F1 Academy is set for a major step forward as all ten current Formula 1 teams including Sauber (soon to be Audi) have renewed their commitment to support the all-female development series through a new multi-year partnership. Cadillac, preparing to join the F1 grid in 2026, has also confirmed it will field an Academy livery and sponsor a driver beginning in 2027.
The announcement reinforces F1’s continued push to grow female participation in motorsport while strengthening the visibility and competitiveness of the series. In just three seasons, F1 Academy has emerged as a high-profile development step for young women drivers—helped by team-backed liveries, global broadcasts, and attention from mainstream audiences. American fans, in particular, have connected with rising drivers such as Lia Block, the rally talent and ur quattro owner who raced for Williams this season. Sauber’s Rodin Motorsport–managed F1 Academy program carried on their own season with Austrian driver Emma Felbermayr taking the wheel in 2025.
The expanded agreement also introduces an update to the driver pathway beginning in 2027. Under new regulations, select drivers who have competed in the two previous seasons may receive an exemption to race for a third year. This provision will apply only to drivers who demonstrate clear performance potential and progression, reinforcing the Academy’s focus on tailored development rather than a one-size-fits-all ladder.
The growth of F1 Academy extends well beyond the paddock. The series is now broadcast in more than 170 territories and has broadened its global reach via the Netflix documentary series F1: The Academy, produced by Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine. Across Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and X, the program’s combined social following stands at 1.38 million and continues to climb.
Susie Wolff, Managing Director of F1 Academy, framed the renewed commitment as a milestone for the series’ long-term ambitions. She emphasized that the unified support from every F1 team—and the addition of Cadillac—signals a deeper investment in cultivating future talent. The updated regulations, she noted, are designed to ensure that standout drivers have both the time and the platform to fully realize their potential.
For now, the strengthened partnership positions F1 Academy for its most dynamic chapter yet, with expanded backing, a growing fanbase, and a development system increasingly aligned with the sport’s highest levels.