EMILY COTTY Breaks Through for First F4 Podium at UAE Championship Opener

January 20, 2026

• EMILY COTTY delivered her breakthrough weekend in Formula 4, claiming second place in race two for her first-ever F4 podium before adding a fifth-place finish in race three. The British-New Zealand driver emerged as the most consistent female competitor across a stacked 37-car field, leaving Abu Dhabi fourth in championship standings and carrying serious momentum into the next round.
• The women’s contingent showed real depth across the weekend, with Ferrari Driver Academy’s ALBA LARSEN consistently running in the points fight and recovering to tenth after penalties in race three. PAYTON WESTCOTT impressed with top-ten pace in testing and qualified strongly before contact ended her race two early, while EMMA FELBERMAYR quietly gained eight positions in the final race to finish 14th.
• COTTY’s race two performance was the standout moment – starting from the front row on reverse grid, she pressured leader Niccolò Maccagnani throughout before securing second when the race ended under safety car. Her composure in multi-car battles and ability to execute clean passes under pressure marked her as a genuine championship contender, not just the leading female driver but a legitimate threat in the overall standings.

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