Esmee Kosterman secures full-time F1 Academy seat with LEGO Racing for 2026
- RACERS
- 8 hours ago
- 3 min read
Esmee Kosterman will step up to a full-season F1 Academy campaign in 2026 after being announced as the first-ever driver for LEGO Racing.
Esmee Kosterman will step up to a full-season F1 Academy campaign in 2026 after being announced as the first-ever driver with LEGO sponsorship, following the launch of a major multi-year partnership between the LEGO Group and F1 Academy. The collaboration was revealed in the pitlane of the Las Vegas Strip Circuit during the F1 GP build-up, and marks a significant new commitment by the brand to inspiring young fans—especially girls—through representation and creative play.
As part of the agreement, LEGO Racing will enter the F1 Academy grid from 2026, with Kosterman leading the programme in her debut full-time season. The team that will run the LEGO-sponsored car has not been announced yet.
Before transitioning to single-seaters, the 20-year old Dutch driver built a strong foundation in closed-wheel racing: she competed in the Ford Fiesta Sprint Cup Benelux, where she made history as the first woman to win a race in the series, before stepping up to the Dutch Supercar Challenge, Lamera Cup, and the BMW M2 Cup. Kosterman then completed a testing programme to prepare her single-seater debut in 2024, before joining the Indian F4 grid. At the Madras International Circuit, she impressed immediately, securing two top-10 finishes in her first weekend in formula cars.
In 2025, Kosterman entered four British F4 events, including the non-championship round supporting the British Grand Prix. Her debut came at the Silverstone season opener, where she impressed with a best finish of 11th and completed three clean races to build confidence in a highly competitive field. She returned for the Snetterton round, recovering from a difficult qualifying to gain eight positions in Race 1 and finishing 13th, later scoring her first British F4 championship points in the reverse-grid race.
At the British GP non-championship event, she secured a best of 17th, and repeated that result on home soil at Zandvoort, gaining valuable mileage at the circuit ahead of her F1 Academy debut.
As the 2025 Wild Card entry at Zandvoort, in fact, Kosterman was the protagonist of one of the highlight stories of the season: she qualified ninth, narrowly missed the top ten in Race 1, and surged to seventh in Race 2, becoming the only wild card driver this year to score points in F1 Academy.
To wrap up the year, Kosterman joined the Saudi Arabian F4 Championship from the second round in Bahrain, where she has been one of the revelations of the season. She has so far finished every race in the points, secured four consecutive wins in the Female Trophy, and achieved a personal-best overall finish of sixth—both in Bahrain and Jeddah. She now leads the female standings and sits eighth overall.
Her 2026 challenger will now feature a LEGO Racing livery, unveiled in Las Vegas alongside the first co-created LEGO set: the LEGO Speed Champions F1 Academy LEGO Race Car, a 201-piece model featuring Kosterman’s #32 machine and a matching minifigure.
“To be the first driver for LEGO Racing is such an exciting opportunity, and I can't wait to continue my racing journey with F1 Academy", Kosterman said. "I've long been a fan of the LEGO brand, its creativity and what it stands for and to bring it to the track from the 2026 season onwards is incredible. I hope this inspires future generations of female drivers, that with hard work and determination, anything is possible!”
The announcement arrives at a moment of rapid growth for women in motorsport, with F1 reporting that 42% of its global fanbase is now female. Research released by the LEGO Group highlights a generational shift, with 87% of girls surveyed wanting more opportunities for girls in motorsport.
“F1 Academy is levelling the playing field in motorsport, giving young female athletes a clear pathway to achieve their dreams in the top tiers of the sport", Julia Goldin, Chief Product & Marketing Officer of the LEGO Group, added. "We can’t wait to see LEGO Racing join the F1 Academy grid and are so excited to have Esmee as our driver. For the first time, fans can hold their favourite F1 Academy LEGO car in their hands, and I’m thrilled that we’re securing female representation in racing toys for young girls."
