For F1 Academy rookie Payton Westcott, her journey into motorsport began with a shared family passion for racing, which saw her get behind the wheel of a kart for the first time at six years old. Since then, Westoctt has worked her way up through the ranks to the F1 Academy grid, where she is currently contesting her rookie season with the backing of Mercedes F1.
Heading into the final two rounds of the 2026 F1 Academy season, Westcott sits fifth in the Drivers’ Standings with 49 points, making her the highest-placed rookie on the grid. Now in just her second year of single-seater racing, the American driver continues to gain valuable experience and develop her skills as she progresses through the ranks.
In the first part of an exclusive interview with Pit Debrief, the 17-year-old reflected on her journey into motorsport, the figures who have inspired her, the lessons she has learnt along the way and more.
Where it all began for Westcott
Born in Laguna Beach, California, Westcott revealed how watching F1 became a family tradition of theirs, with her father’s passion for racing leading to her first experience behind the wheel of a go-kart at a young age.
“I couldn’t really pinpoint an exact moment when I really fell in love with racing. I grew up watching racing with my family. We always watched F1 on Sunday. It was kind of our family tradition.”, she said.
“We’d always have dinner as a family and then watch F1. And then my dad, he was also into racing. So he started racing just as kind of a hobby. He was never really a racer for his career, but he just raced a bit for fun. And then when I was very young, he put me in a go-kart and kind of just sent me out on track.”
The Mercedes-backed driver recalled how her first experience on a go-kart track at just six years old sparked her love for racing. And by the age of nine, she had set her sights on becoming a professional racing driver, beginning the journey that would eventually lead her to F1 Academy.
“If I were to have to pinpoint one moment where I really fell in love with racing, that would be it when I was just going six years old around the go-kart track and I just kept going and going.”
“And then from there, I just kept falling in love with it and when I was nine is when I really decided that I want to become a race car driver. From there, it was just getting into the racing world and every single step to where we are today now.”
Drawing inspiration from Verstappen’s racing style
When Pit Debrief asked Westcott about her racing heroes growing up and how they have influenced her driving style today, the 17-year-old named four-time F1 World Champion Max Verstappen as one of her biggest inspirations.
“I was a big fan of Max and I still am. He’s one of my favourite drivers.”, Westcott said. “I love his aggression, I love his racing style, I think he’s funny. I think that overall, he’s really in it for the love of racing and not for the media or the fame or anything else. He just loves racing, and I really admire that about him.”
The importance of building momentum in her career
“I think that there have been a ton of steps, going up the ladder as I’ve progressed from just that little kid who was karting and going around the track, not knowing that racing even existed in go-karting.”, Westcott said when Pit Debrief asked whether there had been a defining moment in her career so far that allowed her to prove herself.
“And then from there, getting into kart racing professionally. And then from there, moving to Europe was really a big step in my career, not specifically from a driving perspective, but from building momentum, building up this career that I’m hoping to continue working on.”
Having taken a leap of faith by moving to Europe for her single-seater debut, Westcott acknowledged several pivotal moments that have shaped her career. However, she emphasised that success does not come from one defining moment, but rather from the continuous effort and momentum built through each step of her journey.
She added: “So in general, there have definitely been some pivotal moments like my first kart race or, for example, moving over to Europe. Even F1 Academy this year with Mercedes, massive step in my career. So I’d say there’s been a bunch of little steps that I kind of built up to it.”
“I don’t think that it all kind of comes together at once. I think it’s all the work that goes on in the background that keeps building and building until it seems like it all happens in one moment.”
“If you don’t put in the work, you’re not going to get it” — Westcott on the lessons learnt in her career so far
For Westcott, the lessons she has learnt throughout her career so far extend beyond motorsport, as she highlighted how racing has helped her grow both mentally and personally. However, the Mercedes-backed driver believes the most valuable lesson she continues to carry with her is the importance of hard work and perseverance, recognising that success comes from consistently putting in the effort.
“That’s a really good question. There’s tons of lessons I’ve taken away from racing. Honestly, I think racing is one of the best things I could ever do for myself mentally and just personally to grow as a person. I’ve learned so much about myself through this sport and about others and the world.”
“I think the first lesson that I ever learned is probably that no matter how much you want something, if you don’t put in the work, you’re not going to get it. So you always have to be working towards your goal.”
She added: “Even if you’re thinking about it all the time, you have to be making the steps and doing the process to get to that goal. You can’t just want it bad enough. So it’s really about everything that you’re doing behind the scenes and you have to work hard. You have to build the steps, you have to learn, you have to continue to grow.”
“And I think that’s one of the things that’s powered many of my other lessons, which is taking away from that. Even if I want to grow, I still have to put in the work. I have to learn. So by realising I have to learn, I can continue to understand all of these new lessons that I’m coming now to face.”
A “firm believer” in women competing against men in motorsport
Before joining the F1 Academy grid this year, Westcott competed in the Italian F4 and E4 Championships last season and has also gained experience racing in several other mixed-gender series, including the Formula Winter Series and UAE4 Series.
While Westcott acknowledged the opportunities F1 Academy has created for women to showcase their talent and open doors in motorsport, the 17-year-old remains a firm believer in women competing alongside men. She further emphasised her belief that motorsport’s unique nature allows men and women to compete on equal terms, with neither gender holding an inherent advantage.
“I think it’s definitely given me a lot of perspective about what the different types of racing can be like. I’m a firm believer that women need to be racing against men. I know that the F1 Academy is an incredible platform and it showcases women, which is incredible.”
“And I also think that women need to be racing alongside men. It’s one of the only sports where gender does not make a difference because the strength required to drive a car is the same for everyone.”, she said.
“And that is so empowering that women can compete on the same exact level of men and beat the men. And so I think that this is really an important step to show that we can compete against men. It’s something that really we all need to do.”
“And I think that single gender or single gender racing such as F1 Academy is incredible to spotlight females, but I think that we also need to be racing against men because we can.”
