Meet the Aussie teen on track to become F1’s next female star

At just 17, Aiva Anagnostiadis is racing towards history. The promising motorsport talent is on the fast track to becoming a Formula 1 driver.

Words by Jacqui Felgate for bodyandsoul.com.au

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Aiva Anagnostiadis has been a competitive go-kart racer since age six.

Now the 17-year-old self-confessed adrenaline junkie from Melbourne is driving in the F1 Academy in cars that can reach speeds of 230km/h.

Launched in 2023 by Formula 1 to develop young female drivers and ready them for higher levels of motorsport, the academy provides top-tier training, funding and competition in the hope of propelling female drivers into Formula 1.

Anagnostiadis hopes to become the first female F1 driver of the modern era, inspiring the next generation of women motorsport drivers.

Driving is in Aiva’s blood

“My mum’s dad owned a kart shop and that’s how my mum got into karting,” Anagnostiadis says.

“Mum (Barbara) gave it up when she had my brother (James) and me, but when I was about six and my brother was three she got back into the sport.”

Anagnostiadis says she instantly wanted to jump into the kart.

“I just fell in love with it,” she recalls.

“My dad (Adam) was the mechanic for my mum since she was 15, and he was the mechanic to all three of us
at one stage.”

Making the move to the UK for racing

Anagnostiadis moved to the UK with her family in 2024 to further her racing dreams.

“I was accepted into the Alpine Rac(H)er Academy in late 2023,” she says.

“It was an amazing opportunity, but it meant moving to the other side of the world.”

Anagnostiadis admits it was a huge sacrifice for their family and says it has been challenging at times.

“It’s brought our family closer together – in particular my brother and I,” she says.

“He’s a racer, too (in the Mercedes F1 junior program) and we support each other with our racing and training.”

Aiva’s daily training routine

Anagnostiadis knew from the moment she first sat behind the wheel of a go-kart that she wanted to be a competitive driver.

“It’s hard to explain but there’s just a feeling when you drive… There’s total clarity of mind,” she notes.

“Of course it’s a team sport but when you’re in the car, it’s only you out there and whether you end up on the podium is down to you.”

She says the sport’s physical side is challenging.

“I’m in the gym every day, sometimes twice a day because the physical training is vital to success,” she explains.

“I work with a trainer doing weight training five times a week and cardio every single day.

“To be successful as a driver there’s skill and strategy but you need to be super fit – when the car is going at 230km/h I’m burning upwards of 500 calories in 30 minutes.”

Why Aussie drivers are making waves in global motorsport

Taking her place in the F1 Academy, Anagnostiadis joins other Aussie drivers Oscar Piastri and Jack Doohan in a line-up punching above their weight.

“The Aussies kind of stay close overseas,” she says.

“I’ve known Jack for years and seeing these two Aussie boys at the top level of motorsport, it’s pretty amazing.

“When you think about the small Australian population compared to the number of people racing in Europe, it’s just insane what we’re achieving.”

What the F1 Academy means for female drivers

Anagnostiadis believes more women will enter the sport in the future.

“When I was a kid, the only female I knew who was racing was my mum,” she says.
“But now the F1 Academy means girls like me can access incredible opportunities to showcase our skills and give us seat time.”

She says it’s opened up little girls’ eyes and shown them how their dreams can become a reality.

“The F1 Academy has given us the belief that we can get there,” Anagnostiadis explains.

“If we get a female in F1, it is going to grow even more now we have the backing and support to reach the top – and the partners that are part of it are pretty awesome too.”

Until the time a female driver takes to the F1 grid, this determined teen is already living her dream and doing everything she can to succeed.

“At this level, motorsport isn’t something you can just do on the side,”  Anagnostiadis says.

“I live and breathe motorsport. To be successful in the sport, it has to be your top priority.”

This article first appeared in bodyandsoul.com.au