Red Bull confirms double contract extension for 2026 F1 Academy season
Red Bull has enjoyed huge success in F1 with the likes of Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen
Red Bull has announced that Alisha Palmowski and Rafaela Ferreira have signed new contracts to remain in the F1 Academy series for the F1 2026 season.
The final round of the all-female F1 Academy series, headed by former Williams F1 tester Susie Wolff, is being held at this weekend’s Las Vegas Grand Prix.
Red Bull retain two drivers for 2026 F1 Academy season
Doriane Pin remains on course to secure the F1 Academy title in Nevada, with the Mercedes-affiliated driver holding a nine-point lead over Ferrari-backed Maya Weung ahead of this weekend’s double header.
The title contenders will start fourth and fifth respectively for the first race in Vegas, with Red Bull Ford racer Chloe Chambers, the Chinese-born American driver, claiming pole position in Thursday’s qualifying session.
Palmowski and Ferreira are competing in their first full seasons in F1 Academy in 2025, representing the Red Bull Racing Pepe Jeans Academy Programme and the Visa Cash App Racing Bulls Academy Programme respectively.
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Palmowski, the British driver, currently sits fifth in the 2025 standings after winning the opening race of the season in China in March.
Ferreira, of Brazil, recorded her best result of the season with a fifth-place finish in the same race in Shanghai and currently occupies 12th place in the championship.
Ahead of the season finale, Red Bull has issued a statement confirming that both drivers will remain in place for the 2026 F1 Academy season.
Palmowski said: “I’m really excited to continue my F1 Academy journey with Red Bull Racing.
“I’ve loved being part of the team this last year and can’t wait to continue working hard next season.”
Laurent Mekies, the Red Bull F1 team principal, added: “We’re very excited that Alisha will be continuing her journey in F1 Academy with Red Bull Racing.
“She has had a very promising rookie season and is going from strength to strength.
“She embodies the Red Bull spirit and is a fantastic flagbearer for Red Bull Racing in F1 Academy.”
Ferreira said: “Returning for another season in F1 Academy will give me the chance to further develop my skills as a driver and I’m honoured to represent the VCARB family in the series.”
Peter Bayer, the Racing Bulls chief executive, added: “Everyone at VCARB is thrilled to have Rafa represent our team for another season.
“She has become a big part of our family over the last year, and both Alan [Permane, team principal] and I are excited to see how she continues to develop going into her second season.”
Sarah Harrington, the programme manager of the Red Bull Academy Programme, said: “As a team, we’re delighted to keep Alisha and Rafa on board for next year.
“We’ve enjoyed some great moments with both of them this season, particularly their debuts in Shanghai.
“Both have continued to progress as the year has gone on, and we’re eager to see their development as second-year drivers in 2026.”
More on Red Bull Racing and Racing Bulls from PlanetF1.com
Red Bull’s driver lineups for F1 2026 are yet to be confirmed, with only reigning four-time world champion Max Verstappen guaranteed a place for next season as things stand.
It is widely expected that Isack Hadjar will become Verstappen’s new teammate at Red Bull Racing following an impressive rookie season in F1 2025, with F2 star Arvid Lindblad likely to make his Formula 1 debut with Racing Bulls in F1 2026.
If so, that would leave Yuki Tsunoda and Liam Lawson competing for the final Racing Bulls seat alongside Lindblad.
It is believed that Lawson is currently the driver most likely to be left without a seat for F1 2026 despite Red Bull’s highly successful partnership with Honda, Tsunoda’s long-term backer, concluding at the end of this year.
Red Bull will produce its own engines for the first time next season via its newly established Powertrains division, working in collaboration with US manufacturer Ford, as Honda enters a technical partnership with the Aston Martin team.
A final decision on Red Bull’s driver roster for F1 2026 is expected to be made before the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on December 7.
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