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Zoe Florescu-Potolea is a Romanian-American karting prodigy who won the 2022 FIA Girls on Track Rising Stars Junior category, earning Ferrari Driver Academy support and proving she belongs among the sport’s elite young talents.

EARLY YEARS

Born December 23, 2008, in Bucharest, Romania, Zoe splits her time between her hometown and Desenzano del Garda, Italy, studying at Minerva Virtual Academy for Athletes[1]. Nobody in her family was into motorsport—nobody even watched Formula 1. But her mother, learning to drive herself, unknowingly set the wheels in motion for her daughter’s racing career[2].

It all started in October 2016 at the legendary Kartodromo La Conca, when eight-year-old Zoe jumped in a kart for the first time[3]. She remembers it perfectly. Two years later, in September 2018, she entered her first race at the Karting Masters at AMC Kart in Bucharest[4]. From that moment, she was hooked—and more importantly, she was fast.

OTHER INTERESTS

Information about Zoe’s interests outside of racing is limited in available sources, though her commitment to racing while maintaining her education through a virtual academy designed for athletes suggests a laser focus on her motorsport career.

EARLY SUCCESS

Florescu-Potolea quickly made her mark in Romanian karting, competing in the Romanian Karting Masters Mini ROK category in 2019 and advancing to the ROK Cup Superfinal that same year[5]. She proved she could hang with—and beat—the boys on track, consistently being the only girl in the field.

As part of her driver development program, she made the strategic decision to race in the Romanian Endurance Series Dacia Logan Cup after some test days[6]. The experience proved invaluable, teaching her race craft and consistency in a completely different racing environment.

Her breakout moment came in 2022 when she won the FIA Girls on Track Rising Stars Junior category[7]. The victory wasn’t just a trophy—it came with backing from the Ferrari Driver Academy for an international karting season in 2023, opening doors that most young racers can only dream about.

NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS

• 2019: Competed in Romanian Karting Masters – Mini ROK[5].
• 2019: Raced in ROK Cup Superfinal – Mini ROK[5].
• 2022: Won FIA Girls on Track Rising Stars Junior category, securing Ferrari Driver Academy support[7].
• 2023: Competed in international karting season with FDA backing[8].
• 2023: Tested F4 car at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya[9].
• 2023: Participated in FIA Karting World Championship[10].
• 2024: Competed in FIA Karting World Cup – KZ2[11].
• 2024: Raced in FIA Karting European Championship[11].
• 2024: Competed in WSK Final Cup – KZ2[11].
• 2025: Named to F1 Academy season roster[12].
• 2025: Selected for More Than Equal development programme[13].

INSPIRATIONS

Her favorite driver in karting is her coach, Dani Vasile, whom she describes as “an amazingly fast and smart KZ2 driver who also helped me” develop her skills[14]. During her 2022 campaign, she was assisted by the Iron Dames and coached by Michelle Gatting at some races—an experience she loved and remains grateful for[15].

The support from established figures in motorsport clearly shaped her approach to racing. Having women like Gatting in her corner proved that the path forward, while challenging, was possible.

REPUTATION

Florescu-Potolea has built her reputation on being realistic about her goals while refusing to take shortcuts. “You must race with the best at every stage,” she’s said, summarizing her philosophy[16]. She’s known for being the only girl on track and handling that pressure with maturity beyond her years.

When asked about being selected for elite driver programs, she noted it’s nice to “prove the boys wrong”[17]—not with bravado, but with quiet confidence earned through results. Recently put through her paces in an F4 car at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, she’s used to being the lone woman in the paddock and has learned to thrive in that environment[9].

Her approach to competition is methodical and grounded. While F1 remains a difficult goal—and she’s the first to acknowledge that reality—she’s taking the right steps, racing against top-level competition in the highest karting categories including KZ2, where she’s competed with Birel ART Racing Team[18].

FUTURE GOALS/PLANS

In 2025, Florescu-Potolea is competing in the F1 Academy season[12], a crucial stepping stone for any driver with single-seater aspirations. She’s also part of the More Than Equal development programme alongside drivers like Ivonn Simeonova, Lana Flack, and Skye Parker[13], which provides critical support and resources for emerging female talent.

At 16 years old, she’s participating in F1 Academy rookie testing, having already competed at the highest levels of karting with experience in both the 2023 and 2024 FIA World Championships[19]. The path forward is clear: continue building experience in single-seaters, keep proving herself against the best competition available, and let the results speak for themselves.

REFERENCES

[1] Zoe Florescu-Potolea: No shortcuts, you must race with the best at every stage – Vroom Kart

[2] Zoe Florescu-Potolea interview – Vroom Kart

[3] Zoe Florescu-Potolea Official Website

[4] First race information – ZoeFP.com

[5] Zoe Florescu-Potolea Racing Career Profile – Driver Database

[6] Romanian Endurance Series experience – Vroom Kart

[7] Zoe Florescu Potolea wins Girls On Track Junior selections – Racers Behind The Helmet

[8] Final eight selected for Girls on Track Rising Stars – Ferrari

[9] ‘Proving the boys wrong’: Teenage racers picked for elite driver programme – NBC Right Now

[10] FIA WIM nominates Girls on Track Senior and Junior finalists – Racers Behind The Helmet

[11] Zoe Florescu-Potolea – Driver Database

[12] 2025 F1 Academy season – Wikipedia

[13] Five drivers join More Than Equal development programme – Motorsport.com

[14] Coach Dani Vasile mention – Vroom Kart

[15] Iron Dames and Michelle Gatting support – Vroom Kart

[16] Racing philosophy quote – Vroom Kart

[17] “Prove the boys wrong” quote – NBC Right Now

[18] Birel ART Racing Team footage – YouTube

[19] F1 Academy rookie test participation – Females in Motorsport