Jordan's Track Talk

Tag: Esmee Kosterman

  • Lego & F1 Academy to partner in 2026

    The LEGO Group and F1 Academy have announced an exciting multi-year partnership to inspire young fans, especially girls, through creative play and representation.

    As part of this collaboration, the LEGO Group will be represented on the F1 Academy grid starting with the 2026 F1 Academy season, with Lego Racing piloted by driver Esmee Kosterman at the wheel.

    In 2026, Kosterman will serve as the premiere driver for Lego Racing during her first full season in F1 Academy.
    The 20 year old Dutch driver has a rich history in the kart racing circuit and became the first woman to win in the Ford Fiesta Sprint Cup series in 2023, before going on to finish second in the Junior Cup and third in the overall standings.

    In 2024, Kosterman moved into single seaters with Indian F4 and made her F1 Academy debut as the Wild Card entry at Round 5 of the season in Zandvoort, her home race.

    We’re so proud to welcome the LEGO Group as an Official Partner of F1 ACADEMY. This collaboration isn’t just about the possibility of building an F1 ACADEMY LEGO car, it’s about building belief in what’s possible. With our first partnership product, fans will be able to create something that stands for opportunity and representation. We hope every young girl who picks up these bricks sees more than just a model, she sees herself, her potential, and her place in the world of motorsport whether as a fan, engineer, driver or leader. Together, we’re challenging outdated perceptions of who belongs in motorsport and empowering the next generation of young women to build their own paths.
    Susie Wolff, Managing Director of F1 Academy.

    F1 ACADEMY is levelling the playing field in motorsport, giving young female athletes a clear pathway to achieve their dreams in the top tiers of the sport. We can’t wait to see LEGO Racing join the F1 ACADEMY grid and are so excited to have Esmee as our driver. For the first time, fans can hold their favourite F1 ACADEMY LEGO car in their hands, and I’m thrilled that we’re securing female representation in racing toys for young girls. We hope the infusion of LEGO play and creativity to this exciting sport inspires the next generation of young women in motorsport, as well as the female builders of tomorrow, that anything is possible.
    Julia Goldin, Chief Product & Marketing Officer of the Lego Group.

    To be the first driver for LEGO Racing is such an exciting opportunity, and I can’t wait to continue my racing journey with F1 ACADEMY. I’ve long been a fan of the LEGO brand, its creativity and what it stands for and to bring it to the track from the 2026 season onwards is incredible. I hope this inspires future generations of female drivers, that with hard work and determination, anything is possible!
    Esmee Kosterman, Driver for Lego Racing.

  • Kosterman as Wild Card entry in Zandvoort

    F1 Academy has announced Esmee Kosterman as the Wild Card entry for Round 5 of the season at Circuit Zandvoort, representing TeamViewer, the global leader in remote connectivity and digital workplace solutions.

    The 20 year old Dutch driver will debut with F1 Academy in a special edition livery that highlights innovators and changemakers driving progress – on and off track.

    Hailing for Wijk bij Duurstede in the Netherlands, Kosterman stepped up into car racing in 2021, cmpeting in the Ford Fiesta Sprint Cup Benelux.
    Two years later, she became the first woman to win in the series before going on to finish second in the Junior Cup and third in the overall standings.

    Kosterman continued to broaden her racecraft in the Dutch Supercar Challenge, BMW M2 Cup and the Lamera Cup.
    After scoring points on her Indian F4 debut last year, this season has seen her race in British F4 with appearances at Silverstone, Snetterton and Zandvoort.

    Our sport has the power to inspire change, and we are incredibly proud to be championing women both on and off track. We know that creating female role models in motorsport is already helping to improve participation at the junior level of racing, and working with TeamViewer, we are excited to take this further and inspire the next generation of women in STEM. Together our mission is to empower the next generation of female leaders and send a clear message: your presence matters, you are driving change.
    Karin Fink, Head of Commercial Operations, F1 Academy.

    It is our ambition to drive meaningful change both on and off the track. The opportunity to support Esmee in her F1 ACADEMY debut while driving a car featuring role models is the next step in achieving this. Our research found that not being able to see someone like you in a senior role made it harder to see a career in your chosen field. This is why it was so important to showcase so many role models on the car. Working with the F1 ACADEMY to see this come to life has been a highlight of the partnership so far. We look forward to supporting Esmee in person at her home race.
    Faith Wheller, VP of Brand, Integrated Marketing and Sports Partnerships, Teamviewer.