Ava Dobson
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| Ava Dobson | |
|---|---|
 Dobson at the 2026 Dutch Grand Prix | |
| Nationality |  American |
| Born | June 9, 2008 Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| F1 Academy career | |
| Debut season | 2025 |
| Current team | Hitech |
| Car number | 55 |
| Former teams | Hitech TGR |
| Starts | 10 |
| Wins | 0 |
| Podiums | 0 |
| Poles | 0 |
| Fastest laps | 0 |
| Best finish | 23rd in 2025 |
| Previous series | |
| Statistics up to date as of 25 August 2026. | |
Ava Dobson (born June 9, 2008) is an American racing driver who competes in F1 Academy for Hitech with support from American Express.
Dobson previously competed in the 2025 GB4 Championship for Arden Motorsport. She also previously drove for Velocity Racing Development in the 2024 GB4 Championship.
Racing career
Dobson began karting at the age of seven.
Formula 4 United States Championship
After being one of five female drivers awarded with the Parella Motorsports Holdings Powering Diversity Scholarship in 2023, Dobson made her car racing debut in the 2023 Formula 4 United States Championship driving for Jay Howard Driver Development. She joined for the third round of the championship, the first after her fifteenth birthday, following an extensive testing program. She finished 31st in the championship with a best finish of 11th.
USF Juniors
2023
Towards the latter part of the 2023 USF Juniors season, Jay Howard Driver Development entered the series; Dobson joined them for their first round at Road America. She had a best result of 11th in race three and finished 16th in the championship.
2024
On September 22, 2023, Dobson announced that she would be returning to USF Juniors to run a full season in 2024 with Jay Howard Driver Development. In race one at the second round at Barber Motorsports Park, Dobson suffered a high speed accident in which she collided head on with Bruno Ribeiro. Dobson suffered injuries to her chest, back, and pinkie finger. She also suffered a severe concussion, which caused sickness while training. As a result of this crash, Dobson was not cleared to race for the remainder of the round, and she did not return to the championship.
GB4 Championship
2024
In July 2024, Dobson announced that she would make her debut in the 2024 GB4 Championship at the second Silverstone round driving for VRD Racing. This would mark her return to racing following her crash at Barber Motorsports Park. She took a best result of ninth in race two at Silverstone, recovering well from a stall on the grid. She finished the season in 17th place overall.
2025
Dobson returned to the championship for the full 2025 season, switching teams to Arden Motorsport alongside Leon Wilson. She took her first top-ten finish of the season in race two at Donington Park, finishing tenth, and improved her best finishing position to eighth in race one at Oulton Park. In the final round, Dobson claimed her maiden podium, finishing in third place, and she also won the Top Female Driver prize ahead of Megan Bruce.
F1 Academy
2025
On April 29, 2025, it was announced that Dobson would be the wildcard driver for the Miami round of the 2025 F1 Academy season. She would compete for Hitech TGR with Morgan Stanley as the car's sponsor. She started race one from the back of the grid, having been given a three-place penalty for colliding with Lia Block in free practice two. However, she avoided incidents in the race to finish thirteenth, the season-best result for a wildcard driver. Race two was cancelled due to adverse weather conditions. It was rescheduled to take place in Montreal, but Dobson was unable to return, as participating in more than one round counts towards the two-season entry limit.
2026
Dobson raced full-time for Hitech TGR in the 2026 F1 Academy season, with backing from American Express.
Karting record
Karting career summary
| Season | Series | Team | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | SKUSA - Supernationals | N/A | 32nd |
| 2021 | SKUSA - Supernationals | Merlin | 24th |
| 2022 | SKUSA - Supernationals | 19th | |
| Sources: | |||
Racing record
Racing career summary
| Season | Series | Team | Races | Wins | Poles | F/Laps | Podiums | Points | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Formula 4 United States Championship | Jay Howard Driver Development | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 31st |
| USF Juniors | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 16th | ||
| USF2000 Championship | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 32nd | ||
| 2024 | USF Juniors | Jay Howard Driver Development | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 31st |
| GB4 Championship | Velocity Racing Development | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 40 | 17th | |
| 2025 | GB4 Championship | Arden Motorsport | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 120 | 19th |
| F1 Academy | Hitech TGR | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 23rd | |
| F4 Saudi Arabian Championship | Peax | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 36 | 11th | |
| 2026 | F1 Academy | Hitech TGR |
* Season still in progress.
