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F1 Academy drivers to watch: 7 women shaping motorsports
From breakout winners to consistent podium challengers, the 2026 F1 Academy grid is full of talented drivers. Meet the women shaping this season's Formula racing.
Formula One has never been short on prodigies. But right now, one of the most exciting talent pipelines in motorsport isn’t happening on Sunday afternoons – it’s unfolding in the paddock just before the Grand Prix weekend even begins. F1 Academy – the all-female racing series – is shaping the future of motorsports by nurturing female talent, and these are seven drivers making a serious impact on the grid.
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How is F1 Academy shaping the future of motorsports?
Alisha Palmowski stormed ahead at Montreal
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Bigger crowds, sharper competition, manufacturer backing and growing global attention: F1 Academy is entering a new era. In a short space of time, the series has become one of the most compelling stories in junior racing. And with Formula One teams now fully invested in developing female talent, the grid is packed with drivers who aren’t just racing for trophies – they’re racing to reshape the future of the sport.
From karting phenoms and endurance-racing converts to social-media stars with serious pace, F1 Academy is becoming the launchpad for the next generation of motor racing drivers. The level has risen dramatically, the spotlight is brighter than ever and the drivers arriving on the grid now look more prepared, more polished and more ambitious than at any point in the championship’s short history.
If you’ve only been casually following the series so far, this is the year to pay attention.
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What is F1 Academy?
F1 Academy races are held at F1 Grand Prix weekends
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Founded in 2023 and led by former Formula One driver Susie Wolff, F1 Academy was created to develop and support female drivers on the pathway towards higher levels of motorsport from its current Formula 4-level racing.
The grid features 18 full-time drivers, aged between 16-25, across six teams. Every driver is backed either by an F1 team or a major global partner.
The format includes two or three races per weekend, reverse-grid action and extensive testing designed to accelerate driver development. Points are awarded much like the F1 championship, and the driver who accumulates the most points over the season is crowned the champion.
The championship races on Formula One weekends give young drivers access to elite teams, engineers, circuits and global exposure. For 2026, the F1 Academy championship is scheduled to race alongside Formula One in China, Canada, UK, Netherlands and USA (Austin and Las Vegas).
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7 drivers to watch right now
Alisha Palmowski's performance is looking strong in 2026
© Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool
Alisha Palmowski
Races for Campos Racing – Sponsored by Red Bull Racing
Alisha Palmowski headed into the 2026 season as one of the leading championship contenders after a standout rookie year, which featured a race win and five podium finishes.
Her rise through the ranks has been built on consistent success. She twice won the Junior Vice Champion title in the Daniel Ricciardo Series (2020 and 2021), before stepping up in 2023 to the Ginetta Junior Championship, where she scored 10 podiums across the season. In 2024, she continued that momentum in the GB4 Championship, taking three victories and finishing vice champion.
Now returning for her second season in F1 Academy, the British driver brings a strong blend of outright speed and growing racecraft, making her a genuine threat in the fight for the title.
Emma Felbermayr
Races for Rodin Motorsport – Supported by Audi
Emma Felbermayr’s performance in the 2025 F1 Academy season – her rookie year – revealed potential. A major highlight came in Montreal, where she claimed her first series victory after bouncing back from a disqualification earlier in the weekend.
Her path to this level of racing has been steadily built. She finished runner-up in the 2021 ADAC Ladies Cup before progressing into KZ2 shifter karting, and gaining valuable experience in elite international competitions such as the WSK Super Master Series and the FIA Karting World Cup.
Felbermayr carried that momentum into the start of the 2026 F1 Academy season, immediately putting herself in the title fight with consistent points finishes and podiums, establishing herself as a serious contender among the frontrunners.
Ella Lloyd
Races for Rodin Motorsport – Supported by McLaren
Ella Lloyd’s return for the 2026 F1 Academy season follows a standout rookie year, which delivered a race win and five podium finishes. The Welsh driver, who was formerly a showjumper and Welsh Skiing Championship gold medallist, has consistently shown strong speed and a sharp edge.
