The 2026 Italian Formula 4 season commenced last weekend in Misano (8th-10th May). The lineup features five female drivers this year - all are no strangers to single-seaters and Formula 4.

Returning to Italian Formula 4 after their rookie seasons and having gained valuable experience, Emily Cotty and Payton Westcott will hope to go one step further and battle with the frontrunners in a tightly-packed grid. But this year, they are also joined by newcomers to the series, Emma Felbermayr, Rafaela Ferreira and Ginevra Panzeri. Let’s meet the 2026 Italian Formula 4 female drivers.

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Emily Cotty - R-ace GP (#42)

Making the switch from horse racing to motorsport in 2022, the 16-year-old British-New Zealand driver has taken an unusual route into Formula 4 compared to many of her peers. However, this lack of experience hasn’t undermined Emily’s progression through the junior ranks, proving she is a winner from the get-go.

Beginning her motorsport career in the British Kart Championship and Super One Series, she achieved her first major success in 2024 when she was crowned Junior Rotax Champion, demonstrating the natural-born racer within her.

Having only raced in the UK before stepping up to F4, Emily had to adapt quickly to unfamiliar machinery. She made her single-seater debut in the penultimate round of the 2024 British F4 season at Silverstone with Phynsis by Argenti. Despite difficult weather conditions, she secured two top-20 finishes — an impressive F4 debut.

She followed this by competing in the final two rounds of the Formula Trophy UAE season with AGI Sport, achieving a best finish of 15th at Yas Marina and placing 23rd overall, one place ahead of current F1 ACADEMY driver Ella Lloyd. Emily proved she could compete alongside the best female talent of her generation.

Emily remained in the Middle East for the 2025 F4 Middle East Championship with R-ace GP, where she charged from 20th to 12th to score her first points. She narrowly missed out on a top-10 finish at Yas Marina after losing a position on the final lap.

2025 proved to be the turning point of Emily’s career. Remaining with R-ace GP for Italian F4, she exceeded expectations, dominating the Women’s Trophy and clinching the title at Misano, 51 points clear of runner-up Payton Westcott.

She added another Women’s Trophy title in the 2025 E4 Championship and later secured her maiden F4 podium in the UAE4 Series at Yas Marina. A highly successful season saw Emily place 10th out of 45 drivers, this result boding well for her campaigns in Italian F4 and E4 this year.

In the first round of the Italian Formula 4 Championship, Emily was the highest of the five female drivers contesting the series. While not a dream weekend for her, Emily’s results of P15, P22 and P23 in the races that she contested were good enough to put her in P28 overall in the Championship and secured her her first Championship point of the season.

Payton Westcott - Van Amersfoort Racing (VAR) (#94)

Perhaps the woman with the most expectation weighing on her this Italian F4 season is 17-year-old American Payton Westcott. Falling short of the Women’s Trophy title last year to fellow debutant Emily Cotty, Payton will be all guns blazing for her second season and aiming to outperform the Brit this time around.

Payton’s karting career began at just six years old. Entering competitive racing in the States at 12, she achieved notable results in the United States Pro Kart Series, California Pro Kart Challenge, and finished third overall in the Challenge of the Americas. Her success earned her selection for the inaugural F1 ACADEMY Discover Your Drive karting programme in 2024, opening doors to international opportunities across Europe and helping her graduate to single-seaters in 2025.

Payton proved in her rookie season that she could compete in any series she entered, gaining experience in the Formula Winter Series, Italian F4, and UAE Trophy, scoring several podiums throughout the year.

After winning the Female Trophy in Formula Winter Series, she challenged Emily Cotty for the Italian F4 Women’s Trophy, securing double class wins at Monza and Mugello, as well as another at Imola. Ultimately, Cotty clinched the title at Misano, but the disappointment will undoubtedly fuel Payton heading into 2026.

In the UAE Trophy, she became the first female driver to stand on the top step, converting pole position into victory in Race 2 at Dubai. She also impressed in the UAE4 Series, scoring six points and finishing 21st overall.

Later in 2025, Payton balanced her F4 commitments with F1 ACADEMY. She topped the timings in the Rookie Test, earning a Wild Card entry for the Las Vegas finale, where she scored points with a sixth-place finish on debut. Her performances secured her a full-time 2026 F1 ACADEMY seat with PREMA, backed by Mercedes, and she recently claimed her first podium at Shanghai.

