Kaylee Countryman‘s 2026 F1 Academy rookie season has brought both promising performances and setbacks, with the 16-year-old targeting greater consistency in the final rounds.
The American stepped up to the all-female championship after quickly progressing through North American karting and single-seaters. Countryman first tested F1 Academy machinery during 2025 in-season testing in Navarra, where she caught the attention of the TGR Haas F1 Team before securing a full-time 2026 seat with ART Grand Prix.
After five rounds, Countryman sits P14 in the Drivers’ Standings with 14 points. She claimed her maiden F1 Academy podium in Montreal while continuing to navigate the challenges of her debut campaign.
In an exclusive interview with Pit Debrief earlier this year, Countryman reflected on how she’s adapted to the championship, the lessons she’s learned so far, and the support she’s received from Haas.
Adapting to life at ART Grand Prix
Alongside F1 Academy, Countryman is also competing in the 2026 USF2000 Championship, balancing two different racing environments. Adjusting to how European teams operate has been a key part of her learning curve, with the Shanghai opener proving particularly valuable.
“Yeah. Shanghai, we did a test there, and it was my first time there. Shanghai is a really, really fun circuit. I think also just trying to get accustomed to how they run in Europe because it’s very different,” she explained.
“Some people may not think about this, but it’s very different from how they run over here to over in Europe. I mean, over here, we have one engineer who manages one, two, three, six cars. And over there, we have one engineer per car. So, I have my own engineer. My own two mechanics are always with me.”
With ART Grand Prix based in Saint-Pierre-du-Perray, France, Countryman has also had to navigate a language barrier within the team.
“And most of the time, there’s also a language barrier. So, thankfully, well, the whole team that I’m on speaks French, but a few of them, half of them, speak English. And my engineer speaks really good English. So, we’re able to communicate pretty well. And he’s always on the radio or always making sure everything works properly. It’s just so much more serious over there. So, trying to get my hands on everything with understanding that and I think Shanghai was really the understanding point.”
A bittersweet start in Shanghai
Countryman also reflected on the excitement of racing during a Formula 1 weekend, with the atmosphere around the circuit making the experience even more special.
“Because, I mean, also being with F1, there were so many people there. It sold out seats at that point. Yeah, I mean, driving in the F1 pit lane on an F1 weekend, just being there was amazing. Thankfully, when I was actually there, I got to go see some of the Grand Prix in Haas’s garage, I suppose. So, that was a really cool experience as well.”
However, Round 1 also brought an unexpected electrical issue during Qualifying, leaving Countryman starting P17. She went on to finish P16 in the Reverse-Grid Race before recovering to P13 in the Feature Race.
“But as a driver, Shanghai and quali, we had some electrical issues that obviously put us back. And then, thankfully, the field in F1 Academy is a blessing and a curse. It’s very, very tight. So, it’s very hard to pass, especially on a track like Shanghai, where there’s a few passing opportunities.
“But unless you’re a whole step faster than the car in front, it’s pretty hard to get around them. Especially since we don’t have push-to-pass or huge differences with aero or anything. Or huge differences with tyres. Most of the time, the tyres are relatively around the same length for all of us. Like, life length, I mean.”
She added: “And around here, all the teams in the U.S. are very, very different. Different strategies sometimes. Different car setups. But also, I don’t know how to explain it, but like I mentioned, I mean Europe versus the U.S. is a very different way of racing in general, I feel like.”
Countryman: “I just need to be more consistent”
Despite the early difficulties, Countryman showed promise in Montreal, qualifying P8 and P9. She later turned her strong one-lap pace into a P7 in the Opening Race before securing her maiden F1 Academy podium with P2 in the Reverse-Grid Race.
“But from Canada, I think I had a better grasp on it from Shanghai. And was able to put together a good enough quali, which is obviously a confidence boost. And then, be consistently fighting in the front half for most of the races. So, that was really nice.”
“And Silverstone, a bit of a setback. But we tested at Zandvoort. And I think we have, hopefully, a good chance at Zandvoort. And if not, then COTA or Vegas. But I just need to get a bit more consistency in it, I think. But now, what we’ve shown for Montreal, I think that we’ve shown that we can be fighting up there. But I just need to be more consistent with actually doing it, I suppose.”
Since the interview, Countryman qualified P12 at Zandvoort before finishing P9 in the Reverse-Grid Race, narrowly missing out on a points-paying finish. She then took P16 in Sunday’s Feature Race.
The support behind Countryman’s rookie 2026 F1 Academy season
When Pit Debrief asked Countryman what Haas’s backing meant to her, the American racing driver said:
“Yeah, I think that they’re a great support. They’re always helping. Some of the people from the team are always reaching out to me, ‘Hey, how’d this go? Good luck in this.’ Like I mentioned, I was able to see the race with them in the garage. All the media crew and anyone who works with me in F1 Academy for Haas is very, very nice. And I also think them being American, I mean, it’s helpful. It’s always nice. So I’m really happy to be with them, and I think it’s a great opportunity.”
Countryman has also met Team Principal Ayao Komatsu and Haas F1 drivers Ollie Bearman and Esteban Ocon on several occasions. Although their schedules limit how often they speak, she recalled receiving advice as she approached her debut 2026 F1 Academy season.
“I think I met with them a few times. I met with Ollie and Esteban for the official launch in December, of course. And then I’ve seen them a few times since then. I saw them after my Montreal podium.”
“And, I mean, we don’t really talk that much, of course. I mean, they’re a bit busy. But I think that when I talked to them the first time, they were very, very nice. Always asking how my seasons are going. I knew how theirs was going. I mean, they’re in F1, so it’s easy to see that. But they were very, very thoughtful about it. And I think that they gave some good advice at the time, just pretty much keeping your head down and just that you’re still in the learning phase, so just remembering that.”
Rookie lessons and teamwork
Driving alongside rookie teammates Jade Jacquet and Lisa Billard, Countryman explained how comparing data helps them learn from one another and identify areas for improvement.
“I know that Lisa and Jade did a season at F4, French 4, before that. So I know that they do have some experience like me as well. So it’s always good to be learning with them, and we all compare our data to one another so we can see maybe she’s doing better in Turn 6 and I’m doing better in Turn 5 or 4 or something.”
“So it’s always good to see different techniques and to always compare yourself against your teammates because there’s likely a few different ways where you can do each corner. And we all drive differently. Each driver has their own style. So I think it’s always good to see how they adapt to it and what I could have done better with the same car and et cetera.”
Among the three ART Grand Prix drivers, Billard currently leads the team with 15 points, followed by Countryman on 14, while Jacquet is yet to score.
With the final two rounds set for Austin and Las Vegas, Countryman will aim to build on her Montreal podium and deliver more consistent results on home soil.
