As the 2025 F1 Academy season draws to a close, Aiva Anagnostiadis has made history as one of the first Australians in the category. Having missed the final round in Las Vegas, as well as Singapore and Bahrain Testing, Anagnostiadis hasn’t had the chance to improve her Championship position.
Aiva Anagnostiadis may not have had the debut F1 Academy season she dreamed of, but she impressed nonetheless. In conversation with a Pit Debrief representative, Anagnostiadis spoke on her career progression to this point, as well as her goals for the future.
The turning point for her racing career
Anagnostiadis noted a few major turning points in terms of her career. Moving to Europe and racing in the European scene was one turning point, but being selected for the Alpine Rac(H)er program was another.
At the end of 2023, the selection for the Alpine Race(H)er program gave the Australian a confidence boost, seeing that people believed in her potential. The call from Susie Wolff offering her the Hitech TAG Heuer seat was the major turning point. This allowed her to realise her F1 Academy dreams were coming true.
“There have been a few big turning points. Racing in Europe was huge because it exposed me to a completely different level of competition. Being selected for the Alpine Rac(H)er program at the end of 2023 was another major moment – it gave me the confidence that people believed in my potential. And of course, the call from Susie Wolff offering me the Hitech TAG Heuer seat changed everything. That was the moment my dream of racing in F1 Academy became real.”
Racing in Europe also allowed the whole Anagnostiadis family to realise this was more than a hobby. This required immense sacrifice from her family. If the family did not believe this could be a career, they wouldn’t be making these sacrifices.
“I think it became real when I started racing in Europe. It required so much sacrifice from my family, and we wouldn’t have done it if we didn’t believe we could go somewhere with it. We’ve always been a racing family; Mum raced, Dad was her mechanic – so the moment my results overseas started to pick up, we all started to realise this could be more than just a hobby.”
Sacrifice in order to pursue the dream
While relocating to Europe was overall beneficial, Anagnostiadis noted the struggles that came with it. As well as sacrifice for the whole family, she left behind a normal teenage life. All of the familiar aspects of her life, including friends and school were left in Australia. The only thing that keeps her going is the belief that racing is her calling.
“The hardest part was leaving behind a normal teenage life – friends, school, everything familiar. But what kept me going was the belief that this is what I’m meant to do. Racing is the one thing that makes every sacrifice feel worth it.”
Relocating overseas at a young age
Anagnostiadis relocated overseas at a rather young age to pursue these opportunities. This means she is no stranger to adjusting to a new environment. She noted that the culture, racing scene, and expectations were all new. Regardless, she feels as though this experience shaped her into a more independent character. It also opened to her eyes to just how badly she wanted this career.
“The toughest part was adjusting to a completely new environment without the comfort of home. New culture, new racing scene, new expectations – you have to grow up quickly. But it has also made me more independent and has helped me realise how badly I want this.”
When asked whether the relocation shaped her as a person or driver, she responded positively. She stated: “Absolutely. It’s made me more resilient, more mature, and more grateful and it’s built character beyond what I could have imagined.”
Goals for the near future
Anagnostiadis was asked what her goals for her career in the next 3-5 years were. While motorsport is always twisting and turning, she remains focused on taking the necessary steps. With Formula 1 as the ultimate goal, the next steps are ideally F3, then F2. While that is the ideal goal, she remains realistic. Budget challenged are always an issue, and the family continues to make every dollar stretch.
The pathway to her goals in motorsport is certainly not straightforward without endless resources. Though this is what motivates her. She strives to prove a small budget doesn’t completely diminish your chances. So long as you work hard enough, the ultimate goal of being a professional racing driver is achievable.
“Motorsport is full of twists and turns, but I’m really focused on doing whatever it takes to keep climbing the ladder – ideally into F3, then F2, and hopefully one day F1. That’s the dream. I’m also realistic. We’re not a family with the kind of budgets most people have in motorsport, so we’ve always had to be smart and creative with the opportunities in front of us. We have to make every dollar stretch, and every step takes a lot of work, a lot of fundraising, and a lot of people believing in you and backing the journey.
“The pathway definitely isn’t as straightforward when you don’t have endless resources behind you but that’s actually what motivates me. I want to prove that you can come from a smaller budget and still break through if you work hard enough and refuse to give up. The ultimate goal is to become a professional racing driver at the highest level, but just as important to me is representing Australia on the world stage and proving that where you start doesn’t have to dictate where you end up.”
Like most of the females on the F1 Academy grid, the natural next step is Formula 3. Despite this, Anagnostiadis remains open to any pathway that gives her an opportunity to grow. FRECA is a common pathway that allows for strong development, which she would also consider. At the end of the day, it comes down to what best aligns with her career goals, as well as what is financially possible.
“I think for all of us girls in F1 Academy who have dreams of driving in F1, F3 is the natural next step, but I’m open to any route that gives me the best opportunity to grow. FRECA is also a strong development category. It all depends on what’s possible financially and what aligns best with my career goals.”
With all physical racing goals put aside, the goal for Anagnostiadis is to prove to young women—especially Australians—that they belong in motorsport. Even if the pathway isn’t clear, and budget can make it feel impossible, she wants them to have someone to look at, and see that it is possible.
“I want to show young Australians especially girls that they belong in motorsport. The pathway isn’t always clear, and it can feel impossible without a big budget particularly when you’re coming from the other side of the world but I want to be someone they can look at and think, “If she did it, maybe I can too.””
Aiming to impact the next generation of racer
After making history as one of the first Australian’s to join the F1 Academy grid, Anagnostiadis aims to inspire the next generation. Especially the next generation of Australian racers. While Australia’s motorsport scene is ever growing, the pathway into the European scene isn’t clear for many. Anagnostiadis’ goal is to clear up the pathway so other Australian’s can break into the scene.
“I hope I can inspire young drivers back home to dream bigger. Motorsport in Australia continues to grow but the pathway to Europe isn’t always obvious. I want to do what I can to make that pathway feel more accessible”
When asked whether young girls have reached out to her whether for advice or just to comment, she promptly responded. “Yes, and it’s honestly one of the best parts of this whole experience. I’ve had girls in karting message me or come up at tracks saying they follow my journey. It means a lot, and it motivates me even more.”
Anagnostiadis furthered her desire to influence and inspire young women, by sharing some advice. She emphasised the need to back yourself and work hard.
“Back yourself, even when it feels like everything is against you. Work hard, stay humble, and make the most of every opportunity because you never know which moment will change everything.every opportunity because you never know which moment will change everything.”
