F1 Academy returns to Shanghai as Kaylee Countryman prepares for her series debut

Shanghai returns to the calendar for the second time after making its debut as the 2025 season opener. Although the 5.45‑kilometer circuit is technically challenging, it won’t be entirely new to the drivers as the series hosted a three-day pre-season test in February.

The race weekend begins with a single free practice session on Friday morning, followed by qualifying for both races that afternoon. Saturday’s Race 1 grid will be determined by reversing the top eight qualifiers, with those ninth onwards starting where they qualified. Sunday’s Race 2 grid will be set by each driver’s fastest qualifying lap.

Representing TGR Haas F1 Team for 2026 is American driver Kaylee Countryman, who makes her debut in the series after taking part in the Navarro Collective Test towards the end of 2025.

Ahead of the season opener, we sat down with Kaylee to discuss her preparation and expectations for Shanghai and the year ahead.

How are you feeling heading into your very first weekend representing TGR Haas F1 Team in F1 Academy? 

“I’m really excited. I know it’s going to be a big challenge because all the drivers on this year’s grid are very talented.

“I want to make sure I can extract the most out of the situations I’ll be in this year.”

What are your targets and expectations for the year?  

“I want to be more confident and prepared for the years to come – learning as much as I can.

“It would be nice to sneak a podium in there, but overall just getting the best results possible.”

How was your winter and what were your biggest takeaways from your off-season preparations, either on or off the track? 

“My winter was pretty busy and I didn’t get much downtime. I got to drive a lot through the off-season, so I’m excited to put those skills into action when I’m back on track with F1 Academy.

“I learned more about how a car handles and about myself as a driver which has helped me to improve.”

How have you been preparing for 2026? 

“I was on track as much as possible because I know that nothing really beats seat time.

“I’ve been trying to get in the simulator as much as I can as well to make sure I’m fully prepared for upcoming events.”

You recently had an F1 Academy test in Shanghai, do you think this has helped you coming into the race weekend?  

“I think so. If we just had the one practice session in China then it would be very tight to do all the preparations that you need to go through on that circuit as it’s quite unique.

“Some of the corners you don’t see them anywhere else, so I’m thankful that I’ve got the experience from the test, and I’m excited to see how the race weekend will play out with this knowledge.”

You only get one practice session over a weekend, how much importance is placed on that session? 

“Given that we have such limited time, you don’t get to know the tracks beforehand, especially those you can’t test on like Vegas or Montreal.

“You have to make sure that you’ve spent enough time on the simulator and that the team has provided you with notes and data to be fully prepared.”

What do you think will be your biggest challenges this year in F1 Academy?  

“I think inexperience will probably be my biggest challenge because I know a lot of the girls have been racing for much longer – since they were five or six – whereas I only started when I was 12.

“Even though I started late, I have been trying to squeeze in a lot of seat time, so I think I’m starting to catch up more.

“I’m excited to be on the same grid as them though, learning as much as I can from them and developing myself as a driver for future years.”