Nina Gademan F1 Academy Driver Profile: The Dutch Racer Chasing the 2026 Title with Alpine
Nina Gademan is one of the most exciting names in the Nina Gademan F1 Academy paddock right now. The Dutch driver is in her second full season, racing for MP Motorsport with backing from Alpine. She has wins, podiums, and a Goodwood hillclimb in an F1 car already under her belt. Here is everything you need to know about her. #ThroughHerEyes
Nina Gademan F1 Academy: Fast Facts
- Full name: Nina Pothof (racing as Nina Gademan)
- Date of birth: 30 August 2003
- Nationality: Dutch
- Current team: MP Motorsport
- Car number: 3
- Backed by: Alpine Academy
Born in Wijster in the Netherlands, Gademan first climbed into a go-kart aged five and never looked back. Her teammates at MP Motorsport in 2026 are Esmee Kosterman and Alba Larsen.
Career Path: From Karting Gold to F1 Academy Wins
A finalist for the 2019 Girls On Track Le Mans Shootout, she added international gold a year later by winning the Karting Slalom Cup in the FIA Motorsport Games. Rookie honours in the PTC Cup and a runner-up finish in the TB class of the 2022 24 Hours of Zolder, as part of an all-female line-up, soon followed.
Progressing to single-seaters in 2024, Gademan made her car racing debut in the British F4 Championship, where she earned her first rookie podium at Thruxton. On 21 August 2024, she was chosen as the wildcard for Round 4 of F1 Academy at Zandvoort, where she scored points in both races, becoming the first wildcard driver to do so.
Gademan had a full-time seat in the 2025 F1 Academy season with Prema Racing, replacing 2024 F1 Academy champion Abbi Pulling as the Alpine-supported driver. The Dutch driver finished the 2025 season sixth in the standings and secured her maiden F1 Academy win in front of her home crowd in the first race at Zandvoort. She also clinched two third-place finishes in Montreal and a second-place finish at the season finale in Las Vegas.
She also helped Prema Racing secure their third consecutive Teams’ Championship title, alongside teammates Doriane Pin and Tina Hausmann. You can read more about women making history in motorsport in our feature on Jamie Chadwick at Le Mans.
2026 Season: A Strong Start and a Historic F1 Car Moment
Alpine continued to back Gademan for the 2026 F1 Academy season as she joined MP Motorsport after previously driving for Prema Racing. The move to her home Dutch team felt natural. As MP Motorsport team principal Sander Dorsman put it, “We’re all excited to welcome Nina into the MP Motorsport fold. She has been an incredible force in F1 Academy from the first moment she stepped into that wildcard seat.”
Nina Gademan dominated the opening race of the 2026 F1 Academy season, leading every lap from reverse grid pole to take her second win in the all-female series. The Alpine driver pulled off a comfortable drive, keeping a steady one-second buffer throughout the opening stages and was untroubled by a Safety Car restart with four laps remaining.
After the Silverstone round, Gademan sat third in the championship with 50 points. She finished fourth in Sunday’s race and second in Saturday’s, a decent weekend but not enough to close the gap on her direct rivals.
One of the biggest moments of her 2026 season came off the track. Gademan experienced the thrill of a Formula 1 car for the first time at Goodwood Festival of Speed. The Alpine driver hopped into the race-winning E20, the same car Kimi Räikkönen drove to victory for the then Lotus F1 Team at the 2012 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. At Goodwood, Gademan tackled the famous Hill in the E20, sharing the Alpine garage with F1 drivers Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto.
What Makes Nina Gademan Special
Gademan stands out for several reasons. She is consistent, smart under pressure, and has already shown she can win races from the front. Gademan is also a content creator with F1 Esports and Veloce Esports, making her one of the most connected and visible drivers in the junior series. She brings her personality well beyond the cockpit.
Her story is also one of resilience. Progressing to a full-time seat with Alpine in 2025, she showcased her grit and determination. Fighting back from injury, she finished sixth in the standings. That experience only made her stronger heading into 2026.
With the Dutch Grand Prix now gone from the calendar (read our farewell feature on the final Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort), Gademan carries the Dutch motorsport spirit forward in her own right. And with the 2026 F1 title race generating huge excitement around the sport, the profile of F1 Academy has never been higher.
Nina Gademan is third in the championship and still pushing hard. Keep an eye on her in the second half of the season.