As part of our coverage of the five women competing at the 2026 Vodafone Rally de Portugal, we sat down with Inês after the rally weekend to get to know the human behind the helmet. She wasn’t on the podium this time around, but what she carries into every stage, and every part of her life off the road, is a story worth telling in full.

Co-driving is one of motorsport’s most misunderstood positions, encompassing many tasks, such as recce preparation, pace notes written metre by metre, calculations to hit each time control to the second, tyre pressure checks, and real-time communication with engineers, among many others. The driver just drives. Everything else falls to the co-driver.

The Lisbon-born co-driver has been doing a precise job alongside the same driver, José Pedro Fontes, for twelve years. This is a partnership that she describes as a marriage, built on trust, shared history, and a single look being enough to know what the other needs.

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Co-Driver, Entrepreneur and Mother

Twenty-five years in motorsport is an achievement on its own. Doing it while building a physiotherapy clinic from scratch and raising a family with the same precision she brings to the stages is something else entirely. Motorsport shaped her into someone who knows how to compartmentalise, how to show up fully in one world without letting the others fall apart. But it hasn’t always been straightforward, and she doesn’t pretend otherwise.

We talked about how she balances a motorsport career and a business while raising a family. About a serious accident in 2017 that led her to question everything, and what it took to come back. And about something she’s tired of after all these years in the sport: being asked questions that are only ever asked because she’s a woman.

It’s a 24-minute honest and laid-back conversation that gives you a full picture of who Inês Ponte is and reminds you why the person behind the helmet matters as much as the result.

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Constructed on the man-made Notre Dame Island in the middle of the St Lawrence River, the island was originally created for the 1967 Expo World’s Fair. Once the expo, and the 1976 Montreal Summer Olympics that followed, were over, an idea was hatched to use the island in a different way. The Formula 1 circuit that we know and love today was born.

The inaugural Formula 1 Grand Prix to be held in Canada was back in 1978. It was the final race that season and took place on October 8th - a far cry from the modern place on the calendar of May/June. French driver Jean-Pierre Jarier claimed Pole Position while Alan Jones took the fastest lap. Fittingly though, it was home hero Gilles Villeneuve who won the Grand Prix, with Jody Scheckter in second place and Carlos Reutemann in third.

Forty-Four Grand Prix have been held in total at this circuit since then and it’s seen some incredibly memorable moments throughout the years. These include the modern classic that was the 2011 edition of the race where Jenson Button stole victory from Sebastian Vettel on the final lap of the race as well as the iconic podium in 2023 of Max Verstappen, Fernando Alonso, Lewis Hamilton and Adrian Newey.

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F1 Academy’s History at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve

F1 Academy first visited the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve last season - and it gave us one of the best rounds that the series has had in its entire history to date. Normally, there are two races held over an F1 Academy weekend - but on this occasion, there was a third added due to the cancellation of the second race in Miami at the previous round due to adverse weather conditions.

Chloe Chambers claimed Pole Position while Chloe Chong took Reverse Grid Pole.

The first race was full of drama as the two Campos Racing teammates of Chambers and Palmowski collided as they were battling for the lead early on. Mathilda Paatz, then a Wild Card Driver in the series, made contact with the infamous Wall of Champions and a chain reaction of incidents at the end of the race led to the event ending behind the Safety Car. The incidents in question were Ferreira and Chong colliding while behind them, Ciconte and Crone did the same in an attempt to avoid the incident unfolding in front of them. Doriane Pin won the race, with Ella Lloyd in second and Nina Gademan in third.

The second race of the weekend was filled with close battles throughout, some of which were too close for comfort at times, and resulted in Emma Felbermayr taking her maiden win in F1 Academy. It was quite the whirlwind for the Austrian driver as she’d been disqualified from the first race for having an underweight car. Once again, it was Ella Lloyd in second and Nina Gademan in third.

Anagnostiadis and Paatz made contact with one another early on in the final race of the weekend. Nina Gademan received a ten second time penalty after colliding with Felbermayr in the turn 10 hairpin but both drivers were able to continue. Lia Block then ran into the back of Ferreira (who was having the very definition of a bad luck weekend) and brought out the Safety Car once more. Nobels also had to retire as a result, having collided with Ferreira too. The third and final race of the F1 Academy weekend would again end under Safety Car conditions with Chloe Chambers winning from Ella Lloyd in second place and Doriane Pin in third.

It was also confirmed over that weekend of F1 Academy racing in Canada that the series would return to race there until at least 2028.

Circuit Details and Weather Expectations

Valtteri Bottas still holds the lap record at the 2.7 mile circuit which he set back in 2019 when he was driving for Mercedes. The legendary circuit boasts fourteen corners, including the famous hairpin at T10, where Robert Kubica crashed spectacularly in 2007 and the long back straight that ends with the final chicane of T13 and T14 with the Wall of Champions on the outside of the last corner.

Being held in June, the chances of good weather are rather high. But as has been proven a number of times before, such as in 2011 and 2023, the rain will happily come along to challenge those out on track. Once again, three races will be held across the weekend when F1 Academy returns to Canada. This time, it’s due to the cancellation of the original second round of the season, which was to be held in April in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

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The Canadian Grand Prix has a reputation among fans as one of the most fun weekends on the calendar, thanks to the race action, the circuit activities, and the lively city it lands in. Montreal during race week is alive in a way that very few race destinations can match, and the Canadian Grand Prix has become as much a part of the city’s identity as its food, its festivals, and its particular brand of energy with a vibe that sits somewhere between North American and unmistakably French.

Montreal, the European capital of North America

The largest city in Canada’s Québec province is set on an island in the Saint Lawrence River. Named after Mt. Royal, the triple-peaked hill at its heart, it has the grand boulevards and café terrasses of a European capital alongside the scale and pace of a major North American city. In late May and early June, when the temperatures finally climb, and the Canadian Grand Prix rolls into town, those two worlds collide in the best possible way.

Streets that are already busy get taken over. Crescent Street, which runs through the heart of the city’s entertainment district, transforms into a week-long outdoor festival. The metro fills with people in team colours. And Île Notre-Dame — a man-made island in the middle of the St. Lawrence River — becomes the unlikely home of one of motorsport’s most iconic circuits.

To understand what Montreal race week actually feels like, we spoke with Jezabel, a 22-year-old local content creator and fan who lives near the city and attended her first Grand Prix in 2024. Since posting her first video in September of that year, she’s built a community of motorsport fans and is known for giving great advice to attend her home race.

For fans arriving from outside Canada, or even from other parts of the country, that mix is one of Montreal’s most reliable surprises. It doesn’t feel like anywhere else.

What’s happening at the 2026 Canadian Grand Prix?

The 2026 Canadian Grand Prix runs from May 22–24 at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, a track that winds around the perimeter of Île Notre-Dame in the St. Lawrence River. It’s a street-style circuit — fast, punishing on brakes, and famous for the Wall of Champions, the barrier at the final chicane that has ended more than a few promising race days.

This year is also a Sprint weekend for Formula 1, which means the schedule is packed tighter than usual. There is barely a gap between sessions, and if you like your race weekends dense with on-track action, Montreal delivers exactly that. Formula 1 arrives here, coming off the Miami Grand Prix a fortnight earlier, and the momentum of the season will be building.

It also marks the return of F1 ACADEMY and Formula 2, with the Canadian round carrying even more weight. Due to the cancellation of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, both championships faced a calendar gap that needed to be made up. For F1 ACADEMY, the solution came in the form of a three-race format in Montreal, and again later in Austin. What that means in practice is that fans at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve get more F1 ACADEMY racing than a standard weekend would offer.

And unlike most rounds on the calendar, fans of the all-female championship can get genuinely close. There is public access to the F1 ACADEMY paddock located in the orange zone, behind Grandstand 15, where you can step behind the scenes, watch the teams at work in the garages, see the cars up close, and catch autograph sessions with the drivers. Montreal is also where Disney and F1 ACADEMY kick off their new collaboration, bringing Minnie Mouse and Daisy Duck into the race weekend through trackside moments and new product launches available to buy at the circuit.

Fanzones, brand activations & evening concerts

The circuit offers several dedicated fan areas worth building your day around. The Fanzone F1, situated in the yellow zone behind Grandstands 34 and 47 in the centre of the island, brings together activities from Formula 1 and its partners — pit stop challenges, racing simulators, brand activations, and the kind of interactive experiences that make the gaps between sessions disappear. The Heineken Terrace, also in the yellow zone behind the Casino, works as a relaxation space during the day and shifts into something livelier by evening, with seating giving way to a proper party atmosphere once the on-track action wraps up.

“There’s a lot of things to do,” Jezabel told us. “On the circuit, there’s going to be all sorts of activities like pitstop challenges, racing simulators, brand activations (like LEGO last year where you built your own mini F1 car), the Monster Energy fanzone, and more!”

There’s also the CGV Experience, a new General Admission offer that bundles race access and evening concerts into a single ticket. After a full day of racing, ticketholders get access to live concerts in a beach zone located right in the heart of the circuit, with an entirely Canadian lineup: Matt Lang, Simple Plan, Dean Brody, Bryan Adams, The Beaches, and Alessia Cara. It’s not a bad way to end a race day. If you want the Grand Prix to feel like a festival as much as a sporting event, this is the option that closes that gap and one that few other races in the calendar offer.

Formula 1, brand activations & hockey take over the city

What makes Montreal unusual as a race destination is how far beyond the circuit the Grand Prix actually reaches. The city doesn’t just host Formula 1. It absorbs it, and Crescent Street is the epicentre. For the duration of race week, this stretch of bars, restaurants, and terrasses becomes a continuous outdoor party, with team flags hanging from buildings, fans spilling onto the street, and a noise level that suggests nobody plans on going home early. It’s where you go to feel the full weight of what race week in Montreal means.

