The Pursuit: F1 Academy Arrives on Disney+ November 19: What to Know

The documentary arrives before the Las Vegas Grand Prix

Disney announced on October 22 that The Pursuit: F1 Academy will premiere globally on Disney+ on November 19, 2026. The documentary special will also stream on the ESPN App later in the year, although Disney has not given a separate date for that release. November 19 is also the opening date of the 2026 Las Vegas Grand Prix weekend, scheduled for November 19 to 21. The timing places the special ahead of the race weekend; it does not make the documentary a recap of the 2026 event.

Disney describes the programme as a documentary special about the F1 Academy and says it follows selected drivers during the 2025 season. Viewers should expect a look back at the previous season, with the current Las Vegas race serving as the release-week context. The announcement does not give a runtime, episode count, exact local release hour or subtitle list. For now, the confirmed viewing details are the global Disney+ date and a later ESPN App window.

F1 Academy is a step in the junior racing ladder

Formula 1 created F1 Academy in 2023 to develop female drivers and prepare them to progress to higher levels of competition. The series runs at Formula 4 level. Its official category description says the programme provides more track time, racing and testing, along with technical, physical and mental preparation. It is intended to give young drivers experience that can support progression toward Formula 3 and the wider Road to F1.

That context helps explain why a documentary about the series is different from a film about the Formula 1 championship. F1 Academy is a junior category with its own teams, drivers, races and title fight. The official site describes a ladder of competition and development support. Those details set out the purpose of the programme; they do not predict whether a particular driver will advance to Formula 1 or another championship.

F1 Academy’s official history also provides examples of what progression can look like. The first two champions received fully funded seats for the following campaign: Marta García moved into the Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine in 2024, and Abbi Pulling raced in GB3 in 2025. Those examples illustrate the route the series describes, while the next steps for any driver featured in the documentary remain unknown.

The special names four drivers from the 2025 season

Disney’s announcement identifies Doriane Pin, Maya Weug, Chloe Chambers and Alisha Palmowski among the drivers followed in the special. It says the production filmed at global locations on the 2025 F1 Academy calendar and will include race-weekend footage alongside moments away from the track. Susie Wolff, the series’ managing director, is also named as part of the leadership story covered by the programme.

The release does not state that these four are the only drivers in the documentary. It also does not map each person to a specific episode or scene. F1 Academy’s official 2025 calendar shows seven rounds, including Shanghai, Jeddah, Miami, Montreal, Zandvoort, Singapore and Las Vegas. That schedule provides the racing locations for the season the documentary looks back on, while Disney’s release identifies the featured drivers.

F1 Academy’s official page says the 2025 grid expanded to 18 cars, with Hitech TGR joining as a sixth team. Disney names four drivers as part of the group followed in the special, while the season itself involved a wider field. The announcement does not provide a full driver or team list for the documentary.

The season ended with Doriane Pin winning in Las Vegas

The 2025 F1 Academy title went to Doriane Pin after the final round in Las Vegas. The series’ official recap says eight different drivers won races during the season, while Pin collected four wins and four additional podium finishes. Maya Weug and Chloe Chambers were among the drivers who remained in the title fight. These are season results, not a claim about how the documentary will edit the competition.

A viewer following the 2025 standings can use that result to understand the championship outcome before watching. The story of a season may still focus on individual choices, teams and pressure points that a final standings table cannot show. Disney says the special will cover race weekends and moments away from the track, but it has not named a particular championship turning point. The actual programme will determine which of those details make the final cut.

The current season has a different calendar. F1 Academy lists 2026 as a six-round, 14-race season and says a new three-race format is being introduced at selected rounds. The Pursuit looks back at the seven-round 2025 calendar. Fans following this year’s championship can keep those formats separate when comparing race weekends; the documentary covers the previous season.

It follows a different season from the earlier Netflix series

F1 Academy has already appeared in a documentary series. Its official page describes F1: The Academy as a seven-episode Netflix docuseries about the 2024 season, released globally on May 28, 2025. The new Disney+ programme is called The Pursuit: F1 Academy and focuses on the 2025 season. The year and title make the distinction clear for viewers deciding which programme matches the season they want to follow.

The earlier Netflix docuseries followed a larger group of drivers over seven episodes. Disney describes The Pursuit as a documentary special and names four drivers in its announcement. It has not said whether the special will use the same production team, repeat any earlier material or include a full recap of every race. Those details should be checked after Disney releases a trailer or a programme guide.

A wider Disney–F1 partnership sits behind the release

F1 Academy and Disney describe The Pursuit as part of Fuel the Magic, a multi-year collaboration with Formula 1 that combines storytelling, racing culture and fan experiences at Grand Prix weekends. F1 Academy says the partnership first appeared at the 2026 Chinese Grand Prix and expanded to include F1 Academy at the Canadian Grand Prix, with Minnie Mouse and Daisy Duck at its center. This gives the documentary a partnership context beyond its release date. F1 Academy announcement

F1 Academy’s announcement quotes Susie Wolff saying the special will show the sacrifices, setbacks and successes behind the drivers’ season. The series appointed Wolff as Managing Director in 2023, with a remit to develop young women drivers and routes through the junior categories. Before that role, she had driven as a Williams development driver, raced in Formula Renault and DTM, and led the VENTURI Formula E team. This helps place the announced leadership story without predicting what the final edit will show. F1 Academy announcement F1 Academy appointment notice