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Kaylee Countryman, a 15-year-old American racer from Chandler, Arizona, will be driving for the MoneyGram Haas F1 Team in 2026. No, not in Formula 1, but in next season’s F1 Academy, competing with ART Grand Prix.

Countryman, who turns 16 in January 2026, only began racing three years ago at the age of 12. She is the 10th driver confirmed for the upcoming F1 Academy season.

According to the team and her website, Countryman began racing at the Phoenix Kart Racing Association (PKRA) in Glendale, Arizona. She started in the LO206 J2 class, using a four-stroke Briggs & Stratton-powered kart.

In her first year, she collected multiple podiums and earned a second-place finish at a national karting event in California. She also competed at the Grand Nationals in Indiana.

In 2023, Kaylee Countryman moved up to the two-stroke platform and raced for J3 Competition. She also earned a position as a factory driver for CompKart.

Countryman joined Exclusive Autosport for the 2025 USF Junior Season. She was one of just three females out of a field of 22 drivers. She will also compete for Exclusive Autosport in the North America-based USF2000 Championship in 2026.

In just three years, Kaylee Countryman has gone from competing in her first race to signing with an F1 team

“I’m so thrilled that I’ve been given this opportunity to represent Haas F1 Team and ART Grand Prix in the F1 Academy for 2026,” said Countryman. “I look forward to taking another step in my career and learning to work in such a professional environment. I’m particularly excited about the various circuits we’ll be visiting around the world and being part of all that F1 Academy represents. I enjoyed a productive test with ART Grand Prix, and I’m keen to build on that foundation as we go racing in 2026.”

“We’re delighted to welcome Kaylee Countryman into the team to represent us in F1 Academy from next season,” said Ayao Komatsu, Team Principal of MoneyGram Haas F1 Team. “Her personality and passion for this sport are contagious, and we want to ensure she has everything she needs to flourish in F1 Academy, whether that be access to our resources and personnel, or simply advice and guidance. I believe together, we’ll achieve some exciting things on track.”

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MotorBiscuit Senior Editor

Doug Sheckler

Doug Sheckler is a Senior Editor at MotorBiscuit and BroBible. He began his professional career working for an auto racing sanctioning body, and subsequently founded his own racing series, which remains in operation today. He has since spent the better part of two decades creating, editing, and writing for a variety of websites.

These days, he has a special affinity for hypercars and other exotic vehicles that he will never own. He also enjoys delving into stories about the world of criminals, the more foolish and/or clever the better, and is always up for a good conspiracy theory. He earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing from the University of Iowa.

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