This year adds a few specific brand activations worth planning around:

• The Adidas store on Saint-Catherine is hosting a joint Audi and Mercedes activation from May 22–24.

• Audi is also staging its RUE 26 experience at the Montreal Clock Tower on the evening of May 22, an outdoor event that’s free to attend and worth building your Thursday around.

• Cadillac is celebrating its debut season with the Cadillac Hub at Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth from May 22–24. Expect an F1 show car alongside their V-Series lineup, Tommy Hilfiger x Cadillac F1 merch drops, F1-inspired simulations, and appearances from actor Lou-Pascale Tremblay and Juno Award-winning artist ToBi, plus a chance to win $75,000 toward a Cadillac vehicle.

And if you happen to be a hockey fan, or simply want to understand a core part of Canadian culture, the Montreal Canadiens have qualified for the Stanley Cup playoffs and have a game during the 2026 Canadian Grand Prix weekend. This means the area around the Centre Bell will come alive with fans watching on big outdoor screens. It’s the kind of spontaneous, city-wide energy that you just have to be there to live it.

Getting to the circuit & moving around

Getting to the circuit is one of the easiest parts of the Montreal weekend. The metro runs directly to Parc Jean-Drapeau station, a short walk from the circuit, and during race week, the carriages fill with fans in team colours. The journey becomes part of the experience. Driving is the one thing to avoid. Traffic around the island during race weekend turns short journeys into very long ones, so leave the car behind.

“The easiest and most used way is definitely by public transport. It’s so easy to get around town using the metro, even if you’re not a local,” Jezabel says. “I had so many nice conversations during the Grand Prix week by just randomly talking to people who were wearing F1 merch and it was so fun!”

For disabled fans, the circuit has wheelchair-accessible sections across most grandstands, but the pedestrian bridges between areas of the island involve stairs and are worth checking in advance on the circuit’s official accessibility map. In the city, Sainte-Catherine Street has been under construction for some time and can be slow to navigate during race week with the added crowds. It’s not a dealbreaker, but worth factoring into your plans.

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Where to stay, eat, and explore

The best rule for race week accommodation is simple: prioritise metro access over being downtown. Prices in the centre climb sharply during Grand Prix week, but the line extends north to Laval where you’ll find significantly better value. If you want to stay central, the neighbourhoods around Guy-Concordia or Peel stations put you within walking distance from most of the action.

For food and atmosphere, Crescent Street is the obvious starting point and deservedly so. Jezabel has two firm recommendations there. Wienstein & Gavino’s is an Italian restaurant that commits fully to race week — team flags, a vintage F1 car hanging from the ceiling. “I went there two years ago during the F1 week and it was amazing,” she says. Le Warehouse is the more casual option: good burgers, a big terrace, cocktail promotions running through the GP week, and a pub atmosphere in the evening. Both are worth it.

Beyond Crescent Street, the city rewards wandering. Old Montreal has cobblestone streets, waterfront views, and Jezabel’s personal approach to it: “Walk around, go into every general store, find some unique things, get some ice cream and admire the view in the Old Port.” Mont-Royal park is worth the climb for the Kondiaronk lookout, and she adds a detail that’s hard to ignore:

The Plateau-Mont-Royal neighbourhood — independent cafés, weekend markets, terrasses that fill up the moment the sun appears — is where Montrealers actually spend their time. It has no Grand Prix activation attached to it, and that’s exactly the point. And for a shopping spree, Sainte-Catherine Street and the Eaton Centre cover the mainstream, plus Saint-Denis for independent and vintage shops.

Is the Canadian Grand Prix for me?

Montreal is one of the most accessible Grand Prix destinations on the calendar. It doesn’t ask much of you before it gives back. The metro works. The food is good. People are friendly and will talk to you, no matter where you are from. The circuit is genuinely exciting from almost any grandstand. And the city vibe is unique.

In terms of pricing, a three-day general admission weekend pass starts at $410, saves you from queuing each day, and is worth picking up before the weekend starts. Day passes are also available starting at $95 and are worth considering when your budget is tight. And bundles for race access and evening concerts start at $287. We always recommend buying your tickets from the official channels, such as the F1 Tickets site or the Grand Prix and circuit official sites, to avoid scams and other potential issues.

If your love for racing expands to your little ones, the Canadian Grand Prix is also a genuinely family-friendly weekend, something difficult to find on the calendar. Children 11 and under get free entry with a regular ticket holder, and between the fan zones, the amusement park on the island, and everything the city offers — the Biodôme, the Planétarium, the Centre des Sciences — there’s enough to keep kids engaged well beyond the racing itself.

It’s also a very safe city to travel alone, having ranked as the safest city on the continent and the second-safest in the world, plus Canadians are well known for their politeness and hospitality. Montreal operates in both French and English, but a little French goes a long way — Bonjour when you walk in, Merci when you leave, and J’adore la Formule 1 when you meet another fan.

For fans who want to watch F1 ACADEMY compete, Montreal delivers great racing, and this time, multiplied. Three races across the weekend on one of the sport’s most storied circuits, after a two-month wait. And with the Canadiens in the Stanley Cup playoffs, the city has another reason to be loud this weekend, so if you know a little about hockey, locals will be happy to bring you into it.

See it for yourself

The Canadian Grand Prix doesn’t need convincing. It needs a booking.

Pack for late May weather — warm days are likely, but evenings can still be cool, and some rain might show up, so layers are worth it — download a metro map before you land, and give yourself at least a day on either side of the race weekend to enjoy the city. Walk Old Montreal in the morning before anyone else is up. Get to the Kondiaronk lookout early. Eat the smoked meat sandwich. Watch the hockey game with locals.

And when you’re on the metro on Sunday afternoon, surrounded by people in team colours with the race still buzzing in your ears, you’ll understand why this one keeps coming back to the top of people’s lists.

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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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Those crowds were loud, passionate, and present despite shifting weather across the weekend, and among them, a notable number of female fans. Women were visible beyond the stands too, working across teams in roles that rarely make headlines: engineers, logistics coordinators, media and communications professionals. The infrastructure of a WRC event increasingly reflects a broader range of people, and Portugal was no exception.

The entry list, however, tells a different story. Of the 69 competitors from 22 nationalities, just five were women: Janni Hussi, Julie Amblard, Inês Ponte Grancha, Inês Veiga, and Magda Oliveira. All five co-drivers. Five out of sixty-nine. The energy around women in motorsport is clearly growing in the stands, behind the scenes, and across the sport. It’s just not translating on track yet.

The Women Competing At Rally de Portugal Delivered

When you look at what those five women actually achieved, the quality argument makes itself. Two of the five co-drivers reached the podium. Janni Hussi, alongside driver Teemu Suninen, took the WRC2 win. Inês Veiga, alongside Gonçalo Henriques, finished P2 in the Campeonato de Portugal de Ralis and won the Power Stage. That’s two podiums from five women competing, a conversion rate that any category on the entry list would be proud of.

What makes those results even more impressive is the story behind them. Hussi accepted a live radio challenge from WRC driver Sami Pajari, fell in love with co-driving, and went from never having read a pace note to winning WRC2 in Portugal. Veiga, at just 24 and with a fresh podium from Portugal, is part of a growing generation of Portuguese women making their mark in rallying.

The stories of the other three women are no less remarkable. Julie Amblard is part of the Iron Dames project, the first all-female team in 35 years to finish in the top five of the French Rally Championship, and the first all-female team to compete in seven WRC rounds since Michèle Mouton. Inês Ponte Grancha started co-driving at 16 and in 2016 became the first woman to win a National Rally Championship in Portugal, a partnership with José Pedro Fontes that continues to this day. And Magda Oliveira, who claimed her first outright victory with Hugo Lopes in 2025, stepped up to Rally2 in 2026 with clear ambitions to fight at the front.

The Numbers Tell a Longer Story

In Portugal specifically, the numbers have fluctuated without ever really climbing. In 2021, only two women competed. 2022 saw four, and 2024 reached a relative high of eight, which is still just 11% of the total field. This year, five, which makes it seven per cent of the total. None of this is due to a lack of women competing in motorsport, nor to a lack of talent among those women.

It’s also not just something that has presented itself at this rally. The Monte Carlo Rally that opened the season saw five women compete, a group entirely different from those present in Portugal. Rally Sweden then saw that number drop to three, while the rounds held in Kenya, Croatia and the Canary Islands only saw one woman competing at each. In the latter two, it was the same woman.

It’s also worth noting that the five women competing in Portugal were all in the WRC2 category, with none in RC3 or RC1. While it’s great to see them represented there, the lack of any in the higher categories paints an interesting picture.

Why Aren’t There More Women Competing?

The lack of women across these rallies, particularly when taken as a percentage of the total field, speaks to a larger issue within motorsport that hasn’t been properly addressed yet, and one that isn’t localised to any one country or series.

It’s not about making sure that the women competing win races or get on podiums. Instead, it’s about women who want to compete in this field having the chance to do so, and getting that chance because they deserve it. For that to be achieved, more work needs to be done at the grassroots level, and support needs to be there as these women move up the motorsport ladder, both on and off track.

Portugal alone has a number of talented women making names for themselves in the rally world. Maria Gameiro, Bárbara Pereira and Bia Pinto are three examples of this that immediately come to mind and there are many more besides them. Game this out to all of the other nations that the WRC visits each season, before even factoring in every other country, and the prospect for a tidal wave of change and fierce competition at this level of motorsport becomes a mouthwatering prospect that fans both old and new will love.