Complete Formula 4 United States Championship results
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | DC | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Jay Howard Driver Development | NOL 1 |
NOL 2 |
NOL 3 |
ROA 1 |
ROA 2 |
ROA 3 |
MOH 1 24 |
MOH 2 24 |
MOH 3 24 |
NJM 1 14 |
NJM 2 20 |
NJM 3 17 |
VIR 1 11 |
VIR 2 18 |
VIR 3 Ret |
COA 1 19 |
COA 2 16 |
COA 3 13 |
31st | 0 |
American open-wheel racing results
USF Juniors
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap) (Races with * indicate most race laps led)
| Year | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | DC | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Jay Howard Driver Development | SEB 1 |
SEB 2 |
SEB 3 |
ALA 1 |
ALA 2 |
VIR 1 |
VIR 2 |
VIR 3 |
MOH 1 |
MOH 2 |
ROA 1 12 |
ROA 2 12 |
ROA 3 11 |
COA 1 |
COA 2 |
COA 3 |
16th | 28 |
| 2024 | Jay Howard Driver Development | NOL 1 18 |
NOL 2 15 |
NOL 3 DNS |
ALA 1 21 |
ALA 2 DNS |
VIR 1 |
VIR 2 |
VIR 3 |
MOH 1 |
MOH 2 |
ROA 1 |
ROA 2 |
ROA 3 |
POR 1 |
POR 2 |
POR 3 |
31st | 10 |
USF2000 Championship
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap) (Races with * indicate most race laps led)
| Year | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | DC | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Jay Howard Driver Development | STP 1 |
STP 2 |
SEB 1 |
SEB 1 |
IMS 1 |
IMS 2 |
IMS 3 |
IRP | ROA 1 |
ROA 2 |
MOH 1 |
MOH 2 |
MOH 3 |
TOR 1 |
TOR 2 |
POR 1 13 |
POR 2 16 |
POR 3 19 |
32nd | 15 |
Complete GB4 Championship results
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Entrant | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | DC | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Velocity Racing Development | OUL 1 |
OUL 2 |
OUL 3 |
SIL1 1 |
SIL1 2 |
SIL1 3 |
DON1 1 |
DON1 2 |
DON1 3 |
SNE 1 |
SNE 2 |
SNE 3 |
SIL2 1 13 |
SIL2 2 9 |
SIL2 3 11 |
DON2 1 14 |
DON2 2 14 |
DON2 3 15 |
BRH 1 |
BRH 2 |
BRH 3 |
17th | 40 | |
| 2025 | Arden Motorsport | DON 1 12 |
DON 2 10 |
DON 3 23 |
SIL1 1 21 |
SIL1 2 14 |
SIL1 3 134 |
OUL 1 8 |
OUL 2 Ret |
OUL 3 19 |
SNE 1 18 |
SNE 2 19 |
SNE 3 145 |
SIL2 1 15 |
SIL2 2 19 |
SIL2 3 19 |
BRH 1 11 |
BRH 2 13 |
BRH 3 C |
DON2 1 14 |
DON2 2 3 |
DON2 3 23 |
DON2 4 12 |
19th | 120 |
Complete F1 Academy results
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Entrant | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | DC | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Hitech TGR | SHA 1 |
SHA 2 |
JED 1 |
JED 2 |
MIA 1 13 |
MIA 2 C |
MTL 1 |
MTL 2 |
MTL 3 |
ZAN 1 |
ZAN 2 |
SIN 1 |
SIN 2 |
LVG 1 |
LVG 2 |
23rd | 0 |
| 2026 | Hitech TGR | SHA 1 9 |
SHA 2 10 |
MTL 1 17 |
MTL 2 Ret |
MTL 3 17 |
SIL 1 7 |
SIL 2 8 |
ZAN 1 8 |
ZAN 2 13 |
COA 1 Ret |
COA 2 Ret |
COA 3 13 |
LVG 1 |
LVG 2 |
Complete F4 Saudi Arabian Championship results
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | DC | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Peax | BHR1 1 10 |
BHR1 2 Ret |
BHR2 1 8 |
BHR2 2 10 |
JED1 1 10 |
JED1 2 10 |
JED2 1 7 |
JED2 2 6 |
JED3 1 7 |
JED3 2 6 |
11th | 36 |
Notes
References
- 1 2 "Ava Dobson to Race with Arden Motorsport in the 2025 GB4 Championship | Arden Motorsport". www.arden-motorsport.com. Retrieved 2025-03-17.
