S’pore teenage race driver Kareen Kaur determined to get to F1 Academy after rookie test experience

SINGAPORE – Over the past few years, Kareen Kaur has closely followed F1 Academy while forging her own path in motor racing, holding on to the dream of competing on that very stage one day.

In September, she took a step towards that goal, after becoming the first Singaporean to take part in the F1 Academy Rookie Test, a talent-scouting and development programme set up to identify, assess and prepare young drivers for potential future seats in the all-female junior single-seater championship.

The 16-year-old was among 18 drivers from around the world who were selected for the Rookie Test, which took place in Circuito de Navarra in Spain from Sept 9 to 11.

While it was only a few days long, it was an invaluable experience for the teenager, who gained insight into what it takes to be a driver on the series.

The CHIJ Secondary (Toa Payoh) student said: “I’m really grateful that I got selected because only 18 girls worldwide get selected for it.

“Being selected is something to show me how far I’ve come, my journey and that I’m trying to prove myself that I can be at the top.”

Launched in 2023, the F1 Academy is a female-only, junior-level single-seater racing championship aimed at helping young drivers progress through the pyramid, including Formula 3, F2 and then F1.

The Rookie Test was introduced in 2025 to give aspiring drivers a platform to showcase their skills and possibly earn their spot on the series.

In Spain, Kareen was attached to a team to experience the race environment first-hand, attending driver briefings and engineering sessions, giving her a close-up look into the demands of competing at the elite level.

As part of the programme, she also took part in media briefings and activities aimed at preparing drivers for off-track responsibilities they will have to take on in a professional racing career.

The highlight for Kareen came during the on-track test, during which she got to drive an F1 Academy car.

Being surrounded by an all-female field was also particularly memorable for Kareen, who regularly competes against boys in Asia.

“I was really happy because I’d never seen 18 girls in one shot and when I got there, I saw all 18 of us and I was really happy to see more females in this motor-sport category and they’re also fast,” said Kareen, who is Singapore’s first female F4 driver and races for Evans GP.

“It was pretty exciting because F1 Academy, it was always my dream to be inside so when I saw the cars up close and being able to drive it was a great experience for me – it was a different feeling, just so much more exciting and I wish I had two to three more days to drive it instead of one day.”

There, she got to meet and learn from some of her favourite drivers from the series such as Alba Larsen, Natalia Granada and Mathilda Paatz.

While she was not able to perform at her best due to some technical issues, the experience has only fuelled Kareen to keep pursuing this dream.

She said: “I can still keep on going because they (F1 Academy) told me I can keep on going.

“I don’t think it’s step back for me, it’s just a way for me to keep improving and to be a better driver and to keep on progressing. It’s motivated me to keep on working harder and never give up.”

It has not been an easy journey, with Kareen having to balance racing with her studies.

When she travels for races, she is often studying while on the move and during non-race weekends, her days are packed with tuition classes.

But seeing her dedication and how this pursuit has moulded her character has inspired her parents to support her ambitions, even if it means having to take multiple loans to do so.

Her father Kuldeep noted that he sends about 15 to 20 e-mails a day to prospective sponsors and is grateful to cybersecurity software company Admin by Request and home-grown fashion label Charles and Keith for their support in Kareen’s journey.

Such backing is crucial, especially as the family plans to give Kareen more opportunities to race in Europe in 2027 and are currently exploring various options to faciliate that.

The 46-year-old managing director said: “Without these pillars of support, Kareen wouldn’t be where she is now...

“If you’re living in Europe, there are multiple race tracks there and for us, the nearest is Sepang in Malaysia and that is only one type of track.

“Drivers need different types of tracks, different turns, conditions to be better and faster, so we are looking forward for any sponsors who can help Kareen out.”