The Future We Want To See

The WRC puts on fantastic sporting events for its fans everywhere it goes and Rally de Portugal this year was no exception. The crowds, the stages, the racing. It really delivered. But the series now has the chance to do something that other motorsport series haven’t fully cracked yet. The female fans are already there. The women working across the paddock are already there. And as Hussi and Veiga showed in Portugal, the talent is there too.

Translating all of that into more women competing on track, not just in WRC2, but across every category, would not only reflect the sport’s growing audience. It would undoubtedly improve the racing. And no one can argue against that.

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Now, Doriane Pin is narrowing that gap. She marked a breakthrough for both her career and women in motorsport by completing her first F1 test with Mercedes on April 17. After 76 laps around the Silverstone Circuit in the Mercedes W12, she became the first woman to drive for the Silver Arrows, continuing the legacy of women testing contemporary machinery.

Beyond the glamour of the test, however, there is more to Doriane’s story. While the W12 test is a significant step toward an F1 seat, she was winning titles and podiums long before her time at Mercedes.

Karting, Where It All Began

Doriane began karting at age nine — a “late” start by modern F1 standards. Because of her small stature and explosive starts, she quickly earned the nickname “The Pocket Rocket.” This physical disadvantage actually forced her to develop a technical edge early on; since she couldn’t outmuscle the kart, she perfected a smooth, precise style built on preserving momentum.

“I was three years later than everyone else. So I had to wait two and a half years to get into a go-kart. I went and played tennis for two years,” - Doriane Pin in an interview with Mercedes.

She spent three years honing these skills in the French National Karting Championships, often as the only girl on a grid that included future stars like Isack Hadjar and Esteban Ocon. A turning point came at the 2018 French Women’s Championship in Lavilledieu. During a rain-soaked final, Doriane put on a masterclass, recovering from an early incident to fight her way back to a third-place finish.

By 2019, her goal was clear: become national champion. Competing in the French Women’s Karting Championship (Championnat de France Féminin), Doriane swept all three finals to claim the title at just 15 years old.

Transition to Single Seaters

Moving from karting to car racing proved challenging for Doriane. By 2020, rising costs outpaced her family’s support, leaving her without the budget to enter her target series, Formula 4.

A lifeline arrived through an invitation from Renault to compete in three rounds of the Clio Cup France. Though it was not the start she had envisioned for her single-seater career, Doriane adapted instantly, finishing the season as vice-champion in the Junior class.

Soon, Dorinae’s raw speed caught the eye of the FIA Girls on Track initiative, earning her a spot in their 2020 intensive training camp. This three-day masterclass covered the essentials of professional racing: media training, team dynamics, tyre management, and full race simulations in Formula 4 machinery.

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Eventually, Doriane reached the final four in Maranello but narrowly missed the winning seat in the Ferrari Driver Academy. Still, her performance left a mark. The Iron Dames programme recognised the Pocket Rocket’s potential and invited her to test a Ferrari GT car at Mugello and a further three-day test at Paul Ricard. Little did she know that this invitation would shift her career trajectory, placing Doriane on a direct path to Formula 1.

Proving Her Speed in the World Endurance Championship

What sets Doriane’s career in endurance racing is how much she has achieved in such a short period of time. At 17, racing alongside Manuela Gostner in the 2021 Michelin Le Mans Cup, she secured five podium finishes in her first six races despite visiting circuits such as Spa-Francorchamps and Monza for the very first time.

In 2022, she dominated the Ferrari Challenge Europe Series, winning nine of 14 races to secure the Trofeo Pirelli with a round to spare. That same year, she joined Sarah Bovy, Michelle Gatting, and Rahel Frey to win the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps — making them the first all-female crew to triumph at the iconic endurance event.

Pin’s 2023 FIA WEC Rookie Test performance earned her a full-time seat with Prema Racing in LMP2. Partnering with Mirko Bortolotti and ex-F1 driver Daniil Kvyat, she reached the podium in her debut race at the 1000 Miles of Sebring. Her pace and technical feedback eventually made her the first woman to win the FIA WEC “Revelation of the Year” award.

Mercedes and F1 ACADEMY

Despite immense success in endurance racing, Doriane’s goal was to return to her path towards the pinnacle of motorsports: F1. By late 2023, the Pocket Rocket made her long-awaited debut in single-seaters. Racing in the final six rounds of the F4 South East Asia championship with Prema, she finished second in the standings.

In 2024, Doriane’s chance to chase her F1 dream finally came. In collaboration with Prema Racing and the Iron Dames, the Pocket Rocket joined Mercedes’s Junior Programme, earning a shot at F1 by representing Prema in F1 ACADEMY — an all-female series using spec F4 cars founded by F1 in 2023.

Doriane immediately made an impression. Despite limited experience in single-seaters, the Pocket Rocket secured a double pole and a dominant win in the Jeddah opening round. By the end of her F1 ACADEMY tenure, she won the 2025 Championship and helped Prema Racing retain its crown as Team Champion.

“I have grown so much this year thanks to the team, even through some highs and lows, we fought to the end. Winning the first race of the season in Jeddah was so special, and having the Mercedes team there to celebrate with me made it even better!” - Doriane Pin in an interview with Mercedes.

What’s Next For Doriane Pin?

Despite clinching the F1 ACADEMY title last season, Doriane Pin has yet to move further up the single-seater ladder. Instead, the French driver graduates from the Mercedes Junior Programme to a Development Driver role — a less conventional, yet possible strategic path toward a seat in F1.

In this role, Doriane is part of a roster of drivers focused on development work in the team’s simulator, alongside activities at the factory and on the track. Thanks to her strong performances in the simulator, she earned the opportunity to drive the Mercedes W12.

It can be frustrating for a champion when progression feels stalled. However, Doriane’s work with Mercedes will build a strong foundation for her F1 ambitions.

“So obviously, the thing that I want the most is to go to Formula 3 and then Formula 2 and Formula 1. But it’s not only me that decides and I have good people around me that support me.” - Doriane Pin in an interview with Mercedes.

Alongside her duties at Brackley, Doriane hasn’t forgotten her endurance roots. She returned to the European Le Mans Series in the LMP2 PRO/Am class with Duquiene Team — a return marked by a podium in the season’s first round in Barcelona, finishing P3 alongside teammates Richard Verschoor and Giorgio Roda. She also joined WEC Team Peugeot TotalEnergies as a development driver earlier this year, a role that will see her work with the Peugeot 9X8 Hypercar and deepen her endurance credentials at the highest level of sportscar racing.

The most recent chapter adds yet another dimension. Doriane has been announced as an official development driver for the Citroën Racing Formula E team, giving her exposure to Gen3 and Gen4 Formula E machinery alongside her existing commitments. Between her simulator and factory work at Mercedes, her return to endurance racing with Duquiene and Peugeot TotalEnergies, and this first step into electric single-seaters, Doriane is building one of the most varied and impressive development programmes of any young driver in the sport right now.

So, what’s next for Doriane Pin? The “Pocket Rocket” has come a long way, and the single-seater ladder is still the stated goal. But the path she’s taking to get there is entirely her own. Her career already inspires — not just a generation of women aiming for F1, but anyone willing to do whatever it takes to chase a dream.

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The next Regional Formula 4 Championship to prepare yourselves for is the Italian Formula 4 series with Round 1 fast approaching in Misano (8th-10th May). Here is your complete guide to the Italian series, in which we discuss the format, calendar, and its history.

As in Spanish F4, there are also five extremely talented, young female drivers competing in the Italian series in 2026. We will briefly touch on them in this piece, but be sure to look out for our in-depth piece on the 2026 Italian Formula 4 Female Driver Line-up, coming soon.

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Italian F4: An Overview

Italian F4 is regarded as the main and most attractive Formula 4 series globally, especially for young drivers transitioning from karting to single-seater racing. With Italy known as the home of karting, the biggest young talents often look to the series to launch their careers in single-seaters.

Regularly hosting grids of over forty drivers, young drivers are forced to develop quickly in this extremely competitive and high-pressure environment. It’s everyone for themselves in this tightly-packed grid, as they all fight to succeed and climb the ladder to compete on the biggest stage in motorsport.

Italian F4 in History

Italian F4 was founded in 2014, established as the direct successor to the Formula Abarth series, which concluded at the end of 2013. It was the first of the Regional F4 championships to be introduced, as well as the first championship to follow the FIA F4 regulations, marking it as a key junior formula championship.

The Italian series is considered one of the most prestigious and competitive junior categories globally - the most dominant and successful out of all the Regional F4 and junior single-seater series. Its alumni consists of many current or ex Formula 1 drivers, including the likes of Lance Stroll, Ollie Bearman, Kimi Antonelli, and even the 2025 F1 World Champion Lando Norris. This puts the spotlight on the series, with so many young drivers rising through the ranks from the series to the higher formula categories.

Certified by the FIA and heavily backed by Italy’s motorsport federation (ACI Sport) and WSK Promotion, it is supported by major brands such as Pirelli, Tatuus and Abarth. Since the category’s introduction twelve years ago, many drivers have progressed to other categories soon after, including Formula Regional, FIA F3, and even Formula 1. This includes Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll, who was crowned Italian F4 Champion in its inaugural season in 2014, becoming the first-ever driver from the series to progress to F1 when he made his debut for Williams in 2017.

Others have gone on to become members of young driver development programmes. Italian F4 has also provided a large stage for young female drivers to get themselves off the mark. This year’s female driver line-up is already familiar with the Italian series, with two of the five drivers having competed in the series last year. Payton Westcott, for example, earned herself a seat in F1 Academy with Mercedes for 2026 after she impressed many with her performances last season.

