Rising star receives Ferrari promotion for 2026

Photo: © IMAGO

Ferrari

Rising star receives Ferrari promotion for 2026

Ferrari have announced two new drivers for 2026

Sheona Mountford F1 Journalist

Motorsport journalist working in F1 since 2024.

Tuesday 12 August 2025 09:57

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A rising star in motorsport has been promoted to the Ferrari family for 2026 following an official announcement from the F1 team.

Ferrari helps to nurture the next wave of motorsport talent through their driver academy, currently boasting drivers such as Dino Beganovic, Rafael Camara, Maya Weug, Aurelia Nobels and Tuukka Taponen.

Ahead of the 2026 season, the team announced that two new drivers will be joining their lineup, with F1 Academy star Alba Larsen named alongside Niccolo Maccagnani.

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The Danish driver made her single-seater debut last year in Indian F4, before gaining a full-time seat for the 2025 F1 Academy season where she currently competes with MP Motorsport.

Larsen first came to the attention of the Ferrari Driver Academy in 2023 during the Girls on Track Rising Star programme and they decided to monitor her progress in 2024, while arranging for her to come to headquarters in Maranello on a regular basis.

In the 2025 F1 Academy season, Larsen has achieved points finishes in seven out of eight races and is currently sixth in the championship, enough to convince the Ferrari Driver Academy to bring her on for 2026.

Alongside new recruit Maccagnani, the pair will join the academy in January 2026 where they will receive their respective race programmes.

Alba Larsen is part of the Ferrari Driver Academy

What is the Ferrari Driver Academy?

The Ferrari Driver Academy was established in 2010, and over the past decade it has ushered in F1 stars such as Lance Stroll, Sergio Perez and Charles Leclerc.

According to the academy, their aims are to not only help racers with their driving, but also to educate them on all aspects of their role and the team.

They study the rules of the sport, the history of the Ferrari team and all legal matters related to racing, while gaining experience and insight from one of F1’s most iconic names.

F1 driver academies exist to help with a youngster’s development as they gradually progress into competitive series like F3 and F2, with a team ramping up their involvement as a driver moves forward in their career.

For drivers who impress, such as Beganovic with Ferrari, they can earn opportunities in F1 machinery, whether that is part of a test or a chance to compete in FP1 during a race weekend.

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