Ella Stevens has endured a tough start to her rookie 2026 F1 Academy campaign. The McLaren Oxagon-backed driver arrived to F1 Academy having topped the timesheets at the inaugural Rookie Test. Turning that into results has proven more difficult, as Stevens heads into the summer break sitting 16th in the Drivers’ Standings.
Stevens makes her F1 Academy debut in Shanghai
Stevens made her 2026 F1 Academy debut at Shanghai, finishing 11th in the Reverse Grid Race. Contact in the opening laps of the Feature Race ended her weekend with a retirement. She left China without points but with valuable experience from her first taste of competitive single-seater racing.
Ella Stevens scores her first career points in Montreal
F1 Academy resumed in Montreal for Round 2. The Canadian round introduced a three-race format for the first time, giving Stevens more opportunities to score. She took full advantage in the Opening Race, working her way through the field to cross the line eighth and score her first four F1 Academy points. It was the high point of her season so far.
The Reverse Grid Race proved far more costly. Stevens received a 10 second stop-and-go penalty for being out of position at the safety car line. She was then handed a further five-second penalty for speeding in the pit lane while serving it. The double penalty erased what could have been a stronger result. The Feature Race brought an 11th place finish with no further points added to her tally.
Silverstone ends in a retirement for Stevens
The Silverstone round proved one of Stevens’ toughest weekends of the 2026 F1 Academy season. A 13th place finish in the Reverse Grid Race was followed by an even more abrupt end to her Feature Race. Contact with Rafaela Ferreira over the start-finish straight on the opening lap forced both drivers to retire. For a driver already short on points, losing a full race to a first lap incident is a significant setback. Stevens left Silverstone with plenty to reflect on over the summer break.
What the second half of the 2026 F1 Academy season holds for Stevens
Stevens carries four points into the second half of the 2026 F1 Academy season. Three rounds remain at Zandvoort, Austin, and Las Vegas. Her Opening Race performance in Montreal showed what she can produce when things go her way. Replicating that in the coming rounds will be the target. Avoiding the penalties and first-lap incidents that have cost her points will matter just as much as outright pace. If she can race the way she did in Montreal with greater regularity, a much stronger second half is well within reach.