Italian F4 is set to host its thirteenth season in 2026. Since its inaugural season in 2014, the championship has evolved from ten teams and twenty-eight drivers to twelve teams and a predicted forty-eight drivers competing in 2026. However, our main focus here is on the five female drivers who will be competing this season: Emily Cotty, Emma Felbermayr, Rafaela Ferreira, Ginevra Panzeri and Payton Westcott.

Format

Each weekend is divided into seven sessions, with an extra race on Sunday for the top 36 drivers to end the weekend:

The weekend format is dependent on how many drivers participate in an event. The typical weekend format, due to the series’ regularly high number of participants, means the grid is split into two groups, known as series. Both series then have to participate in one of the two qualifying sessions.

At the end of both sessions, a ranking is established. The fastest driver from the first series earns pole position, the fastest from the second series earns P2, the second-fastest from the first series earns P3, and so on.

The drivers are then split into three groups according to their positions: Group A includes those who placed 1st, 4th, 7th, and so on; Group B includes those who finished 2nd, 5th, 8th, and so on; and Group C consists of those in 3rd, 6th, 9th, and so on. Race 1 is contested between groups B and C, Race 2 between groups A and B, and Race 3 between groups A and C.

Once the races are complete, a final classification is established. Points achieved in these three races are added together, with the best 36 drivers then being entered into a final race.

The alternative format, used when there are less drivers competing, is a copy of the format used in Spanish F4. The best lap from Q1 sets the grid for Race 1, the best lap from Q2 sets the grid for Race 2, and the second-best lap from either of the qualifying sessions sets the grid for Race 3.

The Car

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

Tyres: Pirelli P Zero (dry slick tyres), Pirelli Cinturato (wet tyres)

Engine: 1.4 TURBO ABARTHENGINE, 176 hp.

Chassis: TATUUS F4 -T421.

2026 Calendar

The 2026 Italian F4 Championship will host seven rounds and, for the first time since 2017, the championship will be raced exclusively at Italian circuits.

Round 1 – 10 May – Misano
Round 2 – 24 May – Vallelunga
Round 3 – 21 June – Monza
Round 4 – 26 July – Mugello
Round 5 – 6 September – Imola
Round 6 – 20 September – Misano
Round 7 – 25 October – Mugello

The calendar features some of Italy’s most iconic and historic venues, regarded as some of the best across Europe, especially for young drivers progressing in their careers. It includes the Temple of Speed (Monza), famous for its high-speeds, long straights and technical chicanes, and the technically demanding Imola with its fast corners, juxtaposed by the calmness of the surrounding nature.

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

Emily Cotty and Payton Westcott are both returning to racing in Italian F4 in 2026 with Emma Felbermayr, Ginevra Panzeri and Rafaela Ferreira making their debut in the series. After taking away key learnings in their rookie seasons last year, they now know what to expect from the series, as well as what they need to do to consistently perform well and compete at the front of the crowded field. 2026 is full of hope and promise for these five women.

In our next article: Italian Formula 4 in 2026 - Meet the Female Driver Lineup, we will get to know these female drivers a bit better and unpack their individual journeys to single-seaters.

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Earlier this week, we were in Madrid for her official 2026 season presentation, hosted at the headquarters of Bosch España. Bosch Mobility Aftermarket has been her main sponsor for three consecutive years now, a partnership that has grown into something more personal than a sponsorship deal.

At just 23, and with a relatively short career, she’s already made history. She became the first woman to win a race in the Spanish Touring Car Championship at 19, and in her debut Supercars Endurance season in 2025, she led the championship for much of the year before finishing third overall. All of it built fast, and built to last.

This year, she returns to the endurance category with a clear goal: to win the championship and take another step towards Le Mans and the WEC, her ultimate ambition. The Supercars Endurance calendar takes her to Portimão, Jarama, Valencia and Jerez, and she’ll be the only Spanish woman competing in her category.

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A Character Built For Endurance

It’s perhaps no surprise that endurance suits her so well. Her life has shaped a fighter’s character. From a young age, she learned what it means to face adversity, watching her mother battle cancer and making her way as a woman in a man’s world. But she also learned what it means to dream big, growing up alongside a karting champion grandfather who showed her what was possible. She’s learned to build herself, chase her dreams, and never forget to look out for others along the way.

We sat down with Alba for an honest conversation that went well beyond lap times and championship standings. We talked about how she’s been in the tracks with her grandfather since she was a baby, and what it means to carry his legacy with her now. About balancing a motorsport career with a personal life, and the weight that comes with both. About what happens if motherhood comes into the picture, and how that changes your relationship with risk and the dangers of a sport you love. And about her commitment to children’s cancer research, something she speaks about with real depth and care.

It’s a 14-minute conversation that gives you a much fuller picture of who Alba Vázquez actually is. Because behind every result, there’s always a person worth knowing.

Watch the full interview in Spanish with English subtitles, and follow her season through the Supercars Endurance official YouTube channel.

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Joanne Ciconte hasn’t returned to F1 Academy in 2026. Instead, the seventeen-year-old has taken a different path as she embraces the challenge that is the Kyojo Cup - an all-female racing series that is held in Japan from April to October. In this third and final part of our in-depth conversation with the Australian-Italian, we talk about why she decided to make this move, what her preparation for the season ahead is, and look at who some of her racing role models were growing up.

If you missed either of the first two parts of our conversation with Joanne, you can find them below:

Thiemo: Why did you decide this year to step away from F1 Academy and go into the Kyojo Cup? What was the thinking there?

Joanne: So honestly saying, as I said, F1 Academy was a great series, but I think from a development point of view, it was just hard for myself personally to develop because I wasn’t able to get enough seat time, which, as I said, I entered this series with very minimal experience, which kind of pulled me back as it was a disadvantage against my other opponents. So I feared that doing a second year would kind of just restrict my development more as a driver. And I’m here to race, and I’m here to meet my ultimate goal, and I feel that can happen by racing in Japan.

So this year, I’ve decided to compete in the Kyojo Cup, an all-female Japanese series held by Toyota and Honda. So there are some amazing opportunities there, and I’m aspiring to participate in Super Formula, which is the second fastest open-wheeler category there is, outside of Formula One. And Super Formula, you’ve had Formula One drivers like Liam Lawson, Pierre Gasly, Yuki Tsunoda, and I think even Luke Browning, who’s now participating in that. So it’s kind of a down-low series, but I think it’s incredible because the speed is faster than Formula Two. So yeah, I think it’s really up there, and I think I’m trying to take a different route because I think that it’s better for my development point of view.

Thiemo: I was going to ask about Super Formula being on the cards, so I’m glad you read my mind on that one. But you’ve raced in Europe, obviously, you’ve raced in Australia, and now you’re going on to compete in Japan. Have you noticed any differences in the culture around racing in the paddock, with fans, or with sponsors? And what’s maybe stood out to you from those observations?

Joanne: I think, you know, the Japanese culture kind of says it for themselves, because they are so welcoming, they’re so, you know, they really, they make so much effort to really make you feel like you’re welcomed, and they’re just so kind. And I’m so fortunate to be working with an amazing team as well, KCMG Racing Team. They are probably one of Asia’s best teams.

So I’m happy to be racing with them. And my competitors, they are quite fast too. So I’m actually having to put my head down a bit because it’s not an easy series. And it’s also iconic to be racing at the Fuji Speedway Circuit and having great audiences, great fan base. It’s all building slowly, but I have really, really high hopes for this season.

Thiemo: What are your ambitions for the season ahead?

Joanne: So my ambition for this season is to, honestly, as I said before, just develop as a driver, whether that’s physically, mentally, on track, off track, just taking every bit on the way.

And just adapting quickly because it is a new car. It is a new kind of circuit. I’ve driven there a couple of times. And the tires are completely different to what I’m used to. So kind of picking up, putting down kind of situation. So yeah, I’m just going to have to do what I usually do. I feel that like, you know, I wake up every day and I follow the same routine every day. And somehow in a year’s time, I’ve completely changed and I’ve completely gotten better. And things have changed for me. So just keep doing what I’m doing, thinking ahead of myself, progressing. And I’m confident to have a couple of podiums this year.

Thiemo: Is it taking it more of a race by race situation rather than an overall season? I would say you have the season development plan of I want to be in a better position as a driver on these fronts by the end of it. But in terms of what that looks like, I’m not going to set anything specific so that then when it comes to a race weekend, you can just hopefully focus and maximise on what’s right in front of you at that point.

Joanne: Yeah, 100%. I truly believe in what you just said then, because I think that you can’t, in this sport, it’s so intense as it is, and we’re looking for tenths of a second. So you can’t really just say, I need to be on Pole, you really gotta put your head down and dedicate. Every day for me looks like a training day. So it all happens off track as much as it happens on track. So yeah, this season, I’m taking things more seriously because I believe participating in the Kyojo Cup is a step up in my career.

Thiemo: How has that training and preparation been like so far? And how long have you known that you were going to be doing that this year? Because obviously you get the news announced, but you’re never sure how long a driver’s known about that they’re going to do something before they’re allowed to talk about it. So what’s the prep looked like so far on your end?

Joanne: Yeah, so after my season in F1 Academy, I think that we had to come to a decision and decided whether I wanted to do a second season in F1 Academy or put my focus somewhere else. And it was a tough decision, but we made one. I am confident in that decision as well. But yeah, I mean, without knowing, I have to control what I can control. And that means doing training. And it’s a bit hard to know what to do on the simulator, but I can also train physically in the gym. I can train mentally for things. And that just is, it’s better than doing nothing. So that’s kind of what I have to do.

