Isabella Abreu, a young woman born in Holguín and living in Miami, has set out to make her way to the top of motorsport and dreams of becoming the first Cuban —and also the first person born in Cuba, according to her own aspirations expressed in previous interviews— to reach Formula 1.
In 2026, she will take a significant step on that path by competing in the French Formula 4 Championship, an involvement that she has described as a historic milestone for Cuban motorsport in Europe.
“Hello, my name is Isabella Abreu, I am the first Cuban female driver to reach European Formula... born in Holguín, Cuba, living in Miami, racing in the French Formula 4, trying to reach the Formula 1 academy,” said the young woman in a viral video on social media where she appears with the Eiffel Tower in the background.
In another public statement, she announced: "This 2026, I will become the first Cuban female driver to compete at this level in European motorsport, carrying the flag to the French Formula 4 Championship."
The pilot herself emphasized on Instagram the symbolic and personal significance of that leap. “Proud to announce my 2026 season in the French Formula 4 Championship with the support of @passvlife. This milestone is the result of years of perseverance, discipline, and the power of strategic alliances."
And she continued: "I feel honored to become the first Cuban female driver to compete in the European single-seater races, while representing women at the highest levels of a sport traditionally dominated by men. As this journey continues, I actively welcome partners who align with performance, excellence, and global impact."
Abreu insisted that this season has a value that goes far beyond pure competition.
"This season means much more than just races: it reflects years of perseverance, discipline, and the struggle to overcome barriers in a sport where few women and even fewer Cubans have made it," she stated.
He also made clear the identity dimension of his sports project: “I run with my culture and the support of many both inside and outside the island. I want to show that there are no limits for those who dream and strive.”
The story of Isabella
Isabella's story didn't begin in European single-seaters, but in karting in Miami, a highly competitive environment predominantly dominated by men.
In 2021, in an interview with CiberCuba, the young woman explained that her goal was to go as far as she could in professional motorsport.
"I would like to reach F1 because, first of all, no Cuban has made it... I would like to reach IndyCar, which is like F1 here in the United States, but if I could be in F1, that would be perfect," he stated.
At that stage, she was known on the Homestead track as "the SOSCuba girl," a nickname that arose after she decided to highlight what was happening on the island following the protests of July 11.
According to her account, in the circuit where she trained, many people were unaware of the situation in Cuba, and she chose to use the design of her helmet as a tool to spark questions and conversations.
"I am going to create my helmet representing what is happening so that people will ask me about it," she explained. Over time, she said, most people started to recognize her because of that gesture.
His connection with cars dates back to his childhood in Holguín, when he accompanied his father, a mechanic by profession, in repairing old vehicles.
That early contact with the motor world ignited a passion that later took on a competitive form. As he recounted, the specific interest in Formula 1 emerged during his time living in Europe, where he discovered that karting served as the foundational training for those aspiring to rise within international motorsport.
Abreu began competing in karting at the age of 16. In the aforementioned interview, he explained that in a short time he went from driving slower vehicles, around 50 miles per hour, to others capable of reaching between 70 and 80 miles per hour.
He described this evolution as a difficult process that demanded dedication, discipline, and great concentration. “You have to think concisely and quickly about what you are going to do because everything has to be calibrated: your hands, your feet, your mind... and driving, because at that speed it's quite difficult to think,” he said.
One of the aspects that stood out the most at that time was the emotional challenge of competing in an environment dominated by much older men.
According to their testimony, many times they raced against men in their 30s, 40s, or 50s, and they felt that some of these men found it difficult to accept that a teenager could overtake or defeat them.
"By the way, we crash and lose all that money, first; and second, we lose the race," she stated while explaining one of the additional challenges of making her way as a young woman in that sport.
The high economic cost of motorsport added to that competitive pressure. Isabella noted that one of the main obstacles was money.
He mentioned that a kart from the previous category he competed in cost around 4,000 dollars, while in the faster category, the price ranged between 5,000 and 6,000 dollars, not including tires, timing computer, race entry fees, technical equipment, and travel expenses.
At that moment, they also recognized that they were looking for sponsors in order to continue moving forward.
Beyond the results he may achieve on the track, Abreu's jump to the French Formula 4 Championship marks a turning point in his career.
What until a few years ago was the dream of a teenager in the karting scene in Miami is now becoming a tangible foray into European single-seater motorsport, one of the most direct training paths to the top categories.
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