18 September 2026
Five years ago, Alba Hurup Larsen had never sat in a race car — she was a competitive handball player waiting out a pandemic lockdown. Today, she's a Ferrari Driver Academy prospect who just scored back-to-back podiums at the Dutch Grand Prix, sitting fourth in the 2026 F1 Academy championship. This is the story of the fastest rise in modern junior motorsport. From stalling a kart at a local Danish track to winning the FIA Girls on Track shootout at Ferrari's Fiorano circuit, to a brutal rookie season with zero podiums, to finally breaking through at Zandvoort — with Haas driver Kevin Magnussen mentoring her every step. Is Alba Larsen the next big name in the Ferrari pipeline? Source: Formula 1 📌 Key : 1. 17-year-old Danish driver Alba Hurup Larsen scored TWO F1 Academy podiums in one weekend at Zandvoort.
2. Didn't start racing competitively until age 12 — a former handball player during COVID lockdown.
3. Won the FIA Girls on Track Rising Stars shootout at Ferrari's Fiorano test track in 2023. 4. Mentored by Haas F1 driver Kevin Magnussen, her fellow Dane,
5. Currently 4th in the 2026 F1 Academy championship standings, backed by Ferrari's development pipeline. #f1academy #AlbaLarsen #ferrari #f1 #womeninmotorsports
Role model for the next generations: discover Alba Larsen, the new Formula 1 sensation