Thiemo: And do you think if you hadn’t been in F1 Academy last year, you’d be doing the Kyojo Cup this year? Which you say, if you had that experience of it, it was great at F1 Academy, but it showed you the different options of what’s out there and how tough it can be and what you might be better off doing in terms of your own personal development. Do you think you’d still be doing it or do you think you’d have been going on a different route somewhere else?

Joanne: Honestly, I’m not too sure. It’s a bit hard because, as I said, things just happen in such a short period of time. Opportunities, they come. And if you don’t take them, they go.

So all this stuff happens so rushed. So I think one of the key strengths as a driver is just being adaptable and knowing how to adapt to different cars, different situations, different opportunities. So I think that I would have definitely been racing in Europe last year, but I think I was really proud and I was really happy and I wouldn’t take it back racing in F1 Academy last year. And it was a great experience because I built myself a profile at such a young age. And being a female, that’s what we need. But I’m here to race, as I said, so I believe that my development and a driving point of view can be built somewhere else.

Thiemo: Then, going back to Giancarlo and Marco for a second, does having that level of experience in your corner change what you thought was possible before they came along? Or does it also put more pressure on yourself as a driver?

Joanne: Having their support?

Thiemo: Yeah, because, you know, these are two people, like you were saying earlier, they’re big figures in motorsport. They’ve gone and had their own careers and success. Does that add pressure to you because you’ve got these significant figures there? Or does it calm things down a bit because you’ve got these significant figures behind you?

Joanne: Funnily enough, both, because, you know, I think that I do have that pressure from them in a good way because they’re expecting well of me. They’re expecting good performances, good results for myself and my limit as a driver, because they know I have potential and they know I can do well for myself and they know how far I’ve come. And every driver is different. But I think it’s in a good way that, you know, they have standards and they have expectations for me and that builds, obviously, a pressure. But for them, it’s kind of acceptable because they’re the ones that believe in you at the end of the day. And my success is also their success. So it’s really fortunate to find good pressure like that, you know. But at the end of the day, they’re always there anyways for me. So it’s kind of also a relief to have that kind of bond and family as a management as well.

Thiemo: A couple of questions to finish off then, just on the fact that you’ve been racing for eight years now, roughly. What’s something you’ve noticed with relationships with sponsors that’s maybe changed over the years? Because you saw recently that F1 Academy, when it came into existence, more female-focused brands that weren’t traditionally involved in motorsport at all suddenly became interested. Have you found it easier, more difficult or just something else entirely with approaching brands and sponsors to try and get them on board now from before? Or is it still as difficult as it’s always been?

Joanne: Well, so I’m so fortunate to have some of my own sponsors, which are Fleet Space, Kaboodle Kitchen, Nike and Cotton On. There’s some really big names out there in the Australian industry and also the worldwide industry. But I’m really grateful to have them on board because I think motorsport is so financially demanding and it’s honestly saying because there’s no sport like motorsport that’s just so expensive. And I think you can have the skill, you can have the performances, you can have the results. But at the end of the day, it comes down to the coin as well. And I think there’s a lot of drivers out there that missed out on an amazing seat because they haven’t had that backing. And so, yeah, it’s really wholesome to find support like that. I think it’s all about that.

And being a female, it’s been hard, harder to gain that. And that’s why I’m super fortunate. I’m grateful and I could talk about it all day. But I think that, yeah, I think experiencing different industries like makeup brands, hair brands, having an input in motorsport. Honestly, I think it’s quite smart and I think it’s quite good because you have a different audience that’s particularly female-dominated in industries involving themselves in sport. And I think their goal is obviously to have more females involve themselves in the sport.

And I think in getting these different industries and brands involved is definitely helping that. And yeah, I think just because a girl can wear makeup doesn’t mean she can’t perform on track. But yeah, I think without the stereotypes, I think it’s really, really, it’s a great idea.

Thiemo: And is there one thing you’ve noticed or seen inside the product that tells you that the landscape for women in motorsports is changing? Or what’s one thing that tells you it isn’t going maybe as quickly as it should be or as you’d like it to be?

Joanne: It’s a bit hard to kind of answer that because there’s still not much. And I don’t really kind of want to see, like personally, I like to see embracement, obviously for females involving themselves in the sport as a driver, mechanic, whatever. But I’m not here to say that women are better than men. I’m here to say that gender plays no role in talent. And motorsports, one of the only sports out there that you’re, you know, you’re a driver. You’re the one that controls the car. And gender doesn’t really play a role in that. Everyone has their own minds and everyone has their own skills.

Thiemo: Goes back to what you’re saying about when you were in karting and just wanting to be the best there. You didn’t think of anything of it.

Joanne: Yeah, it’s such a sport where, like, if you want it, you can get it, but you have to work to get that. And everyone else around you is working differently.

Thiemo: The Australian Grand Prix, you've got to go this year, and it looked like you had a great time. What was that like?

Joanne: Awesome. The Australian Grand Prix is definitely my favourite week of the year. Can’t believe it’s already finished. It’s chaotic for me because obviously I’m Australian. I have loads of requirements to do, but I’m just so excited because of the vibe and the excitement for the Grand Prix. It feels really at home because I’m from Melbourne. I’m at a racetrack. So being home, you know, it’s a great feeling. And I’m really looking forward to next year. Again, awesome, awesome race.

Thiemo: You’ve got great races, not just in F1 as well, F2, F3 and the Supercars. They all delivered across the weekend. So you really lucked out this year.

Joanne: Yeah, 100%. It was great to see some of the people that I’ve raced against participate in Formula 3 and seeing some of the Aussies out there do really well in Supercars. It was just, yeah, the Grand Prix is my favourite week of the year.

Thiemo: And final one, do you have any racing role models that you looked up to? I mean, we’re going to put Giancarlo aside, obviously, and Marco aside, because it feels like that’s the obvious answer there. But is there anyone else?

Joanne: Yeah, apart from the obvious, which is my managers, I have a backstory. When I was younger, there were no female role models at all. So I had to kind of have a role model like Michael Schumacher, Daniel Ricciardo. Actually, I was his good kid back in 2019. So that was awesome. Oscar Piastri, I started at the same go-kart club as him. Then I had people like Mark Webber. I loved Kimi Raikkonen, Max Verstappen. You can kind of see a pattern with the drivers that I like still to this day. Michael Schumacher, Sebastian Vettel, Kimi Raikkonen, Max Verstappen. They’re definitely some of my favourite Formula One drivers out there because I just love the hard work that they put in. I think that my racing story kind of relates to them somehow. But that’s just from a driver perspective. But growing up and seeing that there have been some females participating in the sport, Susie Wolff was always a huge inspiration as well.

Thiemo: Perfect way to end the interview.

Thank you again to Joanne and Pro Racing Motorsport for taking the time to arrange and conduct the interview with us. The 2026 Kyojo Cup begins May 8th - 10th at the Fuji International Speedway in Japan.

Enjoyed this interview? Have another driver you’d love us to interview in the future? Let us know who in the comments below.

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Joanne Ciconte was one of the newcomers to the 2025 F1 Academy grid last year. Finishing in P14 overall with multiple points finishes across the season, she was a natural standout, especially with how little experience in single-seaters she’d had prior to joining the series. In part one of our conversation, we looked back at her motorsport origins.

In this second part of our three part conversation with 2026 Kyojo Cup driver Joanne Ciconte, we take a look back at how the Australian-Italian came to be on the F1 Academy grid last season, what support from the likes of Giancarlo Fisichella and Marco Cioci means to her as well as what it looks like and how it felt to be racing alongside Formula 1 for the first time as one of the youngest ever drivers to ever compete in the all female series.

Thiemo: How did the opportunity to compete in F1 Academy come about?

Joanne: So that opportunity came to me because I progressed and I experienced driving in Formula 4. So that was an awesome opportunity. I drove for the Ferrari Driver Academy in the Girls on Track programme. That was my first time in a Formula 4 car. And then I have a management team, which is held by Giancarlo Fisichella and Marco Cioci, former Formula One driver and GT World Champion.

So I’m really grateful to have them on my team because they’ve helped me develop as a driver, but also came across the opportunity of F1 Academy. I did around five races and the F1 Academy kind of came to me. And I was really fortunate because it’s a bit of a shock to realise that someone like me with such little experience was able to achieve and participate in the F1 Academy grid in 2025.

And like, as I said, in 2024, like it was a dream to be in the Formula One Academy. And I had been aspiring and driving in these races to gain a seat. And it came to me quicker than I expected, but it was just, you know, awesome because I think F1 Academy, it’s a great series, really embracing female talent and giving us that spotlight.

As I said before, I think the biggest struggle for being a female in a male-dominated field is just finding that belief and that support and just, you know, finding that spotlight to showcase that, like, I’m not here to be a girl and I’m good. I’m here to be good, but as equal as the other boys, you know. I don’t want to be spotlighted on the fact that I’m a girl. I want to be spotlighted on the fact that I’m a driver.

Thiemo: I’m going to ask about Fisichella and Cioci because that’s quite a good combo to have behind you. When did Pro Racing Motorsport come into the picture? And how have they helped develop you behind the scenes and your racing journey in ways that might not be as obvious to others when you’re looking at your story so far?

Joanne: Yeah, so when I was in go-karts, I was never with any big teams, never had a manager, never had a driver coach. It was always just Dad and I. So my Dad was my mechanic, my Dad was my coach, and that’s just kind of how I grew up in racing. Anyways, I got introduced to a Girls on Track programme held by Ferrari and basically you put in an application about your achievements in karting and 150 girls worldwide put an application in for this programme. See, 150 sounds like a big number, but it’s not for worldwide considering how many karters you have around the world. So out of those 150 girls, the programme chose eight. Those eight girls had to fly to Italy. I was one of those girls and I flew to Italy and that was when I had my first Formula 4 experience.