Before reaching F1 Academy, she made her mark in karting and junior formulae, including a debut season in the Ginetta Junior Championship in 2022, where she scored points in 15 of 25 races and collected 10 victories alongside seven podiums. Her move into single-seaters in 2024 brought further success with four podium finishes in British F4 Championship.
Now, with a full season of F1 Academy experience behind her, and having earned Rookie of the Year honours in 2025, she is well placed to turn promise into a sustained championship challenge in 2026.
Shanghai 2026 podium: Alisha Palmowski, Emma Felbermayr and Payton Westcott
© Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool
Payton Westcott
Races for Prema Racing – Supported by Mercedes
Payton Westcott is the first F1 Academy Discover Your Drive karter to graduate to a full-time seat. The American began karting at just six years old and quickly built a strong foundation, competing in series such as the United States Pro Kart Series, the California Pro Kart Challenge, and the Challenge of the Americas, where she secured a third-place finish.
In 2024, she stepped up to European karting, representing the F1 Academy Discover Your Drive programme. Her move into single-seaters a year later proved a key turning point, with class wins and podium finishes across the Formula Winter Series, Euro 4 Championship, the Italian F4 Championship, and the UAE Trophy.
With 2026 being her F1 Academy rookie year, Westcott has already garnered a reputation as one of the most promising newcomers on the grid.
Nina Gademan
Races for MP Motorsport – Supported by Alpine
Nina Gademan enters her second F1 Academy season full of momentum after securing her maiden victory and four podiums in 2025. The Dutch driver has already shown race-winning potential, marking her as one of the leading championship contenders.
A finalist in the 2019 Girls On Track Le Mans Shootout, she went on to win the Karting Slalom Cup at the FIA Motorsport Games the following year. She continued her rise with rookie honours in the PTC Cup and a runner-up finish in the TB class of the 2022 24 Hours of Zolder in an all-female line-up.
After making her single-seater debut in British F4 in 2024, she stepped up to a full-time seat in 2025. Despite an injury setback, she finished with four podiums and an emotional home win in Zandvoort. She also added winter podiums in the F4 Saudi Arabian Championship, building strong form for the 2026 F1 Academy season.
Rafaela Ferreira has already broken records in her young career
© Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool
Rafaela Ferreira
Races for Campos Racing – Sponsored by Racing Bulls
Rafaela Ferreira brings a strong mix of speed, aggression and determination into her second season in F1 Academy.
The Brazilian driver has already made record-breaking history in her racing career. She was the first woman to score a pole position in the 2022 Copa Brasil de Kart. Then in 2023, she became the first woman to stand on the podium in the F4 Brazilian Championship, before going one better in 2024 by becoming the series’ first female race winner – and going on to claim a total of three wins and 10 podiums in that championship.
Building on that momentum, she carried strong form into 2025 in F1 Academy, collecting seven podium finishes across the season, showing promise for her 2026 campaign.
Alba Larsen
Races for MP Motorsport – Supported by Ferrari
Alba Larsen is regarded as one of the most exciting young talents on the grid, with standout speed in testing and qualifying that has often seen her match or beat more experienced rivals.
In her first full season in 2022, she took third in the Zealand Championship, along with top-four finishes in both the Danish and Nordic IAME Championships. The following year, she dominated the Zealand series, winning four of five rounds and reaching the podium in 11 of 14 races. She went on to win the Senior shootout in the 2023 FIA Girls On Track Rising Stars programme, earning a path into single-seaters.
As the second-youngest driver in the 2025 F1 Academy field, she delivered seven top-five finishes. If she can turn that raw pace into consistent results, she has strong potential to emerge as a breakout star in 2026.
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2026 F1 Academy schedule
The 2026 F1 Academy championship will race alongside Formula One at these Grands Prix:
- Chinese Grand Prix – Shanghai, China – March 13-15
- Saudi Arabian Grand Prix – Jeddah, Saudi Arabia – cancelled
- Canadian Grand Prix – Montreal, Canada – May 22-24
- British Grand Prix – Silverstone, Great Britain – July 3-5
- Dutch Grand Prix – Zandvoort, Netherlands – August 21-23
- United States Grand Prix – Austin, United States – October 23-25
- Las Vegas Grand Prix – Las Vegas, United States – November 19-21
