F1A: Read the latest of F1 Academy reports, news, opinions, and more by Pit Debrief.
19 year-old Lia Block entered the 2025 F1 Academy season determined to improve on her rookie campaign, with Williams Racing backing her for the second consecutive year. The American, widely known as the daughter of legendary rally driver Ken Block, followed in her father’s footsteps before making the switch to single-seaters — her rookie season…
F1 Academy has confirmed that Shi Wei, also known as ‘Tie Dou’, will return as the first Wild Card entry of the 2026 season, marking another important step in her rising career. She will line up at Round 1 in Shanghai. Racing in front of her home crowd as the championship once again supports the…
Audi has announced that Emma Felbermayr will return to F1 Academy in 2026 for her second season with the team, driving for Rodin Motorsport. In her 2025 F1 Academy single-seater debut, Felbermayr impressed by finishing 10th in the Drivers’ Standings with 37 points. Standout moments from her season included a P5 finish, her first points…
Doriane Pin is set to make a significant return to sportscar racing in 2026, with the 22-year-old French driver confirmed to compete in the European Le Mans Series (ELMS) with the Duqueine Team in the LMP2 Pro/Am category. Pin will share the No. 30 Oreca 07-Gibson prototype with team-mates Giorgio Roda and Richard Verschoor. They…
PREMA Racing has confirmed that Payton Westcott has secured a place on the 2026 F1 Academy grid, with Mercedes also announcing its support for the American teenager. Westcott will race in Mercedes colours during her rookie F1 Academy campaign, while also contesting a parallel programme in Italian Formula 4. Although demanding, this dual schedule has…
Nicole Havrda’s 2025 F1 Academy season with Hitech TGR delivered a challenging rookie campaign. The Canadian driver finished 20th in the championship standings with just one point. Supported by American Express, Havrda’s 2025 F1 Academy journey featured a home milestone in Montreal but struggled with consistency across seven rounds. Difficult start to Havrda’s 2025 season…
McLaren Formula 1 Team Principal Andrea Stella shared his thoughts ahead of McLaren’s third season in F1 Academy, praising the series for providing a training ground for up and coming female drivers in 2026. “We are great supporters of F1 Academy” he said. “I enjoy the racing as well, I’m entertained during the race weekend…
Emma Felbermayr is set to return to the F1 Academy grid in 2026, representing the iconic Audi brand with Rodin Motorsport. The Austrian heads into her second season after a solid rookie campaign, having finished 10th in the Drivers’ Standings with 37 points and a race win to her name. The 19 year-old completes Rodin…
17 year-old Ava Dobson will join the 2026 F1 Academy grid with American Express, driving a Hitech-operated car. The American previously appeared in the series as the Round 3 wildcard entry in Miami during the 2025 season, where she finished 13th in Race 1. Set to compete with the series’ official partner, the 2026 season…
Irish racing driver Kayleigh Cole is setting her sights firmly on the GB4 Championship in 2026, with a clear objective in mind: becoming the top female driver on the grid and earning the elusive sponsored seat in F1 Academy for the 2027 season. Speaking exclusively to Pit Debrief, Cole believes the momentum is shifting in…