Payton also benefits from the support and guidance of reigning F1 ACADEMY Champion and Mercedes Development Driver Doriane Pin. Doriane praised Payton’s efforts and success, saying: “She has shown so far that she is a great up-and-coming talent with lots of room to continue progressing.”

It proved to be a challenging opening weekend for Westcott in Italian F4 too. P17, P16 and P21 are not bad results when the size of the field is taken into consideration. But that fierce competition will surely motivate Westcott as she gets further into the season. P32 is where the American stands overall in the Championship after the first round.

Emma Felbermayr - PHM Racing (PHM)(#60)

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.

Emma Felbermayr made her F1 ACADEMY debut in 2025, backed by the Kick Sauber Formula 1 Team. The Austrian driver finished the year in P10 overall, with a victory in Canada to her name, along with several other top ten finishes.

In 2026, Emma returned to the series, now backed by the new Audi Formula 1 Team and will once again compete for Rodin Motorsport. Leaving the opening round of the season in Shanghai with both a P3 podium finish and a race win, Emma leads the Championship standings ahead of round two in Canada.

She joins the Italian F4 Series with PHM, a team that she’s had experience with earlier this year when she drove for them in the majority of the UAE4 Series. Confident in her abilities behind the wheel, PHM had no hesitation in signing her up to drive for them again in this series. In the first round of the Championship, Emma was the only other female driver alongside Emily Cotty to score a point on debut with a P15 finish in her second race. A P22 and a DNF scuppered her plans for the weekend though and leaves her in P30 in the Championship.

Rafaela Ferreira - Cram Motorsport (#38)

The 21-year-old Brazilian driver already had a solid foundation of experience in Formula 4 machinery. Finishing fourth overall in her second season of Brazilian Formula 4 with three wins and a total of ten podiums, she attracted the attention of many around the motorsport world, including Red Bull.

Last year, Rafaela made her F1 ACADEMY debut with Campos Racing and Racing Bulls support. She finished in P12 overall with multiple top ten finishes. This year, she has returned to F1 ACADEMY, in which she currently sits fifth place, after a strong opening round in Shanghai.

Rafaela has also competed in three races of this year’s Formula Winter Series with a best race result of 19th.

P41 after two P23 finishes however left Ferreira wanting more from the opening round of the Italian Formula 4 weekend. But with the strong performances she’s shown previously in her career, you wouldn’t want to bet against the Brazilian bouncing back later in the season.

Ginevra Panzeri PA Racing by AS Motorsport (#64)

The 17-year-old Italian driver is competing in Italian F4 and E4 on a part-time schedule this year with AS Motorsport. Last year, she competed in E4, finishing 38th overall with a best result of 20th. Ginevra also competed in the Formula Winter Series, finishing 36th by season’s end with a best result of 17th.

Like Ferreira, Panzeri competed again in the Formula Winter Series earlier this year, finishing 29th overall but this time, with a best result of ninth. But that’s not all. Panzeri is also racing in French Formula and Czech Formula 4. She sits in 18th place in the latter overall after taking two top-15 finishes in the first round of the season at the Red Bull Ring.

P20 and P29 in the two races that Ginevra competed in was good enough for P37 overall in the standings come the end of the weekend. Her progress will be difficult to measure over the course of the season, owing to her part time schedule. If she can finish above P38, as she is currently doing, this year’s outing in Italian F4 can be considered a success.

Up Next: Italian F4 Heads to Vallelunga

Based on recent results in UEA4, Emily Cotty is the firm favourite. Payton Westcott is not to be counted out just yet, however. Her history of producing comeback drives shows that she doesn’t give up without a fight. Perhaps this applies more than ever this year, with Payton aiming to dethrone the reigning Women’s Trophy holder. But with Emma Felbermayr having already had such a strong outing in China with F1 ACADEMY, followed by Rafaela Ferreira perhaps both drivers will have to contend more with her for the top spot, rather than each other as the season progresses. Panzeri is worth keeping an eye on too. While only on a part time schedule, her experience in other F4 series this year will surely benefit her too.

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We’re in for some thrilling on-track battles this year between these five powerhouses. Don’t miss the 2026 Italian F4 season, which continues with its second round in Vallelunga from May 22nd-24th.

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Chiara Battig

Bättig made her single-seater debut in the newly-relaunched F4 Saudi Arabian Championship late last year. She took her season-best result of seventh in the first race held in Jeddah and went on to score two more points finishes across the following two rounds. She finished the season in P12 overall.

