From the heart of the Pyrenees, a boy with a dream rises through motorsport

It’s official: Mari Boya will race in Formula 2 with PREMA from 2026.

 @PREMA_Team

For Spanish motorsport fans, this isn’t just another driver announcement; it’s a genuinely huge moment. A young driver who has been growing and proving himself year after year now lands in one of the most respected teams on the F2 grid. It’s the kind of move that instantly makes the road ahead feel brighter and full of possibilities. As a Spaniard myself, I honestly couldn’t feel prouder.

If you’re just catching up on who everyone’s talking about right now:

Mari Boya is a 21-year-old driver from Les, a tiny village in the Catalan Pyrenees, not exactly the place you’d expect the next big name in single-seaters to come from. But that’s one of the reasons that make his story so special.

Mari started racing karts young and became a three-time Spanish Karting Champion, proving early on that he had that rare mix of talent, discipline, and quiet determination. From there, he climbed the motorsport ladder the way only those who dream big but work even bigger do: step by step, no shortcuts and no noise. He finished runner-up in the Spanish F4, grew through Formula Regional, took podiums and a vice-championship in Eurocup-3. In 2023, he made the step up to the FIA Formula 3 Championship with MP Motorsport.

Fast-forward to 2025, that quiet progression exploded into something bigger: a season where everything clicked. Mari wrapped up the Formula 3 Championship with Campos Racing in third place, proving he has the speed and maturity to shine in a series known for being anything but predictable.

And not only that, this year also brought a major turning point: Mari became the first member of the Aston Martin Aramco Driver Academy, a huge sign of trust from a Formula 1 team. And ever since he joined the Academy, he has done nothing but grow. With better resources, more guidance (including the influence of someone like Fernando Alonso, who’s both his idol and ours), and a structure built around helping drivers evolve, he’s taken clear steps forward. Being chosen by Aston Martin has definitely shaped his trajectory in a way we can genuinely feel on track.

@astonmartinf1

And if joining the Aston Martin Academy already felt huge, adding PREMA into the equation takes everything to another level. Because PREMA isn’t just any team in Formula 2.

If you’re wondering just how powerful PREMA’s pathway really is, here’s the number that puts everything into perspective: 40% of the 2025 Formula 1 grid once raced for PREMA. That’s eight drivers out of twenty: Charles Leclerc, Oscar Piastri, Pierre Gasly, Lance Stroll, Ollie Bearman, Kimi Antonelli, Esteban Ocon and Gabriel Bortoleto (in the Italian F4 Championship). And it’s also worth mentioning that Valtteri Bottas raced for PREMA as well, now heading to Cadillac F1 Team in 2026.

So now imagine that: the long-term vision and development philosophy of the Aston Martin Aramco Driver Academy combined with PREMA’s legacy of shaping young drivers into top contenders. It’s the best kind of synergy. Aston Martin nurtures, guides, and invests in the driver, while PREMA gives them the perfect environment to turn that preparation into results.

So what comes next for Mari?

Now begins the chapter where everything gets bigger, faster, more demanding and full of drivers who are all fighting for the same dream.

But Mari arrives here at exactly the right moment: with momentum, with confidence, with a structure behind him that believes in his development, and with two giants shaping the road ahead. What he does now will define the next steps of his career, and the truth is, he’s never been more prepared.