We drove for the team Prema and little did I know we were actually driving a Formula 4 car and we were tested on physical fitness, mental capability, cognitive tests, reaction time stuff, just all these tests that Formula One drivers are tested on. And I had no idea about it! But I was fortunate enough to top the time sheets for the few days that we had. And that put me through to being one of the top four that they chose for the next camp.

So that was also held at Maranello, the Ferrari track at Fiorano. And after that, I did a little bit of training for some simulator work and my simulator coach said to me, I think you, how do I say this humbly, he said, “I think that you should, you know, give this management a try because I think you have potential and I’d love to see you race out there.”

And straight away, we got in contact with this management team and they were really happy to have me on board and they’ve helped me, just guide me throughout my racing journey in Formula. They’ve helped put me in different races, different teams. I’m really fortunate to have them as mentors because in motorsport, it is really important to have great connections as well.

Thiemo: What was that feeling like when you got the news confirmed that they were going to be your kind of your management team, as it were, and you went from, you went really from 0 to 60 in no time at all of going, oh, I’m going to Italy for this thing. And then it’s wildly different to what you may be expecting. And then off the back of that, you get this. Did you, did you take a little while for it to sink in or were you just kind of like, this is brilliant? I’m just really up for it.

Joanne: Yeah, I think it all took a lot to sink in, to be fair, like it was just a huge jump, like from going to karts to cars, as simple as I’m saying it, it was just kind of a big jump because I was racing, I was driving for the biggest Formula team out there in the world and driving at the significant Ferrari track. Like these are all phenomenal moments, part of my journey that I could never forget about. And then being picked up by, yeah, it just, it just happened in such a short period of time and being picked up by my management team.

That was just an incredible feeling because of course, like I’m a Formula One fan. My family are Formula One fans and we’re also half Italian. So having these two very, you know, they’re champions and they’re both Italian and you can’t even comprehend how much they know about the sport and how many connections they have. And it’s just incredible to have that backing. And what’s important about it is also that they feel like family. They really, you know, welcome me into the sport and I feel like I’m in great hands.

Thiemo: What does a typical working session, as it were, look like with those two? And what was it like meeting them for the first time?

Joanne: Oh, it was great. Like they, as I said, I think Italians to Italians, you have that connection straight away. And I think just their culture, just you could see it from a mile away, like they’re, they’re really loving, they’re really caring. They’re really, you know, passionate to help you. I think that the management itself, they’re just like this big family that’s really trying to find a Formula One champion for themselves as well. So I think that obviously they believe in my potential and they believe in my capability.

So it was, it was amazing to meet them. And I’m just so lucky to be in their hands.

“Having these two [Fisichella and Cioci], you know, they’re champions and they’re both Italian and you can’t even comprehend how much they know about the sport and how many connections they have. And it’s just incredible to have that backing. And what’s important about it is also that they feel like family.” - Joanne Ciconte

Thiemo: Then, you know, so, so working with them, do you, I’m guessing because of simply where you’re based more than anything else that’s done a lot online, what does that kind of look like? Do you have sort of weekly sessions, monthly sessions, that sort of thing? Or what does the support look like from those two? Or is it just kind of just the whole team as a whole and you just kind of go in and out of personnel in the team? And what does that sort of look like in terms of how much contact you have with them on a monthly basis?

Joanne: Yeah, so obviously we’re, we’re in touch with them every week. Like we’re getting opportunities thrown at us. There’s been a lot that we’ve turned down, a lot that we’ve said, yep, we’ll go and do, we’ll fly over there. Being in Australia has kind of put me at a disadvantage. I’m ahead of time. So I don’t really get to see everything in real time as they do. But I think that I love being an Australian and I love living here as well. So it gives me a good time to be 17 years old. But yeah, of course the distance is a bit hard. But I’m fortunate to have like catch up sessions with them every week, staying in contact with them until I’ve got a race to do.

Actually, I lived in Italy for about five months because they just wanted me around. I was doing training camps and different races at the time. So yeah, of course, I have to also be overseas in Italy doing a bunch of training and races for like a long period of time. But I think they do a really great job of like managing that I’m living in Australia.

Thiemo: I just want to go back to F1 Academy briefly. It was your rookie season last year and I think for a lot of people, it was, you were one of the drivers that was a good reason for watching F1 Academy because you were someone who a lot of people might not have known beforehand and you want that in F1 Academy. You want to see the new talent coming in to see what they’re capable of. What was that rookie season then like from your perspective? Because, like you say, you’re kind of over here in Australia for one minute, and then in what feels like five minutes, you get thrust into this manic world and you’re on the world stage in places like Shanghai and Canada racing on the same weekend as F1. Tell me about that because that’s got to be a bit nuts.

Joanne: Yeah, it definitely was nuts because it was just, it just all happened so quickly. Like, I wasn’t even able to do a full season in Formula 4 yet and I was fortunate enough to be noticed by Susie Wolff, who had spoken with my management team, and then the opportunity came to me and it was just, you know, so exciting to find out because I was aspiring to participate in the series. But little did I know it was going to happen that quick and again, like having that belief, it really motivated me.

And I think that like looking back to the series, I, you know, I enjoyed every single bit of it. And it’s just incredible because I was the youngest participant on the grid as well. I was just 16 years old. So by the time I knew I had an entry for it, I was 15 years old. So I was the youngest participant last year and I was competing at some of the biggest Grand Prix around the world. I mean, it was like a dream come true to be fair. It was just such an amazing experience travelling around the world, experiencing different atmospheres, the fans, the food, the tracks.

It was just, it all came in this package in such a short period of time. And I honestly can’t believe that we’re in 2026 now. It just flew by. But that’s how, you know, I really enjoyed the moment.

But I think there was just a huge different kind of level. I was racing previously. I did two races in the Spanish F4 and that was probably at the time, the most competitive Formula 4 series in the world. I had some good results, positive results, which allowed me to have an entry in F1 Academy. But the level in F1 Academy was quite different because I was racing against some of the biggest female talents.

Whether they had more experience than me or they were older, it was still such an opportunity to race against these girls because at the end of the day, we all had the same dream and it’s to be a female on that Formula 1 grid. But yeah, it was just cool with the pressure and the adrenaline constantly. It was an awesome experience.

Thiemo: With something like Spanish F4, you know, you’re more likely with the regional Championships, you’ll get drivers from other countries, but you’re more likely to get, you know, competitors from that specific country. Whereas with F1 Academy, it’s the first thing, a bit like F3 and F2, where it’s predominantly mixed from all over the place. So instead of just focussing on talent from one region or one country, you suddenly have to go up against arguably the best of everywhere and you have that dynamic to be thrown into that as well.

So that must have been a bit of an interesting feeling as well because I imagine that was the first time you had that properly. And when you got back from Vegas at the end of last year, again, how long did it take for that whole year then to sink in? And was there a particular moment that stood out to you as a favourite, be it something big or something small that other people might not know about?

Joanne: Yeah, I think the season itself was quite tough. I think it was just hard to really show my potential. I thought, obviously, when I’m out there and I’m driving, I gave it all. I gave it my best. But looking back on it, it was just hard for me to do more than I could have, whether that was restrictions with the team or having incidents. Again, it’s just racing. And I think that I can look back on it and I could say, oh, I wish or I could have. But as I said, I’ve learnt to develop mentally because when you’re in the moment, it’s so hard to think about all these things and the pressure is high and I’m racing in some of the biggest Grands Prix around the world against the best female drivers out there. And I could say that every race was my favourite. I can’t pick a favourite race because each track was just so cool itself.

But my biggest highlights where I performed well was probably on my debut, I qualified P6, which put me in P3 for race one. Unfortunately, I got a few penalties from my team that kind of resulted in me going basically to last. And then in Saudi Arabia, the fastest street circuit in the world, I got my first points there, which was awesome. Another one was Montreal. That was also cool. But that was a chaotic weekend. But that was a great track to race at.

And then we had also Singapore, which is probably hands down one of my favourite tracks on the calendar because I feel that it’s a real racers track. It’s important to get a good qualifying there. It’s quite a tight track, but very twisty, slow, fast. It’s got a mix of it all. And then we had a mix of weather conditions. So that just really made the race so exciting. And I was lucky enough to score points in the races. And in Vegas, yeah, I was in fifth, actually, in one of the races, and then I got a penalty. So the whole year was quite unlucky, I’d say, but I’m happy to have enjoyed every moment of it.

Come back for the third and final part of It’s Race Week!’s in-depth conversation with Joanna Ciconte, where we talk about why she stepped away from F1 Academy, her 2026 plans with the Kyojo Cup and much more.

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Looking back at the history of motorsport, both Australia and Italy have provided the world with a monumental amount of successful racing drivers. From Alberto Ascari and Jack Brabham all the way to Valentino Rossi and Will Power, the list is both a rich and an extensive one. This year, we’ll get to continue to witness the origin story of a driver produced by those two countries coming together - Joanne Ciconte - who aims to be the next driver on that list for both.

You may know her from her karting days, her rookie season in F1 Academy last year or the recent announcement that she’ll be competing in the Kyojo Cup in Japan in 2026. But if you don’t know her at all, then this is still the perfect place to rectify that.

“I always grew up thinking that I’m just a girl that has interest in the sport. And I never really thought, why am I the only girl? And I just, I don’t know, I just kind of grew up realising that it was quite normal to be the only girl.” - Joanne Ciconte

It’s Race Week! sat down recently with Joanne to chat about her motorsport career so far. From her origins in the racing world to that F1 Academy Season last year and what the future has in store for her, we cover it all as the seventeen year old has already packed quite a bit in. Below is the first part of our conversation with parts two and three coming soon. In this opening part, Joanne speaks about the beginning of her story, how she fell in love with racing and how she found her place in the world of motorsport.

