Mathilda Paatz is keeping things simple ahead of the F1 ACADEMY season

The Chinese Grand Prix weekend marks the start of Mathilda Paatz's first F1 ACADEMY season. We catch up with the newest member of the Aston Martin Aramco driver squad ahead of her first race in Aston Martin Racing Green.

Shanghai is a place of firsts for Mathilda Paatz. First F1 ACADEMY test. First F1 ACADEMY race of the 2026 season. First time racing in Asia. First real sense of the global scale of the stage she's stepping onto.

We caught up with the Aston Martin Aramco F1 ACADEMY driver between the test and the opening weekend of the 2026 edition of the ultra-competitive, all-female, single-seater series as she prepares to take the next step in her career behind the wheel.

"I've just come from the first F1 ACADEMY test, and I'm feeling pretty good heading into the first race. I've never been to Asia before, so going to Shanghai was pretty extraordinary."

Learning curve

"I'm trying to take a lot from this season, to really step up my knowledge in motorsport and in the championship. I've done lots of work in the simulator and a lot of physical training in preparation for the first race, but it's also important to prepare by getting to know the team and my engineers.

"I've learnt lots from working with the team. Not only have I developed driving skills, but also commercial knowledge and more about social media. It's great to learn more and work with Jessica Hawkins who has so much experience."

Earning it

"I want to show that I've earned my place with Aston Martin Aramco, and I want to be competitive on the track. I've gained lots of experience throughout my career. Trying to adapt as fast as possible to everything that's coming has helped me to get to this point."

Taking flight

"I'm really excited to travel around the world with the series this year. The place I'm most looking forward to is Austin. The Circuit of the Americas is the most extraordinary track. It's a really cool one. And I've never been to the US, so it'll be pretty cool to travel there.

Keeping calm

"I like to keep things simple. Any evening before hitting the track, I like to have a very chilled dinner with the chance to chat about the race and to relax. I enjoy listening to lots of music before races as well. It's important to be prepared and ready to race. After that, it's all about going with the flow."

Before Mathilda hits the track for the first time at the Chinese Grand Prix on 13-15 March, get up to speed with everything you need to know about F1 ACADEMY.