New Year, New Season
- Emily Shmyr
- Jan 23
- 6 min read
After the epic conclusion of its third season, F1 Academy is set to return shortly for yet another exciting season. Yet as the new year of racing approaches, it is important to take a look at who will be leaving, returning, and making their series debut in 2026.
Before diving into the 2026 driver lineup, it is essential to rewind and revisit what happened in the closing moments of the 2025 season.
After a season of on-track battles and a down-to-the-wire finish, Doriane Pin was crowned the 2025 F1 Academy champion. The Mercedes driver established herself as a frontrunner since Race 1 in Shanghai and continued to show her strengths until the final chequered flag.
She achieved four wins and eight podium finishes, not only securing the title but also making F1 Academy history as the only driver to score points in every race since her debut in 2023. Recognizing her talents, Mercedes F1 Team announced that Pin is one of the team’s Development Drivers for the 2026 season.
In this new role, as noted by F1 Academy, the French racer will work within “simulator development and activities both at the factory and trackside, including attending several Grands Prix.” In addition, she will provide support to the team's 2026 F1 Academy driver.
Maya Weug was the 2025 season runner-up. The Scuderia-Ferrari driver had a season of ups and downs, but came close to overtaking Pin in the final few races after she closed the gap down to just nine points going into Las Vegas. Unfortunately, she suffered a DNF in Race 1 of the finale, which left her just short of making Race 2 the title decider.
Weug’s efforts did not go unnoticed, and her showcased talent in F1 Academy has already begun to open doors for her in her future racing endeavours. While Weug has not fully confirmed where she will be in 2026, the Dutch racer has had the opportunity to test the Ferrari 296 GT3 with AF Corse.
While these two drivers led the season, many other drivers completed their second and final drives with F1 Academy in 2025. Lia Block, Aurelia Nobels, Tina Hausmann, Chole Chong, and Chole Chambers have all graduated from the series and are now moving on to other racing endeavours.
As these drivers take their next steps in racing, it also opens the doors for new drivers to take the wheel. Plus, with former rookies now moving on to their second year with F1 Academy, the 2026 grid sets up for lots of upcoming excitement.
Here is what the 2026 F1 Academy drivers and teams look like so far:
The Rookies
Alongside making her debut in F1 Academy, Stevens will also debut McLaren’s second car on the grid. The British driver was announced to represent the Rodin Motorsport operated McLaren Oxagon in her first season of single-seater racing. Despite a lack of experience in single-seater races, Stevens has made history as “the only female race winner in the UK’s premier karting class.” With this in mind, the 19-year-old also topped the timesheets at F1 Academy’s inaugural Rookie Test, indicating that she should adapt quickly to the new machinery.
In 2025, Kostman made her F1 Academy debut in Zandvoort, where she became the season’s first-scoring Wild Card driver with a P7 finish. Outside of F1 Academy, she gained experience in Indian F4 and British F4, and became the first woman to win the Ford Fiesta Sprint Cup Benelux. Now, she has earned a full-time seat in F1 Academy and will represent LEGO Racing in their debut campaign.
In 2023, the French driver began her career in international karting before stepping up to single-seaters. From there, she started a campaign in French F4, where she recorded 12 top-20 finishes, leading to her later selection for the F1 Academy Rookie Test. She completed 83 laps, finishing with the seventh fastest time and securing her seat for the 2026 season. Jacquet is representing Williams Racing in the ART Grand Prix-powered car and is now part of the Williams Racing Drivers Academy.
Originating from Arizona, the American racer earned multiple podiums in the four-stroke Briggs & Stratton-powered kart within the LO206 JR class before progressing into two-stroke karting and international racing. In 2023, she became one of three females in the 22-driver field to score four top-10 finishes in the USF Junior Series. From there, she participated in F1 Academy in-season testing in Navara before securing her spot with ART Grand Prix and Haas for the 2026 season.
After becoming the first woman to win a French Junior Karting Championship race, Billard quickly moved forward, achieving podiums at the international level and in her single-seater debut in French F4. The French racer made her F1 Academy debut in Singapore shortly after a successful Rookie Test, which earned her a Wild Card entry. She quickly demonstrated her skills and qualified fifth, but did experience bad luck in the following races. Regardless, Billard was selected as the final member of ART Grand Prix, representing Gatorade for 2026.
Starting her racing career in 2019, Paatz quickly demonstrated her skills, scoring podiums and victories in the ADAC Kart Masters series. From there, she transitioned to a single-seater in 2024, competing in several F4 series and securing more wins and podiums throughout her two years in the championships. Alongside these experiences, the German driver debuted in Montreal as the Wild Card entry. Through her efforts, Paatz secured her spot with PREMA and Aston Martin on the 2026 grid, as well as joining the Aston Martin Drivers Academy.
The Scottish driver had a strong debut in the Las Vegas finale last season, finishing P4 in Race 1. Yet, she also showed her strength in the inaugural F1 Academy Rookie Test, where she recorded times in the top five across both sessions. Combining her efforts with F1 Academy-related drives and her experience in karting and as a factory driver with Radical Motorsport, Robertson was selected to represent PUMA in the Hitech-operated car for the upcoming season.
The Sophomores
With Weug's graduation from F1 Academy, a seat at Scuderia Ferrari opened up, and questions arose about who would fill it. Since her debut, the Danish driver scored seven top-five finishes and secured a P7 finish in the standings. Combining an impressive rookie season and her performances within the Scuderia Ferrari Driver Academy, Larsen was the clear choice, promoting her to the Ferrari seat in the powered by Rodin Motorsport car for 2026.
After making her F1 Academy debut in 2024 as a Wild Card entry, Palmowski quickly demonstrated her abilities and moved herself into a starting spot in 2025. Since Race 1 in Shanghai, the British driver proved herself as a tough competitor, securing three podiums in five races and the P5 in the standings. Through her efforts, Palmowski remains Red Bull Racing's representative in F1 Academy and continues her push for the upcoming championship.
Finishing P4 in the standings with five podium finishes, including one win, Lloyd is the one to watch for 2026. Titled ‘Rookie of the Year,’ the British driver just missed out on finishing P3 in the standings after falling short to Chloe Chambers in Las Vegas. Yet, through her incredible efforts throughout the season, Lloyd remains representing McLaren and Rodin Motorsport for her sophomore season.
The Dutch driver had a strong rookie season with a win in Zandvoort and three podium finishes in Montreal and Las Vegas. She finished P6 in the championship, helping secure yet another year representing Alpine on the grid. However, unlike her rookie season, where she drove a PREMA-operated car, Gademan made the switch and joined MP Motorsport for 2026.
After a decent debut season in F1 Academy, the Brazilian driver saw a lot of ups and downs. In her first race in Round 1 in Shanghai, Ferreira secured a P5, which was her highest finish of the season. She achieved six point-finishing races but ultimately did not maintain consistency in the latter half of the season. However, Ferreira enters 2026 with higher hopes as she begins her second season representing Racing Bulls.
As the weeks tick down to the start of the fourth season of F1 Academy, more news comes to light on who will make up the remainder of the grid for 2026. With excitement building, 2026 could be one of the most competitive and unforgettable seasons yet.
F1 Academy’s fourth season begins in Shanghai, China, on March 13. For more information and updates on what is to come, visit https://www.f1academy.com/.
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