MAITE CÁCERES Storms Back to Single-Seaters with Podiums at Homestead

January 28, 2026

• MAITE CÁCERES made a last-minute return to single-seaters after over a year away, immediately proving she belonged at the front by qualifying third and delivering explosive race starts that launched her from the second row into podium contention. The former F1 Academy driver’s comeback to Formula FARA at Homestead-Miami demonstrated that her time in IMSA’s Mazda MX-5 Cup hadn’t dulled her downforce instincts – she was within three tenths of pole despite limited recent single-seater experience.
• Her pace throughout the weekend was surgical precision mixed with controlled aggression – threading through multi-car battles, executing perfect defensive positioning against rivals like Sepúlveda and Vidmontiene, while consistently running lap times in the low 1:31s that kept her in win-contending distance. Saturday’s third-place finish saw her close a 3.5-second gap to nearly catch second, while Sunday’s second-place podium proved she could handle both attack and defense simultaneously.
• The weekend’s cruel finale perfectly encapsulated both CÁCERES’ fearless racing spirit and the razor-thin margins of single-seater competition – running second and closing on the leader in Race 3, she made a spectacular save after a bold overtaking attempt went sideways, only to be eliminated by contact while fighting for victory with three laps remaining. Despite the heartbreak, her performance served notice that whatever her 2026 program holds, she’s ready to be a front-runner from day one.

f4 specification, formula fara championship, homestead-miami speedway, single-seater racing