Rafaela Ferreira

Rafaela Ferreira is a 20-year-old Brazilian racing driver currently competing in the F1 Academy with Campos Racing under the Racing Bulls banner, having made history as the first female race winner in Brazilian Formula 4.

EARLY YEARS

Born April 18, 2005, in Criciúma, Santa Catarina, Brazil, Rafaela Ferreira grew up surrounded by the intoxicating smell of two-stroke engines and burning rubber. Her father didn’t just race karts—he built them, turning their garage into a workshop where speed was the family business. While most eight-year-olds were mastering multiplication tables, Ferreira was learning racing lines, her small hands gripping a kart steering wheel for the first time. It wasn’t a casual hobby; it was destiny written in gasoline and tire smoke.

Santa Catarina’s picturesque landscapes provided the backdrop for her early racing education, though there’s little doubt she was more interested in the tarmac than the scenery. With a father who lived and breathed karting, Ferreira didn’t have to look far for inspiration or mechanical know-how. She was racing before most kids figured out what they wanted to be when they grew up—and she already knew.

OTHER INTERESTS

If Ferreira has hobbies outside of strapping herself into high-speed machinery, she’s keeping them under wraps. No known academic passions, creative pursuits, or side hustles have surfaced in the public record. Either she’s laser-focused on racing to the exclusion of all else, or she’s smart enough to keep her downtime private. Given how early she started and how relentlessly she’s climbed the ladder, it’s safe to assume that if she’s not racing, she’s thinking about racing.

EARLY SUCCESS

Ferreira spent over a decade honing her craft in Brazilian karting, competing at the national level and learning how to fight for position against drivers who didn’t care that she was the only girl on track. By 2022, she’d graduated to the Copa Brasil de Kart, where she promptly made history by becoming the first woman to score pole position in the championship. She finished fourth overall—a result that proved she wasn’t just there to make headlines but to compete at the sharp end.

In 2023, she made the leap to single-seaters, becoming the first female driver to compete in the Brazilian Formula 4 Championship. Her debut weekend at Interlagos—a track that would later become significant in her career—yielded finishes of 11th, 6th, and 9th. Respectable, but not earth-shattering. Before Brazilian F4, she’d competed in two rounds of Formula Inter using an F4 car, finishing fourth in both races. It was solid groundwork, but Ferreira was just getting started.

Then came December 2023, during the Brazilian Grand Prix weekend at Interlagos. The same circuit that had been something of a bogey track for her suddenly turned into her breakthrough moment. Ferreira finished third, claiming not only her first podium but also the distinction of being the first woman to stand on a Brazilian F4 podium. Suddenly, she wasn’t just participating—she was making history.

The 2024 season with TMG Racing was when Ferreira went from promising newcomer to legitimate contender. She opened the year with a third-place finish at Velocitta, then followed it up with her first-ever victory at the same circuit. She wasn’t done. A second win came at Buenos Aires, and by season’s end, she’d racked up three victories, ten podiums (including her wins), two pole positions, and two fastest laps. She finished fourth in the championship with 222 points, cementing her status as the first female race winner in Brazilian F4 history.

Her performance caught the attention of people who matter. At the end of 2024, Ferreira was signed to the Visa Cash App RB (Racing Bulls) Academy Programme—a Red Bull-backed initiative that doesn’t hand out seats to drivers who can’t deliver. She was tapped to drive the #18 Campos Racing car in the 2025 F1 Academy, joining the all-female championship that serves as a proving ground for the next generation of talent.

NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS

• 2022: First woman to score pole position in Copa Brasil de Kart; finished 4th in championship[2][5][7].
• 2023: First female driver to compete in Brazilian Formula 4 Championship[1].
• December 2023: First female podium finisher in Brazilian F4 (3rd place at Interlagos during Brazilian GP weekend)[1][2][7].
• 2024: First female race winner in Brazilian F4 (Velocitta)[1][2][3][6][7].
• 2024: Three wins, ten podiums, two poles, two fastest laps in Brazilian F4; finished 4th in championship with TMG Racing (222 points)[1][2][3][4].
• 2024: Selected for Visa Cash App RB (Racing Bulls) Academy Programme[3][5][6][7].
• 2025: Signed to F1 Academy with Campos Racing, driving #18 Racing Bulls car[2][3][5][6][7].
• 2025: Secured multi-year partnership with Anastasia Beverly Hills through Red Bull Academy[3][5].

INSPIRATIONS

Ferreira’s most obvious influence is the man who put her in a kart at age eight: her father. A racer and kart builder himself, he provided both the inspiration and the machinery for her to start chasing speed. Beyond that, she’s kept her racing heroes close to the vest. No public declarations of fandom, no posters on the wall stories, no interviews waxing poetic about childhood idols. If she’s inspired by anyone else, she’s letting her results do the talking instead.

REPUTATION

Ferreira has built a reputation as a rising star who doesn’t just show up for photo ops—she shows up to race. Media coverage consistently describes her as a trailblazer and history-maker, which is fair given the number of “first woman to” accolades attached to her name. But beyond the headlines, she’s earned respect for her ability to adapt to circuits, fight through the field, and deliver recovery drives when things don’t go her way.

Her DriverDB statistics tell the story: 57 races started, two wins (3.5% win rate), ten podiums (17.5% podium rate), and a driver score of 1,453[4]. Those numbers reflect steady improvement and consistent competitiveness. She’s known for getting stronger as the season progresses, turning bogey tracks into breakthrough venues—Interlagos being the prime example.

The motorsport community has embraced her as a beacon for female drivers, particularly in South America where women in racing are still rare. Her success in Brazilian F4 opened doors and shifted perceptions, proving that female drivers can compete—and win—in male-dominated formulas. Fan reception has been overwhelmingly positive, with many viewing her as an inspiration for the next generation of women who want to race.

Red Bull’s backing through the Racing Bulls Academy is no small endorsement. They don’t invest in drivers for diversity points—they invest in drivers they believe can perform. The fact that they signed Ferreira straight out of her breakthrough F4 season speaks volumes about how seriously the industry takes her potential.

FUTURE GOALS/PLANS

Ferreira is currently competing in the 2025 F1 Academy season with Campos Racing, where she sits 12th in the standings with nine points as of the latest results. She’s also using the Formula Winter Series as preparation, making her European racing debut in early 2025. In one race, she started well down the order, recovered 11 places on track, and finished 16th after penalties—a performance that showcased her racecraft even when the result didn’t reflect it[3].

Her stated goal is to use her Brazilian F4 success as a springboard in F1 Academy and to collect more silverware along the way[2]. She’s backed by one of the most prestigious junior programs in motorsport, driving for a team with serious resources, and competing in a championship designed to elevate female talent to higher formulas. The path from F1 Academy to Formula 3, Formula 2, and potentially beyond is narrow, but it exists—and Ferreira has already proven she knows how to be first.

Whether she continues to rack up “first woman to” achievements or simply becomes known as a damn good racing driver without qualifiers remains to be seen. Either way, she’s 20 years old, Red Bull-backed, and already a history-maker. The smart money says she’s not done writing her story yet.

References:

[1] Rafaela Ferreira – Speed Queens Blog
[2] Rafaela Ferreira Driver Profile – F1 Academy
[3] FWS: Rafaela Ferreira – Racers Behind the Helmet
[4] Rafaela Ferreira – DriverDB
[5] Getting to Know Rafaela Ferreira – Harper’s Bazaar Malaysia
[6] Racing Bulls Academy Announcement – Formula1.com
[7] Rafaela Ferreira Joins RB Academy – Visa Cash App RB
[8] Rafaela Ferreira – Liquipedia