F1 Academy will continue receiving support from Formula 1 teams in new multi-year deal, as Ryan Hunter-Reay signs with Arrow McLaren for Indy500.
In a landmark agreement, F1 ACADEMY and Formula 1 have today announced that all ten current Formula 1 teams have reaffirmed their commitment to sponsor an F1 ACADEMY livery and driver in the all-female series as part of a multi-year partnership. Cadillac Formula 1 Team, who will join F1 in 2026, have also confirmed that they will join the F1 ACADEMY grid as a sponsor from 2027.
This agreement not only reiterates the sport’s deep commitment to increasing female participation in motorsport, on and off the track, but also reflects the rapidly expanding and highly competitive pool of drivers competing for a seat in the all-female F4 level series.
In addition, with a focus on deeper talent development, from 2027, drivers who have competed in the two previous seasons may be granted an exemption to race in the series for a third season, in accordance with the updated 2027 regulations. This new provision reflects a tailored approach to nurturing talent and will be granted exclusively to drivers whose performance indicates strong potential for continued growth throughout a third campaign.
The news comes at a time of continued global growth for F1 ACADEMY. The series’ brand platform has grown rapidly in the three seasons since its launch in 2023, with races broadcast in over 170 global territories, the 7-part documentary series on Netflix produced by Reese Witherspoon’s production company Hello Sunshine, F1: The Academy, and a cumulative social audience across Instagram, YouTube, X and TikTok of 1.38M.
Susie Wolff, Managing Director of F1 ACADEMY, said: “The commitment of long-term support from all ten current Formula 1 teams, and the addition of Cadillac to our grid from 2027, sends a powerful message about the future of F1 ACADEMY. We’re not just providing a platform for the current generation of female drivers; together, we’re building a pathway to support generations of talent to come.
“We continue to be impressed by the depth of female talent coming out of the world of karting and are encouraged by the growth and strength of the emerging talent pool. A sharpened focus on individualised talent development, including the opportunity for drivers with high potential to compete in up to three seasons, will give stand out drivers the support and platform needed to fully realise their potential, while ensuring that the F1 ACADEMY grid consistently features the very best female talent.”
Ryan Hunter-Reay –
Ryan Hunter-Reay, 2014 Indianapolis 500 winner and 2012 INDYCAR SERIES Champion, will join the Arrow McLaren IndyCar Team for the 110th Running of the Indianapolis 500, completing the team’s four-car lineup for the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing.” Ryan joins the team with a wealth of experience and a proven championship pedigree, having made 395 INDYCAR SERIES starts over 21 seasons, earning 18 victories and 47 podium finishes. His storied open-wheel career is highlighted by success at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway where he will attempt to qualify for his 18th Indy 500 in May. The veteran will be one of five active drivers competing who boast an INDYCAR SERIES Championship and an Indy 500 victory alongside Scott Dixon, Josef Newgarden, Alex Palou and Will Power.
Arrow McLaren continues its tradition of running an additional distinguished driver in the iconic 500-mile race. In past years, two-time Formula One champion Fernando Alonso (2017, 2020), two-time Indy 500 winner Juan Pablo Montoya (2021, 2022), 2013 Indy 500 winner Tony Kanaan (2023) and two-time NASCAR Cup Series Champion Kyle Larson (2024, 2025) have all raced in papaya in the Indy 500 as one-off entries for the team. Ryan will join Arrow McLaren’s full-time lineup of Pato O’Ward, Nolan Siegel and Christian Lundgaard at the IMS during the Month of May in 2026.
The Fort Lauderdale, Florida, native – nicknamed “Captain America” — captured ultimate success in the 2014 Indy 500 in dramatic fashion. He won by a razor-thin margin of just 0.600 seconds — the second-closest finish in the race’s storied history — holding off then three-time winner Helio Castroneves. The triumph came one year after nearly taking the checkered flag in 2013, when he led laps 193 through 197 before ultimately finishing third behind Tony Kanaan, now Arrow McLaren’s Team Principal. Ryan has continued to contend for a second win at the Brickyard in recent years, including 2025 when he charged to the front of the field and led 48 laps after starting P24 on the grid, before a fuel issue hindered his run in the closing laps.
One of the most successful American open-wheel racing drivers over the past two decades, Ryan has also tallied multiple overall IMSA sports car wins, including the 12 Hours of Sebring and Petit Le Mans. He has been invited to the Race of Champions five times and has won two ESPY ‘Driver of the Year’ awards (2013 and 2014). Ryan will pilot Arrow McLaren’s No. 31 entry in May, as he returns to competition with the same number he used for his INDYCAR SERIES debut in 2003.
Ryan Hunter-Reay, Driver, Arrow McLaren, said: “This is an incredible opportunity in so many ways. I’d like to express my gratitude to Zak, Tony and the rest of the Arrow McLaren management team for pursuing this partnership and making it a reality. It is an honor to represent and drive for one of the most iconic teams in motorsports history, an organization that spares no effort or resource in the pursuit of being at the pinnacle of the sport and of course, winning the Indy 500. After coming so agonizingly close to a shot at the win in last year’s 500, I am beyond primed and ready to make the absolute most of this partnership.”
Tony Kanaan, Team Principal, Arrow McLaren, said: “Ryan is a great addition to the Arrow McLaren IndyCar Team and just who we want in that fourth car this coming May alongside Pato, Nolan and Christian. He’s an Indy 500 champion – and if you look at our history at McLaren – that’s the reason we field a fourth car, to have one more contender in the mix. He is a proven winner, and we know he will have a strong chance to win this historic event. Ryan is one of the best teammates I’ve ever had, and we’re very excited to get started with him and have him part of our team into next May.”
Other news –
Jorge Martin handed Double Long Gap penalty for MotoGP return: https://www.motogp.com/en/news/2025/11/13/martin-given-double-long-lap-penalty-on-return/821542
[The story is as per press release]