Earlier this year Bättig joined Campos Racing to compete in select rounds of the Formula Winter Series. She opened up the season with her first podium in single-seaters by finishing second in race three at Estoril. She finished in P17 overall at the end of the campaign with her limited appearances in the season.

Chiara’s first weekend of British F4 action in 2026 would be one full of learning and getting to grips with the Championship. Driving for Hitech, Chiara had a highest finish of P13 in the final of the three races in Donington with a P14 and a P18 result in the first and second races of the weekend to boot. She sits in P24 overall in the Driver’s Standings with four points to her name.

Daniella Sutton

In 2025, Daniella competed in the British Racing and Sports Car Club Fiesta Junior Championship. She’ll be representing Chris Dittmann Racing in 2026 and will use her time in British F4 to help realise her ultimate ambition to be selected for the F1 Academy grid in 2027.

Danielle’s first weekend in British Formula 4 was a foundational one in terms of gaining valuable experience. While her results on paper may not look like much, P25, P23 and P25, this early stage of her 2026 campaign isn’t about that. It’s about building a firm base from which to launch from later on in the season where the fundamentals are second nature and her full focus can be on developing and honing her race craft to move further up the order. This has been an element of racing that she’s already been able to showcase. Starting from the rear of the field, Danielle’s movement upwards through the field in the second race of the weekend also earned her valuable championship points.

As a result, Sutton sits in P18 overall with seven points to her name.

Ella Lloyd

Starting her competitive racing career in 2022, Ella Lloyd made her racing debut in the Ginetta Junior Championship. The Welsh driver then competed in the Ginetta GT Championship in the following year, securing the vice-champion title in the highly competitive field.

Lloyd also competed in British F4, ending the 2024 season with three P2 results, and one P3 and multiple points finishes. In October 2024, it was announced that Lloyd was joining the McLaren Driver Development programme and will therefore represent the team in the 2025 F1 Academy season with Rodin Motorsport. She completed one F1 Academy race weekend during the 2024 season, acting as the Wild Card at the Singapore Grand Prix. In her debut season in the series, Ella was the highest placed rookie overall, finishing in P4 in the standings.

Ella Lloyd made her Formula E debut back in November 2024 too at the all women’s test in Jarama. She’s appeared in the Berlin and Valencia tests since then too before switching over to Envision Racing when McLaren left the series, driving for them in the latest test session held in Madrid.

Back in British Formula 4, Ella had a very solid ending to her weekend, after a pair of mixed results in the first two races. P13 and P25 are not the typical finishing places we’ve come to expect from the Welsh driver. But third time was the charm for Lloyd as she finished in an excellent fifth place for Rodin Motorsport in the third and final race of the weekend. She sits in P10 overall in the standings with ten points, tied on the same number of points as three other drivers.

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British Formula 4 returns May 9th at Brands Hatch.

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What is British Formula 4?

British Formula 4 is an open-wheel racing series based in the United Kingdom, designed to help young drivers make the transition from karting to single-seater racing and enabling them to race on some of the most challenging and renowned circuits in the world.

Officially known as the Wera Tools F4 British Championship certified by the FIA, the series has been administered by Motorsport UK since 2022 and is organised by the British Automobile Racing Club (BARC). It replaced the British Formula Ford Championship and has operated under FIA Formula 4 regulations since 2015, making 2026 its twelfth season.

The series forms part of the TOCA tour, running as a support category to the British Touring Car Championship at eight of its ten events. That means capacity crowds, a high-profile paddock, and live free-to-air television coverage in the UK at the majority of rounds — an exposure platform that very few junior series anywhere in the world can match. For those watching outside the UK, all Sunday races are livestreamed via the championship’s YouTube channel.

As with every FIA-certified Formula 4 championship, the goal is straightforward: it is the first rung on the single-seater ladder to Formula 1, with top finishers earning FIA Super Licence points, which are required to compete in F1. The top seven drivers in the championship earn points, with the overall champion receiving 12.

A Look Back in Time

Since its first season in 2015, British F4 has built one of the most impressive alumni lists in junior motorsport. The very first champion was Lando Norris — then just 15 years old — who stormed to the title with eight victories. Oscar Piastri, Logan Sargeant and Jack Doohan were among the names that followed him through the series in 2017 and 2018. That alone gives you a sense of what this championship can produce.

Other familiar names like Zane Maloney — now a Formula E driver for Lola Yamaha ABT— and Luke Browning — now Atlassian Williams F1 team reserve driver — claimed the overall title in 2019 and 2020 respectively, in what remains one of the most dramatic championship deciders in the series’ history, decided by a red flag and half points in a torrential downpour at Brands Hatch.

