F1 Academy has announced that 16 year-old Payton Westcott will join the 2025 season finale in Las Vegas as the event’s wild card entry. This year, she competed in the Formula Winter Series, Italian F4 and E4 Championships with Van Amersfoort Racing. Heading into Las Vegas in just a few weeks time, the American isn’t a newcomer to F1 Academy machinery — she was among 18 young drivers who took part in the series’ rookie test at Circuit de Navarra in September.
The aim of the test were to give girls the opportunity to showcase their talent in hopes of securing a coveted seat for the 2026 season. Demonstrating both pace and potential, Westcott impressed throughout the session, finishing third overall — just behind Ella Stevens and Lisa Billard. At the 2025 F1 Academy season finale, Westcott will be backed and supported by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority and is set to hit the streets in a themed livery and suit inspired by Las Vegas.
A young talent edging closer to the F1 Academy grid
Westcott‘s named gained traction through her involvement within the F1 Academy sphere, having taken part in several of the series’ initiatives. Despite only a few years of competitive karting experience, she gained recognition through the Champions of the Future Academy program and earned the F1 Academy Discover Your Drive scholarship in the OK-N Senior class, where she was able to showcase her talent in the European karting scene. Since then, she made the step up to single-seaters this year, marking a significant milestone in her racing career.
Ahead of the final round in Las Vegas, Managing Director of F1 Academy Susie Wolff shared a few words:
“Finishing our third season in Las Vegas will be an unforgettable moment for F1 ACADEMY. With Visit Las Vegas supporting the Wild Card entry, we will celebrate the iconic spirit of the sports and entertainment capital of the world while giving a young American driver who has risen through the F1 ACADEMY pipeline, the chance to race with us on what is now regarded as one of the most exciting race weekends in F1. We cannot wait to end the season and crown our third F1 ACADEMY champion under the dazzling lights of the Las Vegas strip.”
Adding to Wolff’s statement, Kate Wik, Chief Marketing Officer of Visit Las Vegas, added:
“We’re honored to support Payton Westcott as the Las Vegas-sponsored Wild Card driver for the F1 ACADEMY season finale and to have this milestone moment unfold in Las Vegas. The energy and ambition of F1 ACADEMY mirror the spirit of our city: bold, innovative, and unstoppable. Las Vegas has truly become the ultimate stage for global sporting excellence, and we’re proud to help champion the next generation of talent.”
To end the year, the 16 year-old shared what it means to her to be able to race in Las Vegas as an American: “I’m so proud to be racing as the F1 ACADEMY Wild Card driver in Las Vegas, especially as an American driver. It’s incredibly special to be part of this moment on home turf. I’m hugely grateful to F1 ACADEMY and Visit Las Vegas for this opportunity. To be racing on the iconic Las Vegas Strip, under the lights, is a dream come true.”
