 60-minute ride on Metro line 11 gets you there. Staying near this line or with a solid connection keeps race days stress-free.

You don’t travel this far just for the race

If you’re flying across continents for a Grand Prix, you don’t just land, watch the race, and leave. Of course, the race is the anchor, but discovering the city makes the trip feel complete.

And that experience starts with small details. As mentioned, your phone becomes essential here - and not just for photos, but for payments, transport and translation. Alipay or WeChat Pay (Weixin Pay) will likely be your default way of buying everything from metro tickets to street food. An eSIM like HolaFly makes navigating the internet far easier and cheaper, and because many Western apps are blocked in China, a VPN like ExpressVPN ensures you can still access the apps you normally rely on at home.

You’ll soon find yourself checking your battery more often than usual, eager to capture every moment in photos and videos. Luckily, Shanghai has you covered with portable chargers for rent throughout the city and even near the circuit. Still, packing your own charger keeps things smooth and hassle-free. With these essentials in place, you’re all set to dive into everything the city has to offer.

Exploring the highlights of China’s largest city

Yu Garden, known as the “Garden of Happiness”, is an almost 500-year-old classical Chinese garden located in the Huangpu District and a must-see attraction that offers a quieter contrast to the skyline that defines Shanghai. If you prefer a more modern vibe, the Shanghai Tower observation deck gives you 360-degree views from 546 meters above the city. And if you want something different between race sessions, the city offers many ways to immerse yourself in the local culture.

“There are many things to do such as a river cruise, visit the Jing’an temple, or attend a cultural performance. One of my favourite experiences was a private calligraphy class that I just booked on ‘Get your guide’ as it’s lovely to learn a new skill and get some insight on culture from a local,” shared Jemma.

When it comes to food, Hot Pot is a national favourite, and a must if you like hot soup in all its senses. Locals and visitors love Little Sheep Hot Pot in ChangNing District. But if you want a break from local cuisine, Goodfellas is the perfect Italian restaurant to enjoy by the river.

For a shopping spree, the famous Nanjing Road gives you a mix of international brands along with smaller markets and street sellers when you go down some of the side alleys. And if you want a more local feel and want to experience Shanghai’s lively nightlife, Julu Road is the place to be.

Spending time in the city also means paying attention to the small cultural details, because, even with the excitement of race week, we are visitors in a city that is not our own. So, knowing a few simple etiquette rules can make a big difference.

Is the Chinese Grand Prix for me?

Shanghai isn’t a race you book on a whim. You pick it when you want something different and don’t mind feeling a bit out of sync at first. It’s for people who like figuring out the public transport in the city, hearing a new language on the streets, and don’t mind getting a bit lost while learning how things work. Somewhere between the race sessions and the city’s skyline, you realise this is what travelling to watch Formula 1 and F1 Academy is all about.

This race is for fans who want to see women compete and are interested in the bigger picture of the sport, especially with the 2026 F1 Academy season starting here. If you care about how new talent comes up and want to witness the beginning of that journey, Shanghai is the place to be.

See it for yourself

The Chinese Grand Prix is immersive, modern, and full of local character, and Shanghai offers an experience you won’t find anywhere else. Jemma is returning this year, and that speaks volumes.

If you find yourself at the 2026 Chinese Grand Prix, prepare to enter the circuit with a glance, wander from centuries-old gardens to soaring glass towers in a single afternoon, and feel the excitement of race week all around you. The highlight will be seeing the start of a new F1 Academy season and cheering for women racing alongside Formula 1 on the world’s biggest stage.

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