Laura Camps Torras

Laura Camps Torras is a Spanish racing driver who made history as the second female driver to join the Ferrari Driver Academy after winning the 2021 FIA Girls on Track – Rising Stars programme.

EARLY YEARS

Born March 28, 2005, in Calella, Spain, Laura Camps Torras didn’t experience the fairy-tale “love at first sight” moment with racing that so many drivers describe. Instead, her path into motorsport began as a casual dad-daughter hobby—the kind of thing that fills a Sunday afternoon with adrenaline and maybe a little friendly competition[1][3].

Her father, a self-described car fanatic and racing enthusiast, took her to a rental karting track when she was around eight years old. It wasn’t a calculated move to discover the next racing prodigy; it was just something fun to do together. But after a few sessions, he saw something. Maybe it was her natural feel for the kart, maybe it was the way she attacked corners without hesitation—whatever it was, he encouraged her to take it seriously and start competing[1][2].

So she did. And what started as a shared hobby gradually transformed into something bigger: a passion that would become a life choice[3].

OTHER INTERESTS

Information about Laura’s interests outside of racing remains private. What’s clear is that from a young age, motorsport consumed her focus—and when you’re climbing the ladder in one of the most demanding sports in the world, there’s not a lot of room left for hobbies.

EARLY SUCCESS

Laura’s early karting career in Spain was solid but unremarkable. She ran in junior categories, finishing mid-table or toward the back of the field—respectable, but not the kind of results that turn heads[1]. Then came 2020, and with it, the pandemic that shut down racing around the world. For many drivers, it was a lost year. For Laura, it became a turning point.

During the lockdown, her father and mechanic made a decision: switch her to the KZ category, a faster, more demanding class of karting with gearboxes and serious speed. The move paid off immediately. “That’s when I started going very fast in karting,” she recalled. “From being maybe a middle table, a little bit at the back… to just going directly to the front”[1]. She scored her first karting race win in the Valencian Karting Championship and quickly established herself as a driver to watch in Spanish KZ competition[4].

The sudden leap in performance caught the attention of the FIA, which was running the second edition of its Girls on Track – Rising Stars programme—a global initiative designed to identify and support talented young female drivers. Out of a record number of applicants, Laura was selected as a finalist. In October and November 2021, she traveled to Maranello and Le Castellet for a grueling series of tests in Formula 4 cars, competing against the best young female drivers from around the world[2][3].

On December 7, 2021, the results were announced: Laura Camps Torras had won. “Honestly, I wasn’t expecting it,” she admitted. “I start crying a lot. It was amazing, I couldn’t even express myself”[2].

The prize? A spot in the Ferrari Driver Academy—one of the most prestigious driver development programs in motorsport[3].

NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS

• 2020: First karting race win in the Valencian Karting Championship[4].
• 2021: Winner of the FIA Girls on Track – Rising Stars programme, becoming the second female driver ever selected for the Ferrari Driver Academy[1][2][3].
• 2022: Participated in Iron Lynx’s training programme and completed multiple Italian F4 test sessions, including at Monza[2].
• 2023: Competed in the Indian Racing League with Hyderabad Blackbirds as a late-season replacement driver[2].

INSPIRATIONS

Laura’s racing hero is Michael Schumacher—a reverence she inherited directly from her father, who introduced her to both karting and the legend of the seven-time world champion[3]. Her dad remains her biggest influence and supporter, the person who saw potential in an eight-year-old girl at a rental kart track and believed in her enough to push her forward. When she won her place in the Ferrari Driver Academy, she made sure to thank him specifically: “I want to thank my family, and in particular my father”[3].

Marco Matassa, the former head of the Ferrari Driver Academy, also played a significant mentoring role during her time with the programme, praising her ability to absorb lessons quickly and apply them on track[2][3].

REPUTATION

Camps Torras earned her place in the Ferrari Driver Academy not just on raw speed, but on her learning curve. Marco Matassa specifically highlighted “the speed at which she learned, and her ability to put these lessons into practice” as key factors in her selection—especially impressive given her limited experience in single-seaters at the time[2][3].

But her time with the FDA came to an abrupt and unceremonious end in 2023. Laura’s contract was terminated, and she was pulled back from Formula car competition. What stung most wasn’t just losing the opportunity—it was the way it ended. “Sad that they didn’t say goodbye,” she said simply, a rare public comment on what must have been a difficult chapter[2].

Still, she didn’t disappear. After leaving the FDA, she saved up and looked for opportunities to get back on track. That determination led her to the Indian Racing League in late October 2023, where she raced for the Hyderabad Blackbirds as a replacement driver[2]. It wasn’t Ferrari, but it was racing—and for Laura, that’s always been the point.

She’s known for being self-aware about her strengths and weaknesses, a trait that’s served her well in a sport where overconfidence can be as dangerous as underperformance[1]. As the second female driver ever admitted to the Ferrari Driver Academy, she carries the weight of being a trailblazer—whether she asked for that role or not.

FUTURE GOALS/PLANS

As of late 2024, Laura’s immediate racing plans remain uncertain. There are no confirmed contracts or announced partnerships for the 2025 season. What is clear, based on her past statements, is her intention to continue pushing forward in single-seater racing. When she joined the Ferrari Driver Academy in 2021, she said, “I will give my all from day one to prove my worth… learn as much as possible and prepare my future in a single-seater”[3]. That determination hasn’t wavered, even after setbacks.

Laura Camps Torras has already proven she can go from the back of the field to the front when the right opportunity and support align. The question now is where—and with whom—she’ll get her next shot.

References:

[1] SheThePeople.tv Interview
[2] Dive-Bomb Article
[3] Ferrari Press Release via Formula Rapida
[4] Paddock Sorority Profile