Nina Gademan’s Journey: From Sim Racing Star to F4 Racer
Formula Winter Series (Hitech): She added a winter program with Hitech, earning seven Female Trophy wins across the mini‑season. (Hitech, Racers)
Viral lifeline: When funding dried up, her sim‑racing videos went viral and helped secure sponsors to race again. (Goodwood)
What happened (context)
After a karting pathway and national‑level tin‑top outings, Nina Gademan joined Fortec for the 2024 British F4 season, banking a rookie podium at Thruxton and notable wet‑weather pace at Silverstone. She then paired her 2025 plans with Hitech in the Formula Winter Series, where she collected seven Female Trophy victories and multiple top‑ten finishes as preparation for the new year. (Hitech, Racers)
The bigger leap came via F1 Academy: Alpine named her its 2025 driver, and PREMA confirmed the seat—building on her 2024 Zandvoort wildcard. (alpine-cars.co.uk, Prema Racing)
How sim racing powered the comeback
When budgets forced a pause, Gademan pivoted to content—posting sim‑racing clips that “went pretty viral,” generating income and sponsor interest. She credits that shift as the turning point that put her back in single‑seaters. (Goodwood)
Why it matters
Gademan’s path shows how digital community + on‑track results can re‑ignite careers. She stitched together British F4, FWS, and F1 Academy to keep momentum—while brands (Alpine/PREMA) and fans rallied behind a driver who learned to convert views into laps. (fiaformula4.com, Prema Racing)
1. Wet‑weather pace, Silverstone – British F4 (Fortec)
Gademan slices through spray at Silverstone—one of several sessions where she topped the rookie pace charts in the wet. Photo: JEP / Racers – Behind the Helmet.
2. Thruxton rookie podium – British F4 (Fortec)
Breakthrough weekend: maiden Rookie Cup podium at the UK’s fastest circuit. Photo: RACERS – Behind the Helmet.
3. Brands Hatch climb – British F4 (Fortec)
Seven places gained in R3 under the trees at Brands—a snapshot of her race‑craft gains across 2024. Photo: Jakob Ebrey / RACERS.
4. FWS podium class – Hitech TGR
Gademan receives Female Trophy honours after a strong winter campaign that featured seven class wins. Photo: Hitech GP.
5. Valencia trophy – Hitech TGR
Another FWS class win at Valencia extends the streak. Photo: Daniel Bürgin / Motorsport.com (DE).
6. Alpine paddock, 2025 – F1 Academy
Alpine blue: paddock portrait ahead of Zandvoort. Photo: Alpine / Renault Group press.
7. Helmet feature – F1 Academy
“Guardian angel” wings meet Alpine colours; Gademan walks through the design for 2025. Photo: F1 Academy.
8. PREMA confirmation – 2025 grid
PREMA officially completes its lineup with Gademan in Alpine colours. Photo: Racers – Behind the Helmet / Daniel Bürgin.
9. Fortec team launch
Day‑one energy with Fortec’s 2024 trio before the Donington opener. Photo: Fortec Motorsport.
10. Debut weekend – Donington
First British F4 points arrive at Round 1. Photo: Jakob Ebrey / RACERS.
What to watch next
Dutch GP weekend (Zandvoort): Alpine‑backed F1 Academy entries race on the F1 undercard; Goodwood notes Gademan hits 22 that Saturday. (Goodwood)
Content crossover: Expect more sim‑to‑real pieces—helmet walk‑throughs, onboard breakdowns, and race‑week vlogs from Alpine/PREMA channels. (F1® Academy)
Sources & Credits
FIA British F4: Fortec debut; British GP round return. (fiaformula4.com)
Goodwood Road & Racing (Aug 20, 2025): Viral sim‑racing, funding comeback, Zandvoort + birthday timing. (Goodwood)
Hitech GP: Female Trophy honours recap; FWS program context. (Hitech)
Racers – Behind the Helmet: Race reports and images (Thruxton podium, Silverstone, Brands, PREMA announcement).
PREMA Racing: 2025 F1 Academy signing. (Prema Racing)
Alpine / Renault Group press: Driver announcement; paddock portraits. (alpine-cars.co.uk)
Motorsport.com (DE): Valencia FWS podium image.
