AVA DOBSON Lands Full-Time F1 Academy Seat After Wild Card Success

February 5, 2026

• AVA DOBSON has earned her full-time F1 Academy seat the hard way – turning a wild card appearance in Miami into a full contract with Hitech GP and American Express backing. The 17-year-old Wisconsin native proved herself by securing the MSV career contribution fund as GB4’s top female driver, a €50,000 prize that’s now paying dividends toward her 2026 campaign.
• Her 2025 GB4 season with Arden Motorsport was quietly impressive, with three top-ten finishes and a breakthrough podium at Donington Park that landed her 19th overall with 120 points. Not bad for someone who missed most of 2024 recovering from a heavy crash that could’ve derailed everything. DOBSON’s resilience showed when she returned at Silverstone with a ninth-place debut.
• The American’s path here wasn’t typical – she started in F4 US at just 15 with Parella Motorsports Holdings scholarship support, then crossed the Atlantic to prove herself in European racing. Her Miami F1 Academy debut may have ended with a 13th-place finish and cancelled second race, but it opened doors. She becomes the fourth wild card driver to earn a full seat, proving the program works when talent meets opportunity.

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