Alba Cueva is a Spanish kart racer and F1 Academy Discover Your Drive supported driver who’s making her mark in junior motorsport through the Champions of the Future Academy karting series.

EARLY YEARS

Alba Cueva hails from Asturias, the green mountainous region in northern Spain known more for its cider and dramatic coastlines than its racing pedigree. But that didn’t stop her from finding her way to four wheels. Like many racers, she started young in karting, that beautifully unforgiving discipline where talent shows up fast and excuses don’t fly.

Growing up in Asturias meant access to local karting circuits, and Cueva took full advantage. She began competing in regional championships, learning the fundamentals of racing in an environment that rewarded precision and punished mistakes. It’s the kind of grassroots grind that separates the committed from the curious—and she clearly fell into the first camp.

OTHER INTERESTS

Information about Cueva’s interests outside of racing isn’t widely documented, which honestly tracks for someone this focused on climbing the motorsport ladder. When you’re trying to make it in a sport that demands everything—your time, your budget, your weekends, your sanity—hobbies tend to take a backseat. The track becomes the hobby.

EARLY SUCCESS

Alba Cueva’s early success came through the Spanish karting scene, where she proved herself against tough regional competition. She competed in the Asturias Karting Championship, a proving ground for young talent in her home region, and demonstrated the kind of consistency that gets you noticed[1].

Her performances in the Castilla y León (CyL) karting championships showed she could compete beyond her regional borders. She triumphed at CyL Race Champions, a significant achievement that highlighted her ability to perform under pressure against a broader field of competitors[2]. She also claimed the Championship in Karting CyL at Benamariel, further cementing her reputation as a rising name in Spanish karting[3].

These victories weren’t flukes. They represented consistent speed, smart racing, and the kind of determination that turns potential into results. In karting, where the margins are razor-thin and the competition is fierce, racking up championship wins means you’ve got the goods.

Her success caught the attention of the F1 Academy’s Discover Your Drive program, which supports promising female drivers in their development. Being selected as a supported driver through this initiative opened new doors, including participation in the Champions of the Future Academy (COFTA) karting series—a global program designed specifically to nurture female talent in karting and create pathways to higher levels of motorsport[4][5].

COFTA isn’t just another karting series; it’s F1 Academy’s strategic talent pipeline, offering young women the coaching, competition, and exposure needed to progress. Cueva joined the 2025 COFTA class, competing alongside other talented female racers from around the world[6]. The series includes multiple rounds across Europe, giving drivers like Cueva crucial international experience and the chance to race on proper circuits that matter.

She’s also had the opportunity to participate in special events like the Seresco Karting Day at the Fernando Alonso circuit, bringing her closer to the professional motorsport world and the kind of facilities that breed champions[7].

NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS

• Asturias Karting Championship competitor[1]
• Winner: CyL Race Champions[2]
• Champion: Karting CyL Championship at Benamariel[3]
• 2025: Selected as F1 Academy Discover Your Drive supported driver[4]
• 2025: Competed in Champions of the Future Academy (COFTA) karting series[5][6]

INSPIRATIONS

While Cueva hasn’t publicly detailed her specific inspirations, it’s hard to grow up racing in Spain without being aware of Fernando Alonso’s towering legacy. The fact that she’s raced at facilities bearing his name suggests at least a peripheral connection to that inspiration. Beyond that, being part of F1 Academy’s program means she’s surrounded by role models—both the women she’s racing against and the broader movement pushing for more female representation in motorsport. Sometimes inspiration isn’t about one person; it’s about being part of something bigger than yourself.

REPUTATION

Alba Cueva is building a reputation as a consistent and determined competitor in the junior karting ranks. Her championship victories in Spanish regional series demonstrate that she can deliver when it counts, and her selection for the F1 Academy’s Discover Your Drive program signals that people within the motorsport ecosystem see genuine potential.

Within COFTA, she’s one of the global cohort of young women being given the resources and platform to develop their skills at a crucial stage. The program is specifically designed to bridge the gap between grassroots karting and higher-level competition, and Cueva is taking full advantage of that pathway.

She’s known for being focused and hardworking—qualities that might sound like generic praise but are actually essential in a discipline where small improvements make big differences. Karting rewards the obsessive, the detail-oriented, and those willing to put in unglamorous hours perfecting lines and setups. Cueva fits that mold.

FUTURE GOALS/PLANS

For 2025 and beyond, Alba Cueva’s primary focus is maximizing her opportunity within the Champions of the Future Academy program. This means not just competing but excelling in the series, which runs multiple rounds across Europe and provides direct exposure to F1 Academy scouts and coaching staff[6].

The natural progression from COFTA would be into F1 Academy itself—the all-female racing series that sits on the support bill for Formula 1 races and serves as a crucial stepping stone toward Formula 3, Formula 2, and potentially F1. That’s the ultimate goal for any driver in Cueva’s position: to use karting success as a springboard into single-seater racing.

More immediately, she’ll be looking to build on her Spanish championship success by proving herself against international competition. COFTA includes drivers from multiple countries, and performing well against that caliber of talent would strengthen her case for further support and opportunities.

The motorsport ladder is brutal, especially for female drivers who still face systemic barriers and fewer opportunities than their male counterparts. But programs like Discover Your Drive and COFTA exist precisely to change that equation. For Cueva, the goal is clear: keep winning, keep improving, and keep moving up. The path from karting in Asturias to international single-seater racing is long and uncertain, but it’s a path others have walked. Now it’s her turn to try.

References:

Championship Asturias Karting – Alba Cueva
Alba Cueva Triumphs CyL Race Champions
Alba Cueva Championship Karting CyL Benamariel
F1 Academy Announce New Discover Your Drive Supported Drivers
COFTA Karting as the Gateway for Girls into Motorsport
Champions of the Future Academy Round 5 Recap
Seresco Karting Day Fernando Alonso