Alba Larsen is not only building her own career in motorsport as an F1 Academy driver and Ferrari Driver Academy member, but she is also trying to open the door for the next generation of girls who dream of entering racing. Alongside her life of travelling, training and competing, Alba Larsen created GIRL, an organisation with a clear mission: to make motorsport feel more accessible, welcoming and possible for young girls.
For Alba Larsen, the idea came directly from her own experience in karting. She explained that she had always been quite outgoing and had built strong friendships with many of the boys she raced against. She also had the support of her sister, who was involved in racing too. That meant she never felt completely alone in the paddock.
However, Alba Larsen quickly realised that many girls did not have the same kind of support network. Some arrived at karting events feeling isolated, unsure or intimidated by an environment that has traditionally been dominated by boys. That contrast made her want to create something that could help others feel the confidence and belonging she had been fortunate enough to experience.
“In karting I’d always been quite outgoing and good friends with the guys on track. I also had my sister around me who also drove. But I saw that a lot of girls didn’t have that, and didn’t have a support network. I wanted to help other girls get into racing,” Alba Larsen explained.
Her motivation goes beyond racing itself. Alba Larsen also spoke strongly about fairness and opportunity, especially when it comes to girls finding their place in competitive environments. For her, motorsport should not be seen as a closed world or a place where girls have to prove that they belong more than anyone else.
“I hate when the world is unfair, especially to girls, because I think girls are so cool and I don’t think there is anything you can’t do,” she said.
Through GIRL, Alba Larsen wants to give young participants more than just a first taste of karting. The goal is to help them leave each event with a different mindset: more confident, more comfortable and more aware that racing can be part of their future if they want it to be.
She explained that many girls arrive at events feeling nervous. Some do not know anyone, while others are unsure how fast they will go or whether they will feel comfortable behind the wheel. But by the end of the experience, the transformation can be clear.
“The goal is to inspire girls and make sure they leave confident. We’ve often done it with karting events, and the girls sometimes come in a bit scared or nervous. They don’t know anyone or how fast they’re going to go. After the event they leave confident and know that they belong in the sport, they know that they belong in racing,” Alba Larsen added.
That message is particularly important at a time when Formula 1, F1 Academy and several driver development programmes are working to create more opportunities for female talent. Visibility matters, and drivers like Alba Larsen can play an important role by showing younger girls that motorsport is not limited to one pathway or one type of person.
Alba Larsen is also realistic about the future of the girls who attend GIRL events. Not everyone who tries karting will become a professional racing driver, but that is not the only measure of success. Motorsport is a huge industry, with opportunities in engineering, mechanics, strategy, media, management, data analysis and many other areas.
“I want to inspire girls to get into racing. And obviously, not all of them are going to be racing drivers, but at least they know racing is for everyone. They know that they can be engineers, mechanics, drivers, whatever they want to be in racing,” she said.
For Ferrari and the wider Formula 1 world, Alba Larsen’s message fits into a much bigger conversation about the future of the sport. Talent can only emerge if young people feel they have a place to start. By creating GIRL, Alba Larsen is trying to give more girls that starting point — not only by putting them in karts, but by helping them believe they belong in the paddock.
As her own racing career continues to develop, Alba Larsen’s work away from the cockpit could become just as meaningful. Her mission is simple but powerful: to show girls that racing is for everyone, and that confidence can begin with just one opportunity.
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