In short:

Australian female racing driver Aiva Anagnostiadis will compete in the first round of the inaugural GT4 Italy Series competition this weekend. 

Anagnostiadis competed in the F1 Academy series last year, but injury ended her season early.

What's next?

The first of five round in the new racing series begins at the Misano World Circuit track in Emilia-Romagna this weekend.

Teenager Aiva Anagnostiadis, a rising star of Australian motorsport, is hoping to leave a difficult end to 2025 in her rear view as she prepares for her newest challenge in Italy.

Anagnostiadis, 18, has been announced as the newest driver for the Promodrive team in the inaugural season of the GT4 Italy Series.

Driving a BMW GT4-spec car, Anagnostiadis will take to the Misano World Circuit track in Emilia-Romagna this weekend for the first of the five-round championship.

The Victorian was one of two Australians, along with Joanne Ciconte, to compete in the F1 Academy championship last year.

Anagnostiadis became the first Aussie to score points in that championship with an eighth-place finish in the season opener.

But injury ended Anagnostiadis's season earlier, with the teenager missing the final two weekends in Singapore and Las Vegas. 

But now she turns her focus away from open-wheel cars to the GT4-spec, a challenge that Anagnostiadis says she is excited to tackle.

“I’m really looking forward to the 2026 season. After my first year in F1 Academy, moving to a BMW GT4 with a new team and new circuits is an exciting challenge," she said. 

"It’s a new experience and I’m ready to learn and push as hard as possible.”

Each weekend will feature two races that are 50 minutes plus one lap in length. 

Each car will have two co-drivers, who each must compete during the race.

Anagnostiadis will be teamed with Italian Andrea Palazzo.

The first round of the season will be held this weekend at the Misano World Circuit.

2026 GT4 Italy Series

• Round 1: Misano World Circuit, Misano Adriatico, Emilia-Romagna: May 9-10
• Round 2: Vallelunga Circuit, Campagnano di Roma, Rome: July 3-5
• Round 3: Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello, Mugello, Tuscany: July 24-26
• Round 4: Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari, Imola, Emilia-Romagna: September 4-6
• Round 5: Autodromo Nazionale Monza, Monza, Lombardy: October 10-11