RACHEL ROBERTSON, ESMEE KOSTERMAN, ALBA LARSEN Target F1 Breakthrough

October 19, 2025

• RACHEL ROBERTSON, 18, battles to become first woman F1 qualifier in 50 years after facing dismissive male karting rivals who refused acknowledgment when she beat them across finish lines.
• ESMEE KOSTERMAN, 20, fights for seat retention with zero margin for error. The Dutch driver switched from mandatory dance recitals to circuits at six, overcoming boys’ taunts that racing wasn’t her sport.
• ALBA LARSEN, 17, stepped into Ferrari’s coveted F1 Academy seat for her second season after discovering motorsport passion during Covid lockdown, transitioning from handball to high-speed single-seaters with institutional backing.
• Academy provides funding, track time, and 14-race championship format that historically benefited only male drivers. Champions advance fully-funded, but most competitors face brutal two-year proving windows before losing support.

all-female f1 academy, autodromo enzo e dino ferrari, formula 1