Btw, Alba was signed to the FDA in August 2025. Also, Aurelia was dropped in December pretty much as soon as F1A was done and after they'd announced Alba as driving in the Ferrari livery for 2026. Maya remained as part of Ferrari into 2026 (GT3 testing, using Ferrari logo on her helmet, wearing Ferrari merch and coaching Alba etc) when she sort of disappeared (around May?) but without any official goodbye post.
The thing is, these announcements and the actual date of being part of anything are two unrelated things. From the Ferrari website;
“On board in 2026. Niccolò and Alba will officially join the Maranello young driver programme on 1st January 2026. Their respective race programmes will be defined later in the year”
The first of January is regularly one that’s used for official signings, but obviously teams have to already enact stuff before hand. Until when contracts go is a very different, much more nuanced topic. It depends a lot on drivers and teams conversation from the cases I know, because there are undeniably different needs.
Take Aurelia, who after F1A was already preparing for her next season in single seater. I don’t know when the possibility in GB3 came up for her, but interestingly enough, leaving Ferrari was good for that. She knew they wouldn’t resign her for ‘26, but when you’re in conversation with sponsors, teams ect, it’s important that they know your position. If she would have officially stayed with Ferrari and only left on the 31st or December, some sponsors could have felt blindsided and pulled out.
Alba getting announced simultaneously was majorly a coincidence. Everyone knew already anyways and everyone knew Aurelia had to leave F1A.
The case with Maya is simply weird. Even if it looks like she is still with the FDA, all the proof can be coincidence. Usually I wouldn’t take such a test as proof because in connection with F1A it can mean nothing, I know a bunch of drivers who keep old academies on their helmet because those things are expensive and it’s not worth replacing it, much like other things worn during races. Coaching Alba can, much the same, be a thing she did personally in conversation with Alba and her team. But in some way, I still assume she has some ties with Ferrari.
The issue I have with Ferrari is that Alba won a competition that should have seen her sign to the FDA in 2024. Generally, Aurelia has had good chances, but in 2024 it should have been her in the Ferrari livery, not Maya. Maya should have gotten the funds to do FRECA with a big team. I personally don’t rate Aurelia, but by having both her and Alba in contention for 2025, they would have had options and could have replaced Aurelia if they weren’t happy with her to continue. Much the same I find Albas performance sometimes a bit lackluster, but since the FDA again actively decided AGAINST signing the young female drivers who won the same event as Maya, Aurelia and Alba, they seem also unwilling to consider anyone else than Alba and will force her into a third season soon.