2024 added another chapter worth noting: it not only saw record female participation, but also saw Abbi Pulling become the first female driver to win a race in British F4 outright, en route to that season’s F1 Academy title.

The Format

Each race weekend in British F4 follows a three-race structure across two days. Qualifying determines the starting order in different ways for each race: Race 1 uses each driver’s second-fastest lap from qualifying, Race 3 uses the full qualifying order, and Race 2 — the reverse grid race — flips the top 12 from qualifying to shake up the field and generate additional overtaking. Drivers who qualified outside the top 12 keep their qualifying positions for Race 2.

Points are awarded differently depending on the race. Races 1 and 3 follow the standard FIA points system — 25 for the winner down to 1 for P10. Race 2 operates on a reduced scale, with 15 points for the winner down to 1 for P8, and bonus points awarded for positions gained from a driver’s starting position. Two points are also on offer for the fastest qualifying time across the weekend.

Alongside the main Drivers’ Championship, there is a Rookie Cup for drivers who have not entered more than three race meetings in any car prior to 2026, and a Challenge Cup for those who cannot commit to a full season. The top seven drivers in the overall championship earn FIA Super Licence points.

The prizes on offer are significant for this level. The 2026 champion earns coaching days with both Atlassian Williams Racing and Mercedes-AMG Petronas, alongside those Super Licence points. The Rookie Cup winner secures free entry to the 2027 championship.

The Car

Every driver in British F4 competes in an identical Tatuus T-421 chassis — the same car used across a number of FIA Formula 4 championships in Europe. It is powered by an Abarth engine and runs on Pirelli tyres, creating a controlled, level-playing-field environment where the focus is firmly on driver development and racecraft rather than engineering advantage.

The 2026 British F4 Season

This year’s grid is the largest in British F4 history, with a record 30 cars confirmed across eight teams, representing 15 different nationalities. The 2026 calendar spans ten events and 30 races, visiting some of the UK’s most iconic circuits alongside an overseas round at Circuit Zandvoort — the home of the Formula 1 Dutch Grand Prix. The full calendar is below:

• Round 1 — April 18–19: Donington Park (National)

• Round 2 — May 9–10: Brands Hatch (Indy)

• Round 3 — May 23–24: Snetterton

• Round 4 — May 30–31: Silverstone (GP)

• Round 5 — July 11–12: Zandvoort

• Round 6 — July 25–26: Thruxton

• Round 7 — August 22–23: Donington Park (GP)

• Round 8 — September 5–6: Croft

• Round 9 — September 26–27: Silverstone (National)

• Round 10 — October 10–11: Brands Hatch (GP)

Three Female Drivers to Watch This Year

This year, three women are competing in the British Formula 4 season. Chiara Bättig lines up with Hitech Grand Prix backed by the Red Bull Junior Team, while Daniella Sutton joins Chris Dittmann Racing for her single-seater debut as a BRDC Rising Star. Ella Lloyd, McLaren Development Driver and F1 Academy racer, rounds out the trio, dovetailing her international campaign with three rounds in British F4 starting this weekend at Donington Park.

You can learn more about all three in our next article, which will give you a closer look at who they are and why they’re ones to watch as the season unfolds.

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With the first round of 2026 Czech Formula 4 Championship behind us, it’s the perfect time to not only take a closer look at the female talent competing in the series this year, but to also see how they all got on at the opening round of the season at the Red Bull Ring in Austria. Let’s take a closer look.

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Alexia Danielsson

The Swedish driver made her single-seaters debut in 2024 in the Nordic 4 Series. She is also part of the More Than Equal project and secured her first win in Nordic 4. The 17-year-old from Uppsala also competed in Nordic 4 last year, her second full campaign in the series with a best result of P1 in the second race at Karlskoga and finished ninth overall in the standings.

In 2026, she has joined the STEP Motorsport team as she enters the Czech Formula 4 Championship. At the opening round at the Red Bull Ring last weekend, she finished in P17, P13 and P15 respectively across the three races.

Ava Dobson

While F1 Academy will be the 17-year-old American’s main focus this year, Dobson will also be competing in Czech Formula 4 too. She did however miss the first round at the Red Bull Ring last weekend.

