Written by Alejandra Guajardo Lozano, Edited by Vyas Ponnuri
Women have played an influential role throughout the history of motor racing. Many have taken to the wheels of motorsport machines, while numerous figures have worked tirelessly on the sidelines in various roles, shaping the racing world to the present day. Woman Spotlight Wednesday aims to take a look at the tales of these superwomen, who have surpassed various hurdles to reach where they are today.
This time the spotlight is on the talented Brazilian driver, Rafaela Ferreira.
Aged only 19, Ferreira has attained many accomplishments in her short career, showing her potential for the future. During her karting years, she became the first woman to score a pole position in the Copa Brasil de Kart, where she finished fourth at the end of her campaign.
She then moved to the Brazilian F4 Championship, where she raced with TMG Racing. During her two campaigns in the series, she made history. First, in 2023, she became the first woman to stand on the podium in the series at Interlagos.
Then, one year later, she became the first woman to win in the series, with victories at Buenos Aires and Mogi Guaçu.
All these achievements put the Brazilian driver in the spotlight, catching the eyes of the Visa CashApp Racing Bulls team, who announced Ferreira as their representative for the 2025 F1 Academy season. She will be replacing Amna Al Qubaisi, who has concluded her maximum two-season stint according to the series regulations.
"I'm extremely happy to be driving for the Visa Cash App RB Academy Programme in F1 Academy in 2025,” said Ferreira to Formula1.com. “This opportunity represents a big step in my career and is a dream come true to work with a team that has so much talent.
I'm determined to give my best and go after great results. It'll be something new for me, but I'm confident that we will achieve a lot together. I'm already preparing and am excited for next year!"
Laurent Mekies, RB’s team principal also expressed his and the team’s excitement to work with the Brazilian rising talent.
"Everyone at the team is hugely excited to welcome Rafaela to the VCARB family. Rafaela is an exceptional emerging Brazilian talent, and we're pleased to share this global, and empowering, platform to compete, race, and grow together.”
“F1 Academy has been a great success this season, the exposure that it's generated for women's motorsport is revolutionary. I hope we can continue to inspire the next generation of female talent in motorsports, and we look forward to seeing Rafaela grow and flourish as a driver.
“The team would also like to thank Amna [Al Qubaisi] for her commitment across the season, we look forward to watching her progress and wish her the best of luck in the next phase of her career."
There is plenty in store for Ferreira’s racing journey ahead. She has shown raw talent, and her records have opened the way for many women in racing. Ferreira is surely a driver to look out for during the upcoming F1 Academy season.
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