F1 Academy star Alba Larsen scores Ferrari-backed seat for 2026

F1 Academy star Alba Larsen has secured a Ferrari-backed seat for the 2026 season of the all-female racing series after joining the Maranello outfit's driver academy in 2025.

The 16-year-old driver delivered some impressive performances during her rookie F1 Academy season with seven top-five finishes and a seventh-place finish in the drivers' standings.

"Racing for Ferrari in F1 Academy is a dream come true," she said. "They’ve been my favourite team since I was a child and getting to wear red feels surreal and is an incredible honour.

"I’ve felt their support since FIA Girls on Track and now being part of the most iconic team in motorsport is a true honour. I’m ready to give everything I have for the Scuderia. Bet on red!"

Larsen will continue to race with MP Motorsport in 2026 after building a relationship with the team in 2025 when she drove alongside championship runner-up Maya Weug and Joanne Ciconte. Weug, having previously driven in the Ferrari-backed car, concluded her second and final season in F1 Academy this year.

In addition to her F1 Academy campaign, Larsen is set to compete in the Formula 4 British Championship.

The Danish driver was announced as part of the Ferrari Driver Academy in August 2025 alongside Italian driver Niccolò Maccagnani.

Alba Larsen, MP Motorsport

Photo by: Meg Oliphant / Getty Images

Larsen started karting in 2020. She won the FIA Girls on Track - Rising Stars programme's senior category in 2023 and is mentored by former Haas Formula 1 driver and fellow Dane Kevin Magnussen. The 16-year-old made her single-seater debut in 2024 in the final two rounds of the F4 Indian Championship.

F1 Academy announced its 2026 calendar on 10 December. The seven-round, 14-race season will feature races in six countries during F1 race weekends.

F1 Academy will head to Shanghai, Jeddah, Montreal, Silverstone, Zandvoort, Austin and Las Vegas.