In 2025, Ava competed full-time in both GB4 and Saudi Arabian F4, finishing 19th and 11th overall in each Championship respectively. She secured one podium in the former at Donington Park and had a best result of P6 on multiple occasions in the latter. Back in F1 Academy this year, she scored one point in the second race at Shanghai which opened up the 2026 season.

Ginevra Panzeri

Another driver who isn’t a newcomer to single seater racing is Ginevra Panzeri. The Italian driver has raced previously in the Formula Winter Series where she competed for six races at the tail end of the 2025 season before returning full time in 2026. Ginevra finished in an impressive P9 on her debut in Estoril before finishing the season in P29 overall with a next highest finish of P18 at the Circuit de Barcelona Catalunya.

Prior to last weekend’s opening round in Austria, Ginevra also competed in the French Formula 4 season opener where she suffered an unfortunate shoulder injury which prevented her from competing in the majority of the races held that weekend. She was able to compete at the Red Bull Ring though where she finished in P11 and P12 in the first two races she contested before DNFing in the third.

Mathilda Paatz

A more experienced hand at single seater racing, the 17-year-old German made herself known to many for the first time when she made her F1 Academy debut in 2025 when she competed as the Wild Card entry in Montreal.

Paatz has also competed French F4 in 2024 and achieved two wins in the 2025 E4 Championship – Trophy Woman and a podium finish in the F4 Central European Zone Championship, going on to finish eighth in the standings overall.

This year, she returns to F1 Academy full time with the backing of Aston Martin. She also competed in Czech F4 last year, finishing once on the podium and coming seventh in the overall standings. Earlier this year, Paatz took part in three rounds of the Formula Winter Series, scoring a podium at Estoril with a third place and finishing 18th overall.

At the opening round of the 2026 Czech Formula 4 Championship, Paatz finished as the best of all the female drivers across the weekend, with a P12, P7 and a P9 result.

Jade Jaquet

The French driver made her F4 debut last year in French Formula 4, finished 24th in the standings with her best finish being 11th at Le Mans. This year, she too is competing in F1 Academy, supported by the Williams F1 Team. as the series’ Williams-supported driver. In the season opener at Shanghai, she finished 13th in the first race before DNFing in race two after contact with Kostermann.

Jade Also raced in French Formula 4’s season opener recently but DNFs plagued her again for two of the three races. In Austria, she faired better as she finished all three races that she contested, in P22, P12, P25 respectively,

Ella Hakkinen

The Finnish driver won at the 2024 Champions of the Future Academy in Cremona and has achieved further wins and podium finishes across Europe too. She is also one of nine karting drivers supported by the F1 Academy - Discover Your Drive in the Champions of the Future Academy Programme and is part of the McLaren family as a junior driver for the Papaya outfit with an eye on joining the F1A grid in 2027.

Last weekend in Austria, Ella finished consistently in the top end of the top twenty, in P8, P11, P12.

Michalina Sabaj

Michelina Sabaj has been a part of the AS Motorsport’s F4 CEZ program since 2024. The 21-year-old Polish driver finished fifth place overall in 2024 with 84 points. Last year was a lot tougher though as she was only able to score two points, finishing 15th overall. Michalina also took part in the F1 Academy rookie test at Navarra, finishing 13th and 15th in the morning and afternoon sessions.

Returning to Czech Formula 4 this year, Sabaj had a clean weekend as she finished in P13, P19 and P23. Solid seat time and keeping out of trouble is key to building a strong foundation from which to build on what Michalina will want to be a bounce back year after 2025. This is a good starting point from which to do that.

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Czech Formula 4 returns May 29th at the Salburgring in Plainfield, Austria.

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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

This year, the format for the Czech Formula 4 Series has been changed. The reasoning behind it is great for the series because it’s down to the high number of entrants this season - showing the growing popularity of the series.

As a result, the qualifying sessions will be divided into two groups. Each of these will run for 20 minutes before the drivers are then divided into three groups: A for the drivers classified first, fourth, seventh and so on; B for those in second, fifth, eighth, etc.; and C for the drivers in third, sixth, ninth, etc.

Race One will then involved groups A and B. Race Two will be between groups B and C. Race Three will be between groups A and C.

After these three races, the top 32 will be drawn up by adding together all of the points collected by each driver in the races. Drivers who do not score points will be ordered by the best finishing position of the weekend.

This top 32 will then be allowed to compete in race four, the final race of the weekend.

As a result, the points system has been modified too. The winner will get 25 points, and the remainder of the top 15 will get 20, 16, 13, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1. No points will be awarded for pole positions or fastest laps.

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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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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