ALISHA PALMOWSKI Joins Red Bull F1 Academy Program for 2026 Season

January 16, 2026

• ALISHA PALMOWSKI was officially announced as Red Bull’s F1 Academy driver during the team’s 2026 season launch, standing alongside Max Verstappen and team leadership as they unveiled their new Ford power unit partnership. While the article focused heavily on Red Bull’s engine challenges, PALMOWSKI’s prominent placement at this high-profile announcement signals the team’s commitment to their women’s racing development program.
• The announcement comes as Red Bull embarks on producing their own power units for the first time, having built three new factories and hired over 700 people for the ambitious project. PALMOWSKI joins the team during a pivotal transition year where Red Bull acknowledges they’ll likely be “trailing” established manufacturers like Mercedes, Ferrari, and Honda at season’s start.
• PALMOWSKI’s inclusion in Red Bull’s official team presentation demonstrates how F1 Academy continues gaining recognition within the sport’s power structure. Her presence at the launch event, photographed alongside CEO Jim Farley of Ford and Red Bull’s technical leadership, shows these partnerships now prominently feature the next generation of women drivers as integral to teams’ future plans.

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