- 1 2 "VRD Racing returns to GB4 Championship with Ava Dobson at Silverstone". gb-4.net. Retrieved 2024-09-17.
- ↑ "Ava Dobson (WCD) - F1 ACADEMY™ Racing Series". F1 Academy™. Retrieved 2026-02-09.
- ↑ A, Ashleigh (2023-02-20). "PMH Powering Diversity Scholarship Expands to Assist Five Female Racers In 2023". F4 U.S. Championships. Retrieved 2024-09-17.
- ↑ Wood, Ida (2023-02-22). "Kart star Hannah Greenemeier wins diversity scholarship for US F4 move". Formula Scout. Retrieved 2025-05-11.
- ↑ Media, R. T. D. (2023-08-08). "JAY HOWARD DRIVER DEVELOPMENT ENTERS USF JUNIORS EVENT THIS WEEKEND WITH THREE DRIVERS". RTD Media. Retrieved 2024-09-17.
- ↑ RACERS (2023-08-14). "Ava Dobson makes USF Juniors debut battling for the top-10 at Road America". Racers. Retrieved 2025-05-11.
- ↑ "Ava Dobson Joins Jay Howard Driver Development for 2024". www.usfjuniors.com. Retrieved 2024-09-17.
- ↑ USF Juniors - Race 1 - Barber Motorsports Park. Retrieved 2024-09-17 – via www.youtube.com.
- ↑ Maher, Thomas (2024-04-27). "Terrifying on-board footage emerges of US junior series crash in freak incident". PlanetF1. Retrieved 2025-05-11.
- ↑ "Instagram". www.instagram.com. Retrieved 2024-09-17.
- 1 2 3 Sanderson, George (2025-06-05). "The untold story of Ava Dobson's crash, recovery, and F1 Academy call-up". Feeder Series. Retrieved 2025-06-06.
- ↑ RACERS (2024-07-30). "Ava Dobson scores top-10 on GB4 debut". Racers. Retrieved 2025-05-11.
- ↑ GB4 / MotorSport Vision Racing. "Ava Dobson". www.gb-4.net. Retrieved 2026-02-09.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ↑ RACERS (2025-10-07). "GB4: Ava Dobson claims maiden podium, secures top Female Prize Fund". Racers. Retrieved 2025-10-09.
- ↑ GB4 / MotorSport Vision Racing. "Ava Dobson secures €50,000 career contribution as top female in GB4". www.gb-4.net. Retrieved 2026-02-09.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Ava Dobson announced as Miami Wild Card Driver". www.formula1.com. Retrieved 2026-02-09.
- ↑ Grimault, Alexandra (2025-04-28). "Ava Dobson to be wild card for F1 Academy's Miami round". Motors Inside. Retrieved 2025-05-11.
- 1 2 Lau, Kaylene (2025-05-06). "F1 Academy Miami review: Pin takes sole win on offer after Sunday race cut". Feeder Series. Retrieved 2025-05-11.
- ↑ "Ava Dobson penalised after Miami Free Practice 2". F1 Academy™. Retrieved 2026-02-09.
- ↑ Whitfield, Steve (2025-05-03). "Pin holds off Palmowski for second F1 Academy win of 2025". Formula Scout. Retrieved 2025-05-11.
- ↑ Lozano, Alejandra Guajardo (2025-05-21). "Women Spotlight Wednesday: Ava Dobson". DIVEBOMB Motorsport. Retrieved 2026-02-09.
- ↑ "American Express confirms Ava Dobson for F1 ACADEMY". www.formula1.com. Retrieved 2026-02-09.
- ↑ RACERS (2026-02-04). "Ava Dobson steps up to full-time F1 Academy seat with American Express and Hitech GP". Racers. Retrieved 2026-02-09.
- ↑ "Dobson Ava". Kartcom. Retrieved 2025-04-02.
- ↑ "Driver: Ava Dobson | Driver Database". www.driverdb.com. Retrieved 2025-04-03.