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Thiemo: So the first question I ask everyone, because you never know when it might be slightly different, is what first got you interested in motorsport?

Joanne: So what first got me interested in motorsport was actually my brother. I have a younger brother who was the age of seven at the time and he started to go karting. So my Dad introduced him to go karts and I was always such a sporty kid. I loved playing different kinds of sports and seeing my brother go kart was incredible because it wasn’t like an average rental go kart, it was something much faster, much more complicated and I was so young and I was, so sorry, I was only actually nine, eight years old at the time. So I was very naïve and eager.

I really was just intrigued by that, by seeing him just so happy and excited and having a great time. So obviously, that sparked my interest in motorsport first. At the time my brother was my biggest inspiration and I had to kind of, you know, beg my way to have a drive of the go kart because seven, eight years ago when I was eight, nine years old, so back in a long time ago, there were no females in motorsport. It was more of a male-dominated sport back then. So for my Dad to see me being interested in motorsport or to even have a drive, it was a bit weird for him. I think he just assumed that I wouldn’t enjoy it.

So he kind of brushed it off. But after having to kind of persuade him and every time my brother would go kart, which was kind of leading up to every weekend, I was begging my Dad to let me have a go. And eventually that opportunity came to me and I fell in love with it completely.

Just experiencing that speed and adrenaline at a young age was really incredible.

Thiemo: You’re both quite glad now that you were as persistent as you were with this!

Joanne: Yeah!

Thiemo: So was it that first time seeing your brother in the kart that made you decide you wanted to at least have a go at becoming a racing driver? Or was there a different point where you were like, this is I want to do this and there’s nothing else that really interests me as much?

Joanne: Kind of both, because my brother is what sparked that interest in the sport. And then once I obviously continued and it kind of turned into the sport that I was doing full time back then, I was only so young. I was doing multiple things. I was doing basketball, swimming, tennis, singing, and then karting just came by. So then I showed a lot of dedication to the sport. And then eventually I had no other time for any other sports. I kind of just stuck with karting because it was my favourite at the time. And then slowly over time, after a couple of races, it started getting more competitive. I was showing great performances.

And then I think my Dad kind of just clicked and he realised, well, is this something that you want to continue doing? And is this what you want to do? And I no doubt said, of course, I really love the sport. But at that time, when I was around 9, 10, 11 years old, even up to when I was 14 years old, 15, I had no idea that I was going to be in Formula racing. I always dreamt of being in Formula One and am still dreaming to be in Formula One, but I had no idea that go karts could kind of lead me to a path of Formula racing.

But of course, that was the dream. But yeah, I knew what I wanted, this is what I wanted to do once I started getting quite good in the races that I was racing in.

Thiemo: Tell me about that first racing experience then, because did you have a go on the kart first just to get a feel for it, or did you go straight in at the deep end? And what was it like when you finally got that first taste of it?

Joanne: It was kind of both! So I did a couple of practises, but my Dad just basically shoved me into my first go kart race! He kind of pushed me there. My brother and I at the time actually shared a go kart for when we were practising until my Dad bought me my own go kart.

I was so excited. It was like, you know, I was a kid in the candy shop kind of feeling. And I had my first race and it’s a bit funny because you actually start with P plates. So everybody at the front knew I was like a back marker and I was going to be slow. But surprisingly, I did quite good in my first race. So I was quite happy at the time. But back then, you know, nothing was competitive. Everything was just purely for fun. And that’s why I think it’s really important to enjoy the moments.

Thiemo: Yeah, I think that lack of pressure then just helps you just focus on, like you say, enjoying the moments. And then ironically enough, you do a lot better when you don’t take it as seriously sometimes, because you don’t have that extra pressure on yourself. You’ve touched on it before, but obviously growing up in Australia, building a racing career as a young woman where that wasn’t really the norm. What was that experience like? And were there moments up to this point that made you think maybe this isn’t for me or maybe I should stop?

Joanne: Well, I think I didn’t have such a bad experience being a female in the sport because as I said, I started around eight years ago. And there were no girls at the time. There were absolutely no girls. You know, there was a big field of 49 boys and one girl, which was me. But my, you know, my qualifying and my pace, it was always at the top. So for me, I didn’t see at all like being a female in this sport was any different. I always grew up thinking that I’m just a girl that has interest in the sport. And I never really thought, why am I the only girl? And I just, I don’t know, I just kind of grew up realising that it was quite normal to be the only girl.

But now that I look back at it, it’s quite interesting because there were just no females that had any interest in the sport. And to look back now, there’s so many girls in the sport. And even to go to a racing track now, there’s a lot of girls, whether they’re a mechanic or a driver. So it’s incredible to see.

But I think one of the biggest struggles that I had to deal with was probably just belief because I think motorsport has just a huge misconception about female and men competing. And I just truly believe that motorsport is one of the only sports out there that when that helmet goes on, everybody is a different driver. Everyone has a different driving technique. And I think it’s just based off skill. And of course, physical fitness does apply. But I think everybody’s their own driver. It’s, I think, skill kind of outperforms that physical side of things, because at the end of the day, you can get that fast lap time. That’s what’s going to put you into first position.

So I think, yes, struggling. My biggest struggle being a female was just finding support and belief and just being able to believe in my ability.

Thiemo: And it’s the old saying of the stop watch, it doesn’t care one way or the other. It just wants the fastest time. You’re saying off track, did you have any negative experiences there with other people who you say you didn’t really notice that you were the only girl coming up through the ranks. But did you get any kind of negative response from other people? Or was it all pretty welcoming on the whole? Because sometimes you hear a bit of variety on all of that from when young girls are trying to get into motorsport.

Joanne: Well, when I kind of in my early stages of my career, so back when I was in karting, a lot of this relates to my karting years, because that’s when I feel like there were no girls at the time to being the only girl was quite unusual. But I think the only quite negative thing that I would get is my competitors just kind of being like, this girl beat me, like, you know, and like kind of trying to intimidate me or give me a salty look or go around the paddock and say something that I’m a girl and this and that or think I’m cheating because I’m a girl driving.

But I’m quite fortunate enough to have a mentality that motivates me when I come across stuff like that. I think that that’s kind of what’s driving me being so young and being the only female on the grid. A lot of that strikes me as they’re just annoyed that you beat them and treat you how they would have done if they had some kind of other advantage to get over some other drivers.

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Check back soon for the second and third parts of It’s Race Week!’s in depth conversation with Joanne Ciconte. Next time out, we’ll get into the story behind how she joined F1 Academy, the relationship she has with her management team, Pro Racing Motorsport, which includes Giancarlo Fisichella and Marco Cioci, and how she views her debut season in the Formula 1 support series.

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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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That is how Mony Turki, a motorsport fan born and raised in Jeddah, describes the moment the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix was officially called off. She had been holding onto the race weekend as a fixed point of normality amid a time of conflict in the region. It was a date in the calendar that felt solid when much else did not. When it disappeared, so did that anchor.

The 2026 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix had been scheduled to run from April 17 to 19 at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, marking Round 5 of the Formula 1 season and Round 2 of the F1 Academy championship. Just over a month before, Formula 1 confirmed that neither it nor the Bahrain Grand Prix would go ahead. Airspace restrictions and closures across the Middle East and Gulf region, combined with the security risks involved in transporting the vast logistical infrastructure required for a Formula 1 weekend, made the decision, in the end, unavoidable. The Formula 2, Formula 3, and F1 Academy rounds scheduled for both weekends were cancelled alongside them.

“While this was a difficult decision to take, it is unfortunately the right one at this stage,” said Stefano Domenicali, President and CEO of Formula 1, in the official statement.

Nobody serious is arguing otherwise. But the right decision and the painless decision are rarely the same thing.

Jeddah was more than ready

Saudi Arabia’s second-largest city sits along the Red Sea — known locally, with some affection, as the Bride of the Red Sea — and it carries that energy into everything it does, including race week. The Jeddah Corniche Circuit is one of the fastest street circuits on the Formula 1 calendar, threading along the waterfront at speeds that make it unlike almost anywhere else the championship visits. The city doesn’t make much effort to be understated, and neither does its Grand Prix.

The race had grown, over five editions, into something considerably more than a sporting event. Last year, Saudi Arabia won the award for Best Event Spectacle among all Formula 1 rounds, and this year was set to surpass even that. Shakira, Pitbull, Kygo, Tyla, and Marwan Moussa had been confirmed as headliners for the trackside concerts. The grandstands, Mony tells us, were already going up. The support garages were in the process of being built. The city, in every practical sense, was ready.

What made this particular round meaningful for F1 Academy fans went beyond the headline acts. Unlike many rounds on the calendar, the F1 Academy paddock in Saudi Arabia operates as an open paddock, being genuinely accessible without the tiered credentials that gate off so much of the sport’s inner world. Younger fans could walk in, stand close to the cars, speak to drivers not much older than themselves, and leave with something harder to quantify than a photograph: the sense that the distance between aspiration and reality is shorter than it appears. “Preparations were pretty far along,” Mony says. “Everyone was ready and excited.” That excitement, when it had nowhere to go, became something heavier.

Gigi, another Jeddah-born-and-raised local fan and content creator, points to something broader still.

The true cost of cancelling a Grand Prix

Formula 1 has lived through this before, though never quite comfortably. In March 2020, the Australian Grand Prix was called off on a Friday morning, hours before first practice, as it became clear that a McLaren team member had tested positive for Covid-19 and the pandemic could no longer be managed around a race weekend. By the time the decision was made, around AUS $50 million had already been spent on the event.

