Mathilda Paatz joins the 2026 F1 ACADEMY grid with Aston Martin

The German teenager secures a full-time seat as Aston Martin strengthens its long-term driver development program.

Mathilda Paatz will contest her first full F1 ACADEMY season in 2026 after being signed by Aston Martin, with the British team backing the 17-year-old German as part of its long-term driver development strategy. The Cologne-born racer will compete with PREMA Racing and officially join the Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team Driver Academy, a significant step forward in her young career.

After beginning her racing journey in karting in 2019, Paatz quickly made her mark with a third-place finish in the 2020 ADAC Kart Masters Mini category and a victory in the 2022 Ladies Cup, laying the groundwork for her transition to single-seaters. Her move into Formula 4 proved highly effective, as she claimed two wins in the 2025 E4 Championship – Trophy Woman and secured a podium finish in the F4 Central European Zone Championship, ending the season eighth overall.

Those performances earned her a Wild Card debut in F1 ACADEMY at the Montreal round, where she drove the #8 Gatorade-liveried car run by Hitech TGR, gaining valuable experience at the championship level. Aston Martin selected Paatz following a rigorous four-driver evaluation program, which concluded with a shootout at Mugello designed to assess pace, consistency and adaptability under pressure.

“I’m really proud to be representing Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team in F1 ACADEMY next year. This is something I’ve worked incredibly hard for and my focus now is on preparing for the season ahead”, Paatz said, highlighting the support she felt from the team during her first visit to Silverstone.

Nuno Pinto, Racing Director of the Driver Academy, explained that “Mathilda not only emerged as the fastest driver, but also showed maturity, consistency and a strong competitive spirit”, qualities that secured her both the F1 ACADEMY seat and a place within Aston Martin’s development program.

Meanwhile, Jessica Hawkins, Driver Ambassador and Head of F1 ACADEMY, emphasized that “F1 ACADEMY continues to be a powerful platform for developing and showcasing emerging talent”, underlining the broader impact the series has on the future of the sport.With Paatz’s arrival, Aston Martin strengthens its commitment to nurturing female talent in motorsport, as the German teenager prepares for a defining 2026 campaign that could shape the next phase of her professional trajectory.