British Talent to Watch Out For in F1 Academy This Season

This weekend, F1 Academy returns for its fourth season, kicking off 2026 at the Chinese Grand Prix. The Shanghai International Circuit held its first F1 Academy round last year.

As per F1 Academy rules, drivers can compete in the series for two years. In 2026, there is a mixture of returning drivers and new female talent making up the grid. 

This season, F1 Academy makes its debut at the British Grand Prix, with Silverstone being the only track to host Formula 1 and all three of its feeder series in one weekend. British racing fans will be spoilt for choice when deciding who to support in F1 Academy when the series arrives at Silverstone, with five Brits on the grid in 2026.

Who to watch in F1 Academy

F1 Academy is an important step on the motorsport ladder for young, female racing drivers, with previous prizes for the Champion including a fully funded seat in the GB3 Championship. 

British talent in F1 Academy has been a staple on the grid since its inaugural season in 2023. Abbi Pulling was the 2024 Champion, with other racing drivers including Chloe Grant and Jess Edgar competing in the series in its early years. 

This year’s list of British talent includes drivers who are returning for their second season in F1 Academy or drivers who will be competing in the series for the first time.

Ella Lloyd

Racing with Rodin Motorsport supported by McLaren, Ella Lloyd returns to the F1 Academy grid for her second full-time season, after making her debut as a Wildcard driver at the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix round. Ella got off to an impressive start in her debut weekend, finishing ninth in round one and seventh in round two, ultimately leading to her securing a full-time seat for 2025. 

In her first full-length F1 Academy season, Ella secured one race win at round one in Jeddah. With a consistent season, Ella took four other trips to the podium and, minus two retirements in Miami and Las Vegas, she finished every race in the top 10 positions. This led to Ella securing P4 in the championship with 109 points.

Ella’s first taste of motorsport came in 2018 when she was invited to take part in the FIA Girls on Track Karting Challenge at Silverstone, after which she went on to compete in the 2022 Ginetta Junior Championship, the 2023 Ginetta GT5 Challenge and in 2024, the Formula Winter Series and British F4.

Outside of F1 Academy, Ella is part of the McLaren Driver Development Programme and she has also taken part in the Formula E Women’s Test, twice for the McLaren Formula E team in November 2024 and July 2025, then once for Envision Racing in the women’s test ahead of the 2025-26 season. 

Alisha Palmowski 

Also returning for her second season in F1 Academy after making her Wildcard debut in the 2024 season at the Qatar Grand Prix, Alisha Palmowski will once again race for Campos Racing supported by Red Bull Racing. On debut in Qatar, Alisha finished in P5 in race one and qualified fourth for race two, but the latter was cancelled after a crash in a different racing series caused extensive damage to the barriers.

The first round of the F1 Academy season in 2026 marks Alisha’s return to the circuit where she took her maiden victory in her first season – at round one in Shanghai. Whilst Alisha took no more first place positions in 2025, she finished in P2 on three occasions and in P3 once in Jeddah, ending her first full-time series in P4 in the championship standings. 

Alisha also has links to Formula E, having taken part in the 2024 women’s test with Envision Racing.

Ella Stevens

2026 marks Ella Stevens’ first year competing in single seater racing categories after an extensive karting season which spanned eight years. In her final karting venture, the Shenington Kart Racing Club in KZ2, Ella finished first, ending her karting career– which included Rob Smedley’s Electroheads Talent Academy and the FIA Girls on Track Rising Stars programme – on a high.

Ella was on the F1 Academy radar in 2025. She participated in the F1 Academy rookie test at the Circuito de Navarra, setting the fastest time in the morning and securing the second-fastest time in the afternoon. Later in 2025, she joined the McLaren Driver Development Programme and, in 2026, will compete in F1 Academy alongside her fellow McLaren teammate Ella Lloyd at Rodin Motorsport, supported by McLaren Oxagon. 

Megan Bruce

With experience in open-wheel racing championships like GB4 and Formula 4, Megan Bruce made her F1 Academy debut in the first-ever rookie test at the Circuito de Navarra in September 2025. She finished in the top four overall during the two testing sessions, showcasing her promising talent in the F1 Academy cars. 

Two weeks later, Megan made her F1 Academy debut at the Singapore Grand Prix, joining Hitech TGR to step in for an injured Aiva Anagnostiadis. In race one, Megan finished in P12 and P13 in race two. 

In 2026, it was announced that Megan would make her full-time debut in F1 Academy, competing for Campos Racing with support from TAG Heuer.

Rachel Robertson

Hailing from Scotland, Rachel Robertston began her karting career when she was 15 and has since competed in the Radical Cup UK and F4 Saudi Arabian Championship.

After testing in the F1 Academy rookie test at Navarra in 2025, finishing fifth in both sessions, Rachel made her race weekend debut with the all-female series at the Las Vegas Grand Prix round, when she took over Anagnostiadis’ car. In Las Vegas, Rachel finished fourth on her series debut in a wet race one before finishing P14 in the second race. 

This year, for her full-time debut in F1 Academy, Rachel will be competing with Hitech TGR supported by Puma.

In 2026, F1 Academy will race at seven Formula 1 Grand Prix events, beginning in China and ending in Las Vegas, with a trip to Silverstone in the middle of the season. Each round will host two races. 

F1 Academy will make history at Silverstone, when the home of British motorsport hosts all three F1 feeder series – Formula 2 and Formula 3, as well as F1 Academy – on one Grand Prix weekend. Tickets and hospitality available here. 

Learn more about the groundbreaking all-female racing series with Silverstone’s ultimate guide to F1 Academy.