Zoe Florescu confirmed for F1 Academy Zandvoort Wild Card entry with Dirt Is Good partnership

Seventeen-year-old Zoe Florescu Potolea will make her F1 Academy race debut later this season after being selected as the Wild Card driver for the Dutch round at Zandvoort, as part of a new multi-year partnership between F1 Academy and global laundry brand Dirt Is Good.

Photo credits: Fotocar13

Seventeen-year-old Zoe Florescu Potolea will make her F1 Academy race debut later this season after being selected as the Wild Card driver for the Dutch round at Zandvoort, as part of a new multi-year partnership between F1 Academy and global laundry brand Dirt Is Good.

F1 Academy announced on Tuesday that Dirt Is Good, known internationally through brands including OMO, Persil and Skip, has joined the all-female championship as its Official Partner in a deal that will extend across the 2026 season.

The partnership will officially launch during Round 2 of the championship at the Canadian Grand Prix before building towards a major activation at Round 4 at Circuit Zandvoort, where Zoe Florescu will compete in a specially branded Wild Card entry.

The young driver earned the opportunity after impressing during the 2025 F1 Academy rookie test, where she showcased strong pace in front of teams and series officials. She will now take to the grid at the Dutch Grand Prix weekend in the #15 car operated by Hitech GP.

The announcement marks another significant opportunity for Florescu as she continues progressing through the junior single-seater ranks.

“F1 Academy is all about proving yourself in a very visible, high-pressure environment,” Florescu said. “Every session counts, and you must perform when it matters most. I’m proud to be part of this moment and grateful for the support from Dirt Is Good as I take this next step.”

Florescu is currently contesting her first full season in F4 machinery, competing in the Spanish F4 Championship, one of Europe’s most competitive junior single-seater series, with Tecnicar.

Zoe first joined the 2026 Spanish Winter Championship as winter preparaion, alongside a pair of outings in Formula Winter Series, making her first appearances in Formula 4 competitions. Competing in a demanding environment the young Romanian driver demonstrated steady progress throughout the campaign, showing good potential and providing a strong foundation.

Zoe Florescu has been an exciting prospect since her high-level karting career, where she participated in some of the most prestigious karting series in the world; in 2022 she won the FIA Girls On Track - Rising Stars junior selection, securing an international karting season with support of FDA.

She has since then continued to progress with great determination and is now supported by the More Then Equal program.

In the opening round of the Spanish F4 championship, Florescu has impressively secured two top-15 finishes, with a best of 14th in a 35-car field at Valencia.

The opportunity to join the F1 Academy field therefore represents another milestone in her racing career as she prepares to compete alongside the Formula 1 weekend at Zandvoort.