Seven rounds, 14 battles: F1 Academy raises the bar in 2026
F1 Academy has announced the calendar for its fourth season, confirming the continued growth of the all-female series that will once again support Formula 1 across seven prestigious race weekends. Among the most anticipated new additions is the debut at the British Grand Prix, while the championship will retain its established format with 14 races and a reverse-grid race at every round, alongside 12 days of testing to ensure significant track time for the drivers.
From China to Las Vegas: a global journey
The green light for the 2026 season will be given in Shanghai from 13 to 15 March, followed by the Jeddah round from 17 to 19 April and the visit to the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve in Montréal from 22 to 24 May. The major summer highlight will come with F1 Academy’s first appearance at the British Grand Prix, scheduled for 3 to 5 July, twelve years after Susie Wolff made her historic Free Practice debut at Silverstone.
The championship will then head to Zandvoort from 21 to 23 August, the only circuit to feature in every F1 Academy season so far. The final part of the calendar will see a return to the Circuit of The Americas in Austin from 23 to 25 October, back on the schedule after its absence since 2023, before the season concludes with the spectacular finale on the Las Vegas Strip from 19 to 21 November, once again combining glamour and high-octane racing.
Words from the Formula 1 CEO and the F1 Academy managing director
Stefano Domenicali, President and CEO of Formula 1, said:
“In just three seasons, F1 ACADEMY has developed some fantastic drivers and built a passionate and growing fan base around the world. It inspires women and girls to consider a role in motorsport, both on and off the track, by breaking down barriers and showing what is possible. I would like to thank Susie Wolff and her team for their determination and vision in creating such an outstanding series, and congratulate the 2025 champion, Doriane Pin, on her incredible achievement. I am also grateful to our race promoters for their enthusiasm and commitment in making F1 ACADEMY a regular feature of Grand Prix weekends. We have also seen fantastic growth at grassroots level, which is vital for the future of this sport. Next season promises to be another exciting year, and I look forward to seeing how the 2026 grid performs.”
Susie Wolff, Managing Director of F1 Academy, added:
“The 2026 F1 ACADEMY calendar reflects the momentum we are building and the increasing visibility we are achieving within the sport. Silverstone and Austin are two fantastic additions to our 2026 schedule, and returning to five established events gives us our strongest calendar yet, once again concluding in Las Vegas, where we aim to finish the season with the same style and energy we have shown this year.”
The 2026 calendar represents another significant step forward for F1 Academy, strengthening its international identity and further reinforcing its connection with Formula 1. With new high-profile venues and the return to iconic circuits, the series is preparing for a season of increased visibility and competitiveness, confirming its role as a key platform for the future of women in motorsport.
The grid for the next F1 Academy season will feature two particularly interesting new faces in Alba Larsen and Lisa Billard. The Danish driver, born in 2008 and turning 17 on 12 December, has been confirmed for a second year with MP Motorsport, with a key difference: in 2026 her Tatuus car will be painted in Ferrari red following her entry into the Ferrari Driver Academy.
Alongside her F1 Academy campaign, Larsen will also compete in British Formula 4, a category she has already sampled on several occasions this year. Her 2026 season will begin in just over a month, when she makes her first-ever appearance in F4 Middle East.
As for Lisa Billard, the French driver from Normandy impressed in her rookie season in French Formula 4 and also made a strong first appearance as a wildcard during the Singapore round. The 16-year-old will race with fellow countrymen ART Grand Prix, while also benefiting from the support of Gatorade, the sports drink brand that has recently become a sponsor of the series.
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