Mathilda Paatz will drive in the F1 Academy in 2026. The 17-year-old is considered a great talent and signed a contract with Aston Martin.
The 17-year-old Mathilda Paatz from Cologne will drive in the F1 Academy from the 2026 season. As the Formula 1 racing team Aston Martin announced, Paatz will receive a contract and, through the cooperation with Prema Racing, a starting place in the racing series for women.
Paatz prevailed in the four-man competition in tests with Formula 4 cars on the racetrack in Mugello, Italy, Aston Martin said in a statement about the commitment of the automotive racing talent. The 17-year-old Paatz is quoted in the statement as saying that she is proud to be able to represent Aston Martin in the F1 Academy. “I worked incredibly hard for this.”
F1 Academy to promote women in motorsport
The F1 Academy is a racing series that has been running since 2023 and only features female drivers. “There is a lot to learn, including some new circuits, but I am optimistic because I have so much support from Aston Martin and Prema Racing,” said Paatz. Your first day at Aston Martin in Silverstone was great. “I immediately felt at home,” said the Cologne resident. “I can’t wait to race.”
From karting to Formula 4
Paatz started in karting and attracted attention with a few victories. In 2024 she switched to automobile racing: Paatz drove for the ADAC Formula 4 Junior Team in the French Formula 4 Championship.
In the 2025 season, Paatz started in the Formula Winter Series and in the Central European Formula 4. At the opening weekend in Spielberg (Austria), she finished ninth in the points, and on the second race weekend she came second on the overall podium – no woman had ever achieved that in this racing series, as her own team “Mathilda Racing” announced at the time.
