Former Ferrari F1 Academy driver issues emotional plea after ‘toughest year by far’
Maya Weung was a leading light in the F1 Academy series in 2024/25
Former Ferrari F1 Academy driver Maya Weug has issued an emotional plea for teams and partners to “get in touch” in light of her motorsport career stalling in 2026.
Weug emerged as one of the leading contenders in the all-female F1 Academy series, finishing in the top three in the championship in 2024 and 2025.
Former Ferrari F1 Academy driver’s career stalls
The 22-year-old, who competes under a Dutch racing licence, fell short of last year’s title as Mercedes junior Doriane Pin took the crown.
Weug stepped away from F1 Academy ahead of the 2026 season but remains a mentor to current Ferrari driver Alba Hurup Larsen, a 17-year-old racer from Denmark.
Weug’s own racing career has stalled in 2026, with the youngster limited to three appearances in the Belcar Endurance Championship.
She had been hoping to compete in the Zolder 24 Hours at the end of this month before the plans fell through, leaving her with an empty schedule.
In an emotional post to social media, Weug lifted the lid on the harsh realities of motor racing as she reflected on the “toughest year of my career by far” in 2026.
And she urged potential teams and sponsors to contact her in a bid to get back on track.
Weug wrote: “I don’t really know how to write this one.
“I’ve been trying to show you the positives all season, but the truth is this has been the toughest year of my career by far.
“One year ago I was fighting for a championship, taking wins and standing on the podium almost every weekend. I never thought that not even a year later I’d be in this position.
“There was a great plan going into this season. Shortly before it started it all fell apart, for reasons out of my control.
“By then it was very late to put something else together, and on my own it has been really difficult to get any racing at all.
“I was lucky to get three races in Belcar, and I’m really grateful to ART Racing for giving me that opportunity.
“We finished on the podium on my debut in a GT car. But the 24h of Zolder I had coming up isn’t happening anymore either. So right now, I have no races coming up.
“I’ve kept working. Trackside coaching Alba and others, as well as spending time on the engineering side.
“I’ve learned a huge amount and I’ve grown a lot as a person this year.
“But I don’t want to watch. I want to race. I want to be back on track at the highest level and show what I’m actually capable of.
“That’s what I want to do for the rest of my life and I’m working every single day to get back in the car.
“Motorsport is a tough environment. I think I just expected that the results I put together over the past years would have counted for something.
“Thank you to everyone who has been supporting me through the tough times.
“The people close to me keep telling me that when one door closes another one opens, and I’m choosing to believe them.
“So if you’re a team, a partner, or you know the person I should be speaking to, please get in touch.
“I’ll be back on track.
“Maya”
Weug’s post has received more than 30,000 ‘likes’ at the time of writing with Oliver Bearman, the Haas F1 driver and a graduate of Ferrari’s junior scheme, among those to show their support.
The official F1 Academy account wrote: “We’re so proud of all you’ve achieved so far Maya. The best is yet to come.”
Dino Beganovic, the current Ferrari junior who has made two FP1 appearances with the Scuderia so far in F1 2026, added: “Keep pushing Maya, you have showed everyone what you can do and your talent since karting. Keep believing in yourself and don’t give up.”
Abbi Pulling, the 2024 F1 Academy champion, said: “You’re too much of a talent to not be behind the wheel Maya! Don’t give up, don’t let the light dim. We’re all behind you, your journey isn’t over, remember that.”
Alice Powell, the experienced racing driver who acts as an F1 pundit, wrote: “Keep pushing Maya, it would be a huge waste of talent and the best is yet to come!”
Pippa Mann, the former IndyCar racer, added: “I’m so sorry this is happening to you. Keep digging, keep chasing, keep working, keep pitching sponsors, keep taking whatever rides you can get, keep dreaming.
“You’re a talented racer who deserves to be behind the wheel.”
Females in Motorsport, the volunteer-run online platform which champions female involvement in motor racing, added: “It’s such a shame to see one of our top women racing drivers struggling to continue their racing journey, especially with so much more potential to show.
“We’re rooting for you, Maya.”
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