Alba Larsen’s life is moving quickly these days. Just this year, the 16-year-old Danish racing prodigy made her debut in the F1 Academy, the all-female, single-seat championship circuit founded by former driver Susie Wolff to tackle the gender gap in motorsports. Larsen’s had a Netflix film crew follow her around for the F1: The Academy docuseries and she’s already posed for more magazine spreads than she probably could have ever dreamed.
It all started in 2020, when on a whim, Larsen took a spin on a go-kart. Three years later, she earned the prestigious Zealand Championship karting title and caught the attention of the motorsport world. She was subsequently invited to compete in a global talent search, the FIA Girls on Track Rising Stars program, sponsored by the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile and Ferrari. Larsen blew past the competition.
“She only started racing in 2020,” says Lars Hemming Jorgensen, Larsen’s manager. “And four years later, she was crowned the fastest in the world under 18. It’s the equivalent of watching a sport at the Olympics that you’ve never seen before. And then next to the Olympics winning gold.”
Larsen is ranked seventh in the F1 Academy standings. Though one of the youngest drivers on the track, she radiates the poise and quiet confidence necessary to be a successful professional athlete.
From her sunny family home in Denmark, Larsen reflects on having suddenly found herself in the spotlight. “I think it’s quite fun. It’s not something that many people experience, so having all these amazing experiences is just incredibly cool,” she says. “Every time I get an opportunity to go to a big event, I usually say yes just to enjoy every step of the road.”
Her analysis is astute. Not many people get to experience racing on a world-class level. The barrier for entry is even higher for women. Only five females have ever competed in an F1 race. Programs like the F1 Academy were created specifically to address this disparity by closely mentoring young drivers and nurturing their talent from the ground up. The Academy’s ultimate goal is to get a woman back competing on the Formula 1 track.
“That’s also something that inspires me to work hard,” Larsen says. “I’ve had some young girls come up to me to tell me how amazing they think it is to have girls racing. And they told me they want to be like me. I think that’s something that motivates me to do even better.”
In fact, Larsen has already launched her own program, Girls International Racing Lab (G.I.R.L.), to help clear hurdles for the next generation of drivers. “It’s inspiring to see an athlete who is still competing thinking about the next generation,” Jorgensen says, “rather than just waiting for someone who’s 42, retired and a billionaire to set up an academy or write a book.”
But to make real impact in lives and on the track, you need a strong pit crew. And Larsen had no shortage of support. Tommy Hilfiger announced a partnership with Larsen at the 2024 Las Vegas Grand Prix. The iconic fashion brand provides her with her fittingly bold red, white and blue uniform and helmet. She considers her uniform to be a secret weapon of sorts: “As soon as you put on the suit and helmet, you close the visor, and then you’re in the zone, and that’s it.”
Legendary sports car manufacturer Ferrari also invited Larsen to join its Driver Academy, which functions as a talent development pipeline, offering mentorship, financial support and top-level training. Several of the Academy’s drivers are graduating to Formula 1.
And then there’s Forbes Travel Guide, which collaborated with Larsen’s team to help ease the travel burden of the grueling racing season by curating stays at luxury hotels around the globe that have goals of female empowerment.
“Selecting hotels with female leaders is really smart,” Jorgensen says. “Just like motorsports, where it’s less than 2% of race car drivers that are female, I think it’s less than 10% of general managers that are female. It’s just a very elegant way of shining the light, showing role models, showing others we belong here.”
Robert-Jan Woltering, managing director of Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star De L’Europe Amsterdam, where Larsen stayed ahead of the challenging Zandvoort circuit, explains, “When I heard [Larsen’s] story and the fact that it’s a female driver, it was something that is not only impressive, but also amazing. And that’s where, personally, I saw the link with the hotel.”
The Amsterdam hotel features 14 specialty suites in its ‘t Huys wing, each celebrating the city’s cultural legacy through creative interpretations — many of which are from women. One notable unit is the Harper’s Bazaar Suite, curated by the magazine’s visionary editor-in-chief, Miluska van ‘t Lam. She infused the space with her discerning taste, using muted pinks and striking pieces of art.
Another accommodation highlight is the vibrant Sisters Janssen Suite. Inspired by the tradition of the divine feminine, the energetic space captivates with colors, abstract wall art and a goddess sculpture done by the dynamic sister artist duo’s mother.
After a demanding weekend of races at Zandvoort, Larsen recuperated 30 minutes away in her De L’Europe Amsterdam suite. After a great night’s sleep, ice cream in bed and time at the spa, she has already turned her sights to her next race in Singapore on October 3 to 5. Once she crosses the finish line there, she’ll be off to Las Vegas in late November, closing out her rookie season with a night race, amid the dramatic spectacle of the Strip’s famous lights, with the goal of winning an F1 Academy race.
With such a promising start, there’s no doubt Larsen’s second season will be one to watch. “She’s going to be fully prepped for ’26,” Jorgensen says, “where I would say she’s a top-three favorite, if not the favorite.”
Podium or not, Larsen is looking to the future with one audience on her mind — young girls with dreams of getting into motorsport. “I think it’s super important to show young girls that you can be whatever you want,” Larsen says. “You can be a racer, if you want to do that. Or you can be something else, like a race engineer or something. You can be whatever you want.”
