Haas F1 announce American driver signing for 2026

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Formula 1

Haas F1 announce American driver signing for 2026

The 2026 grid is filling up

Originally written by Sheona Mountford. This version is a translation.

Wednesday 17 December 2025 21:07

Haas have revealed the next American driver to represent them on the F1 Academy grid in 2026, confirming the departure of Courtney Crone.

The 2026 grid has gradually been filling up, with the likes of Alba Larsen and Jade Jacquet confirmed as Ferrari's and Williams' drivers respectively.

According to the current F1 Academy ruleset, a driver may only compete in two full seasons of the feeder series meaning drivers such as Doriane Pin, Maya Weug and Lia Block will all graduate from the category after the 2025 season.

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While Crone has only competed in one full year of the all-female series, Haas have announced that American racer Kaylee Countryman will step up with the squad in 2026.

The 15-year-old from Chandler, Arizona will compete with ART Grand Prix and has become the 10th driver announced for the upcoming season.

Who is Haas F1 Academy star Kaylee Countryman?

In 2022, she achieved multiple podiums and then the following year progressed to a two-stroke kart in the J3 Competition, where she scored four top-10 finishes.

The teenager competed in an F1 Academy test in Navarra, and alongside her full-time debut in 2026, will also drive in the USF2000 Championship - an American racing series at the Formula Ford standard.

Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu said on her signing: "We’re delighted to welcome Kaylee Countryman into the team to represent us in F1 Academy from next season.

"Her personality and passion for this sport are contagious, and we want to ensure she has everything she needs to flourish in F1 Academy, whether that be access to our resources and personnel, or simply advice and guidance.

“I believe together, we’ll achieve some exciting things on-track. I’m delighted Kaylee’s joined us, and we look forward to seeing her development as a driver in F1 Academy.”

F1 Academy is a Formula 4-level championship, so quite a step up from the machinery Countryman has been accustomed to and the series will be the next stage on the feeder series ladder.

The series will also take her out of the US and help her gain exposure on a global calendar, with F1 Academy joining F1 across seven weekends in 2026: China, Saudi Arabia, Canada, Silverstone, Zandvoort, COTA and Las Vegas.

“I’m so thrilled that I’ve been given this opportunity to represent Haas F1 Team and ART Grand Prix in the F1 Academy for 2026,” said Countryman.

“I look forward to taking another step in my career and learning to work in such a professional environment.

“I’m particularly excited about the various circuits we’ll be visiting around the world and being part of all that F1 Academy represents. I enjoyed a productive test with ART Grand Prix and I’m keen to build on that foundation as we go racing in 2026.”

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