Eleven teams fill the Formula 1 grid, and with only 22 seats available, teams are on the lookout for exceptional talent. Over the years, the F1 teams have formed driver development academies, aimed at finding and developing young talent.

Aston Martin Aramco F1 have been in the series since 2021. Their academy has taken on many forms since they arrived, starting with a Young Driver Development Programme. In 2025, they launched their Driver Academy. Alongside these two, Aston Martin also has an Ambassador Programme. But what separates these, and which young talent have the team chosen to aid on their journey?

Aston Martin F1 Driver Academy

The Aston Martin F1 Driver Academy launched in 2025. According to the team, this academy is “dedicated to identifying and developing the next generation of exceptional motorsport talent.” Through this, chosen young drivers will receive a range of benefits such as mentoring, simulator experience, training, and race weekend immersion.

Their academy is also partnered with DPK Racing, the team of Fernando Alonso’s karts. This will not only help Aston Martin find talent from grassroots series but also allow young karters to be nurtured throughout their career. Currently, two drivers are a part of this new academy.

Formula 2 rookie Mari Boya was the first driver to be signed to the new driver academy in June 2025. The young Spaniard joined competitive karting in 2015, winning the Spanish Championship on debut. In 2020, he joined the world of single-seaters, and by 2023, he was in Formula 3. Finishing the 2025 season third overall, 2026 sees Boya take on Formula 2 with PREMA Racing.

The second driver in Aston Martin’s Driver Academy is Mathilda Paatz. Starting competitive karting in 2019, the German quickly showed her potential talent. Her debut in single-seaters came in 2024 at the F4 French Championship. In 2025, she was a wildcard driver at three of the F1 Academy rounds and at the end of the year, she joined Aston Martin. 2026 sees her with PREMA Racing for the full season, and she’ll be mentored by Jessica Hawkins.

Aston Martin Young Driver Development Programme

This programme began in 2023 and was a generalised driver development programme. It aimed to develop young talent across a range of motorsports series such as F1 and endurance racing. Seemingly, this has been replaced by their new Driver Academy; however, one driver remains under this. Drivers of this programme not only received support and development from Aston Martin, but also often held other roles within the team, such as reserve driver.

American Jak Crawford joined the programme in 2024. The 20-year-old started karting in 2013, achieving his first title in 2017 at the SKUSA SuperNationals. NACAM Formula 4 in 2018-19 saw his debut in single-seater racing. Since then, his speed and talent have seen him rise through the junior ladder. Last year, he came second in Formula 2. Whilst no seat has been announced as of yet for 2026, Crawford will be Aston Martin’s official third driver for the upcoming season.

Driver Ambassadors

Alongside their development programmes, Aston Martin also holds an ambassador line-up. These drivers promote the team and assist in specific duties, from mentoring to advisory roles being held. In 2026, Aston Martin will have two ambassadors within the team.

Jessica Hawkins has been a driver ambassador for Aston Martin since 2021, and in recent years, she also serves as the team’s Head of F1 Academy. With a range of experience under her belt from single-seaters to endurance, she provides mentorship to the young female drivers, such as Paatz, as they go through the F1 Academy.

In 2022, Pedro de la Rosa joined Aston Martin as a team ambassador. Within this role, he provides assistance to maximise the team’s potential. Racing for a range of teams, he concluded his F1 career as a test driver for Ferrari in 2014. Whilst he no longer competes, De la Rosa provides Aston Martin with crucial guidance as they establish themselves and look for young talent.

Notable Alumni

Despite only being on the grid for a handful of years, Aston Martin’s driver programmes have a few notable alumni. From young drivers to ambassadors, the team have been a small part in some drivers’ careers.

Former Formula 2 Champion Felipe Drugovitch was the first member of the Young Driver Development Programme. Following his winning year, the Brazilian became their reserve driver and completed a range of TPC tests. Now, he races in Formula E for Andretti.

Tina Hausmann was also a member of the Aston Martin Young Driver Development Programme. She showed potential in Italian F4 before joining the F1 Academy in 2024. As she left the series, she also departed Aston Martin, and her plans for 2026 are yet to be announced.

Ex-Formula 1 driver and Formula E champion Stoffel Vandoorne was also a Driver Ambassador for Aston Martin. During his time with the team, he’s participated in a range of tests and shared the reserve and simulator driver role with Drugovitch. In 2026, he remains with the British team as their simulator, test and reserve driver.

Despite having limited years on the grid, Aston Martin has already helped some drivers in their careers. The launch of their new Driver Academy will help develop more talent, and partnering with Fernando Alonso’s karting team will provide drivers with more opportunities from the start of their career. 2026 will see them continue to develop the talent they have, as well as scout for more.

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