PAYTON WESTCOTT Lands Mercedes F1 Academy Seat After Vegas Wild Card Success

February 9, 2026

• PAYTON WESTCOTT earned her F1 Academy opportunity the hard way – grinding through a grueling 2025 campaign across Formula Winter Series, Italian F4, and E4 Championship before breaking through with an overall victory in Formula Trophy UAE at Dubai. Her persistence through challenging seasons paid off when she delivered the goods at the F1 Academy Rookie Test, clocking third-fastest overall and topping the afternoon session.
• The 16-year-old American capitalized on her wild card opportunity at Las Vegas, finishing sixth among all drivers and leading the wild card field – exactly the kind of performance that opens doors in this series. She’ll now join Prema Racing and represent Mercedes-AMG Petronas, working alongside reigning champion DORIANE PIN who secured the 2025 title with the same team combination.
• WESTCOTT’s journey from 12-year-old kart racer to F1 Academy driver shows what focused development can achieve. Her selection for the Champions of the Future Academy Program through F1 Academy’s Discover Your Drive initiative bridged her move to European competition, while her multi-series European campaign built the experience base she needed to impress at the highest level when it mattered most.

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