Zoe Florescu Potolea, a 17-year-old Romanian, has become the star of one of the most spectacular international advertising campaigns of the year, alongside Usain Bolt. Official Wild Card pilot for the F1 Academy 2026, Zoe has been chosen to represent the new generation of high-performance female athletes, alongside Usain Bolt, the fastest man in athletics history.

Zoe Florescu Potolea has signed with the F1 Academy and Dirt Is Good as an official Wild Card pilot for the Zandvoort, Netherlands, leg of the 2026 F1 Academy season. This comes as part of a multi-year partnership between the F1 Academy and Dirt Is Good, the world's largest detergent brand, known globally as OMO, Persil, and Skip, now the Official Laundry Detergent Partner of the competition.

Zoe will compete in the Dirt Is Good / Persil Wonder Wash Max Formula 15 car at Zandvoort after catching the attention of specialists during the official F1 Academy Rookie Test 2025. Off the track, Zoe has been selected to participate in a major international advertising campaign by the Dirt Is Good brand, alongside Usain Bolt, multiple world champion and world record holder in sprint.

The campaign will run in over 50 countries through Dirt Is Good's global brands, including Persil, OMO, and Skip. It represents one of the most extensive international commercial campaigns ever to feature a young Romanian athlete.

This collaboration positions Zoe not only as a talent in motorsport but also as part of the new generation of international athletes, aligned with Formula 1 values: elite performance, progress, and promoting women in sports.

“F1 Academy is all about demonstrating in a highly visible and high-pressure environment. Every session counts, and you have to perform when it matters most. I am proud to be part of this moment and grateful for the support of Dirt Is Good as I take the next step,” Zoe Florescu Potolea said.

Zoe Florescu Potolea (17 years old) is an international Romanian-American karting and Formula 4 pilot, considered one of the most promising young names in global motorsport and one of the few athletes selected for official development programs for Formula 1.

Represented by Infinity Sports Management, the agency of Formula 1 driver George Russell, Zoe has built her career competing at the highest international level from a very young age. In karting, Zoe has competed in some of the most competitive categories in the world, including KZ2 (shifter), racing for the Birel ART factory team, being the only woman in the category and ranking in the top of the FIA World Championship.