In 2022, the Russian Grand Prix was terminated in the immediate aftermath of the invasion of Ukraine, swiftly and without hesitation, though the financial dispute between Formula 1 and the Russian promoter over who owed what to whom dragged on for years. And in May 2023, the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix was cancelled mid-week as catastrophic flooding overwhelmed the region around Imola; the race’s hosting fee, understood to be around $20 million, was waived under force majeure, and Formula 1 donated a further million euros to the regional relief effort.

Each of those cancellations left its own particular shape of damage. What they share is a financial and human cost that tends to disappear into the administrative language of official statements.

The numbers involved in Jeddah are considerably larger. Jeddah’s hosting fee is among the highest on the calendar, and that is before accounting for the revenue Formula 1 loses from trackside sponsorship activations, hospitality packages, broadcasting adjustments, and the commercial infrastructure that makes a Grand Prix weekend function. Both the Saudi and Bahraini events attract substantial corporate hospitality demand, and that world, invisible to most fans, represents a significant portion of the sport’s commercial ecosystem. The combined financial impact of the two cancellations is expected to run well beyond $100 million.

But it is not all about money, and perhaps the more important truth is that the financial figures, large as they are, do not capture what a cancellation actually takes from the people who were preparing to live it. For Mony, the personal impact was immediate and specific. “I had so many plans,” she says. “So many friends were coming in for the race, and I made a lot of new friends via the local community. We all had so many plans for that weekend.”

Those plans did not entirely disappear — the local community in Jeddah is now organising to mark the weekend together anyway, a quiet act of loyalty to something they love. But the shape of the weekend has changed entirely.

The part that isn’t being said

For fans watching from outside the region, the cancellation registers primarily as an inconvenience: a gap in the calendar, a shift in the schedule, a longer wait until Miami. That response is understandable. For most of its global audience, Formula 1 fandom experiences the season at a distance, and the season's rhythms matter. But Mony is direct about what gets lost in that framing.

Day-to-day life in Jeddah has not changed dramatically in the ways that might be imagined from abroad. The city is not the conflict. But the mental weight of proximity is real, and the cancellation sharpened it. “It’s been a bit somber,” Mony says. “Everyone was so excited for the race. Mentally, it’s taken a toll on a lot of people.”

For Gigi, it is more of a quiet disappointment. “People aren’t making a big scene about it, but you can tell it affected the vibe. Conversations shifted, and that excitement kind of faded instead of building,” she says. The distinction between physical disruption and emotional weight is easy to lose from a distance. It is worth slowing down enough to register it.

What happens to F1 Academy

For Formula 1, absorbing a calendar gap, however costly, is a structural inconvenience. For F1 Academy, the mathematics is harsher. The series competes on a smaller canvas, with fewer rounds and less margin for loss. Every race represents competitive track time that cannot easily be recovered, and for drivers whose careers are still being built, the cumulative effect of fewer opportunities is not trivial.

However, F1 Academy responded quickly and creatively. Earlier this month, the series announced the introduction of a new three-race weekend format at two upcoming rounds — the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal and the Circuit of the Americas in Austin — adding a brand new Opening Race to the existing Reverse Grid Race and Feature Race. The change restores the calendar to 14 races.

The Opening Race will be set using each driver’s second-fastest qualifying time, adding a strategic dimension to the sole 30-minute qualifying session: drivers will need to produce not one but two strong laps, with full championship points on offer. It is a format that rewards consistency under pressure, and it emerged from close collaboration between F1 Academy and the promoters in Montreal and Austin, whose willingness to make space for additional track time has shaped what the replacement rounds can be.

“Introducing the Opening Race at select rounds underscores our commitment to building a platform where the most talented can thrive by maximising competitive track time,” said Susie Wolff, Managing Director of F1 Academy.

It is a considered response to an impossible situation — more racing, more visibility, more opportunity for drivers who deserve the chance to be seen.

Will F1 Academy return to Jeddah?

The locals hope so. Both Mony and Gigi are clear about why it matters, and about what is at stake in the question.

“We absolutely love F1 Academy here,” Mony said. “I love seeing not only girls, but even boys, being inspired by the amazing ladies behind the wheel.”

That image — young fans in an open paddock, standing close enough to feel the weight of the sport, watching drivers who are their own age competing on the world’s biggest stage — is exactly what F1 Academy was built to create. It is the kind of experience that cannot be replicated through a screen, and it is precisely the kind of experience that Jeddah, with its open paddock and its gift for hospitality, delivers particularly well.

Both the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation and the Saudi Motorsport Company have affirmed their commitment to the partnership with Formula 1 and their readiness to welcome the sport back as soon as circumstances allow. The Saudi contract runs until 2030, and the infrastructure, the appetite, and the community that has grown around the race are all still there, waiting.

But a conflict is not a weather event. It does not pass in a week, leave its damage visible on a map, and recede. What comes next for the region is uncertain in ways that no contract term can resolve. The sport will, eventually, have to ask itself whether its return to Jeddah, when it comes, is driven by genuine confidence in the safety of everyone involved, or by the pull of a hosting fee that ranks among the largest on the calendar. The grandstands can go back up quickly. Whether the sport returns for the right reasons is a question worth sitting with considerably longer.

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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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Marta Garcia made her debut in the TGR Cup Spain Series last weekend at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Valencia. Appearing a guest driver, Marta hit the ground running and made a very notable impression on the competitive series in her first outing.

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What is the TGR Cup Spain?

The TGR Cup Spain is a single-brand circuit cup series created by Toyota Spain and the Motor & Sport Institute. Competing in a Toyota GR 86 Circuit Pack, which has been prepared in MSi facilities, the series unfolds over six rounds across Spain.

The Toyota GR86 is one of the few naturally aspirated and rear-wheel drive cars available on the market today and is developed by Toyota’s sports division. With a rigid and lightweight body, a low centre of gravity and a powerful boxer engine, it gives the drivers a vehicle with which to learn and hone racing skills in that strokes to find that balance between car preparation and driver input. Sturdily built, the cars are also capable of taking some door to door contact during race weekends, promoting firm but fair racing.

With a focus on young up and coming talent, the series acts as a place to race to both develop skills and as a place for future professional drivers to be promoted into higher racing series elsewhere.

Marta Garcia’s Weekend in Valencia

As it was her first full weekend in the Spanish series, Marta was naturally on the backfoot from the off. But nobody appeared to have told her that. This was most evident early on in the weekend through the lap times that Marta set in practice. From an initial best time of 1:57.259 in the first practice session to a time of 1:55.356 in the next session and a qualifying time of 1:53.121 (compared to that of a 1:52.419 which was good enough for Pole Position), it was clear that Marta was getting to grips with the car very quickly indeed and getting up to speed nicely.

Race I

Qualifying in twelfth place for the first of two races held over the weekend, it would now be Marta’s racecraft in the series that would be put to the test. When the lights went out to signal the start of the race, it was immediately apparent what a feisty and fun series Marta has signed up for with the TGR Cup. With battles left, right and centre, drivers had to have their wits about them if they wanted to stay ahead of their competition. Before the first lap was even over, Marta was already up to P11 and then moved up to P10 just one lap later.

Moving up to P9 proved a little more difficult but a combination of patience and aggression paid off on the eighth lap of the race when she finally made the maneuver that would move her one more place up the order. Garcia then battled with Ignacio Rodriguez one lap later and was able to get past him for P8. The gap to P7 ahead was much bigger and as she went hunting after Vinyes R who held that position, Marta was able to pull a gap of over three seconds to Rodriquez behind her. She finished the race in P8 - a decent first outing for the young Spaniard.

Race II

Marta would then start the second and final race of the weekend from P8. A rough start put Garcia down to P10 at the start of the race - but it would only take two laps before she was back up into P8, putting in the fastest lap of the race at that point in time to boot as she did so.

Contact with Castilla on lap three put her down to P9 again but it would be the last time in the race she would be running in so low a position. For the next few laps, she climbed up the field, dancing around P7 and P8 as she fought hard against the regular series drivers around her. Alvarez in particular put up a stout defensive drive in his attempt to keep Garcia behind. But a separate battle that he had with Vinyes R sent both cars off track, opening the door for Marta to get past both of them and neatly up into P6. In racing, survival and keeping it clean is often enough to help propel you up the order.

By the time the end of the race came, Marta had to settle for P7 overall, ultimately one place better than where she’d begun the race. But as ever in racing, the end result on paper is a far cry from an accurate medium through which to tell the story of the race.

As the highest female driver to finish the event, Marta should also receive €1000 and a trophy after her first weekend in the TGR Cup, as per the format and rules of the series. It’s currently unclear if Marta will return to the series in the future but her performance and improvement across the weekend perfectly demonstrated her capabilities and potential were she to be given the opportunity to come back into the series again.

Who is Marta Garcia? A Brief Overview

For many, the 25 year old Spaniard will be known to them for her time in W Series. For others, it’ll be for competing in and becoming Champion of its successor, F1 Academy in its and her inaugural season in 2023 where she beat Lena Buhler to the title.

After winning in F1 Academy, Garcia moved over to the Formula Regional European Championship. Here she raced with Iron Dames in 2024. At the same time, she competed in the Ligier European Series for four races, also with Iron Dames, making her mark though as she notched up two wins in this series in Spa and Portugal respectively.

In 2025, Marta teamed up once again with Iron Dames to compete in the Le Man Cup GT3. She finished in P4 overall with a podium finish in Spa. She also made her Formula E debut back in 2024, taking part in the rookie test with ERT. Since then, Marta has also tested with Porsche in the pre-season women’s test and gone on to partner with Lola Yamaha ABT in this year’s pre-season women’s test.

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The third round of TGR Spain will take place at Motorland from June 19th - 21st.

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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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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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