What will the F1 Academy grid look like for 2026?

La F1 Academy is preparing to turn a page in 2026. After two seasons in the all-female category, several major figures on the grid have retired. The reigning champion Dorian Pin and her runner-up Maya Weug are freeing up their seats, as are Tina Hausmann, Aurelia Nobels, Lia Block and Chloe Chambers.

Two French women in F1 Academy

To succeed them, a new generation of promising talents will take their place in the ranks of the six participating teams, starting with the Frenchwoman Lisa Billard. A wildcard entry for the Singapore round, the Normandy native will represent France in place of champion Doriane Pin, thus becoming the third Frenchwoman to compete in the F1 Academy (Lola Lovinfosse was indeed on the 2024 grid). At only 16 years old, she will also be sponsored by Gatorade. Lisa Billard has already distinguished herself by becoming the first woman to win a race in the French Junior Championship. karting, before moving on to F4 France, where she secured the title of first female driver in 2025.

Another highly anticipated French driver will also be on the grid: Jade Jacquet. Trained at the FFSA Academy alongside Lisa Billard, the young woman has climbed the ranks in leaps and bounds, having only started karting in 2023. With five top-15 finishes in the French F4 Championship in 2025, the driver from northern France has nothing to be ashamed of compared to her compatriot. Jade Jacquet was also spotted by the academy. Williams, in which she succeeds Lia Block, who has returned to her beloved discipline, the rally, after two years in F1 Academy.

The new arrivals

Among the new faces is also Ella Stevens, supported by McLarenShe will race for Rodin Motorsport alongside her compatriot Ella Lloyd (McLaren), who is already on the grid this season. Esmee Kosterman, meanwhile, will make her official F1 Academy debut with LEGO Racing, following her first appearance on home soil as a wildcard entry at Zandvoort (Netherlands) in 2025. Mathilda Paatz has followed a similar path, progressing from a wildcard entry in Montreal to a full-time seat at Prema as a representative of...Aston MartinRachel Robertson, who made an impressive Wild Card appearance in Las Vegas, succeeds Aurelia Nobels with PUMA, and will pilot a car operated by Hitech TGR while Kaylee Countryman has also been confirmed by Haas at ART Grand Prix. Ava Dobson will race for American Express at Hitech. The rest of the grid is yet to be confirmed.

ALSO READ > Doriane Pin gives Lisa Billard her advice for succeeding in F1 Academy: "Focus on yourself"

F1 Academy
What does the 2026 grid look like?

Prema: 🇩🇪 Mathilda Paatz (Aston Martin)
Rodin Motorsport: Ella Lloyd (McLaren) / ​ Ella Stevens (McLaren) / 🇦🇹 Emma Felbermayr (Audi)
Campos Racing: Alisha Palmowski (Red Bull Racing) / Rafaela Ferreira (Racing Bulls)
MP Motorsport:🇳🇱 Nina Gademan (Alpine) / 🇩🇰 Alba Larsen (Classic Ferrari for sale)
ART Grand Prix: Lisa Billard (Gatorade) / Jade Jacquet (Williams) / 🇺🇸​ Kaylee Countryman (Haas)
Hitech TGR: 🇬🇧 Rachel Robertson (PUMA) / 🇺🇸​ Ava Dobson (American Express)
Lego® Racing: 🇳🇱 Esmee Kosterman (team to be confirmed)

ALSO READ > Lisa Billard and Jade Jacquet: why you should keep an eye on them in 2026?