McLaren and F1 Academy have both made some massive changes to their respective programs ahead of the 2026 F1 Academy Season.
A Fresh Faced McLaren Program
As the 2025 Seasons draw to a close, new driver opportunities open. The McLaren Driver Development Program, which has seen lots of movement this past month, has reshuffled once again. The Woking outfit has announced that it will be supporting two cars in the 2026 F1 Academy Season.
Ella Lloyd, who has had a successful 2025 campaign, will return for her second season in the championship . Alongside Lloyd, Ella Stevens will be making the move up into F1 Academy with Rodin Motorsport.
Two McLarens in F1 Academy
The 18 year old British karting champion was announced as one of McLaren’s latest drivers in their development programme. The karting champion topped the timesheets at the 2025 F1 Academy Rookie Test in Spain. Stevens will race under McLaren Oxagon, marking the first time a F1 team has entered two cars into the F1 Academy Championship.
Stevens comes to the programme with a list of accolades. The Brit is vice-champion in the 2025 British KZ2 Karting Championship. She is the only woman to win in the UK’s premier karting class.
A New Häikkinen in Papaya
While both Ella’s are locked in for F1 Academy, a third Ella will be joining the Development Programme. Ella Häkkinen has joined the McLaren outfit as a test driver in single seaters in preparation for 2027. Daughter of two time F1 Champion Mika Häikkinen, Ella is the youngest member of McLaren’s program. At only 14 years of age, Häikkinen has some impressive victories under her belt. She claimed her first major international victory at the 2024 Champions of the Future Academy in Cremona,
Zak Brown, CEO of McLaren Racing was hopeful about the development changes.
“While I recognise that more remains to be done to increase female representation in motorsport, I’m immensely proud of the progress we’ve made in this space. I hope this signals to all the amazingly talented female karters, drivers, engineers, mechanics, marketeers and accountants out there that our sport is open to all and deeply committed to keeping up the incredible momentum we have seen over the past few years.”
Support From Above for F1 Academy
Alongside a second McLaren car, F1 Academy will see a range of changes over the next few years.
Following an announcement last week, every F1 team has recommitted to supporting a driver in F1 Academy. Susie Wolff, Managing Director of F1 ACADEMY spoke about the long term parternship, saying:
“The commitment of long-term support from all ten current Formula 1 teams, and the addition of Cadillac to our grid from 2027, sends a powerful message about the future of F1 ACADEMY. We’re not just providing a platform for the current generation of female drivers; together, we’re building a pathway to support generations of talent to come.”
Current F1 Academy drivers are only able to compete in the championship for a maximum of two seasons. With the 2025 Season finishing this weekend in Las Vegas, Pin and Weug are hoping to end of their two year stint on top. Both drivers are in contention for the 2025 Championship, separated by only nine points.
Third Season Exemption
F1 Academy has announced that drivers who have competed in the two seasons may be granted an exemption for a third season from 2027. This change aims to focus on talent development through a tailored approach. The exception is for drivers whose performance indicates strong potential for growth.
With the 2025 season almost over, a new era of F1 Academy is approaching.
Feature Image: McLaren Racing