“RACE ACADEMY – A True Motorsport Story,” the world’s first Formula 4 film, is among the final six at Italy’s most important sports film festival.
The acclaimed motorsport documentary “RACE ACADEMY – A True Motorsport Story” has made it to the final round of the 46th Paladino d’Oro Sport Film Festival, Italy’s most prestigious event for sports short films, taking place in December 2026.
The festival’s distinguished jury in Palermo, Sicily, nominated the world’s first feature film about Formula 4 for the final six.
“It’s a great honor for us, and of course a joy, that our movie has made it to the final round. To receive so much expert acclaim for our debut film is truly something special,” says film director Koriun Khachesarian.
RACE ACADEMY – A True Motorsport Story offers an exclusive look into the rigorous training that young talents undergo to realize their Formula 1 dreams. It follows the drivers of the Formelaustria Race Academy through all the highs and lows of a racing season, showcasing plenty of racing action and also addressing the challenges faced by tomorrow’s motorsport stars and their parents off the track.
Academy ambassadors Riccardo Patrese (1992 F1 World Championship runner-up), Tonio Liuzzi (Red Bull’s first F1 rookie), and Jost Capito (former F1 team principal at McLaren and Williams), provide viewers with insights into the story.
“When I approached TV stations with the idea for this film, I was met with many incredulous looks, since we’re motorsport experts, not filmmakers. Only Austrian State TV ORF and Puls 4 believed in us. But we didn’t let that deter us and went ahead with our project,” says Harry Miltner, who wrote the screenplay and co-produced the film.
Miltner is also the founder and director of the Formelaustria Race Academy, whose drivers are the focus of the film. “After the highly successful cinema premiere of RACE ACADEMY at the Lugner Cinema in Vienna, TV stations and streaming platforms wanted it too. And now we get to go to Palermo.”
At the world premiere at the end of February 2026, Formula 1 stars, Austrian racing drivers, and motorsport-loving celebrities came to the Lugner Cinema and were thrilled by the film about young racing talents from Austria, Germany, and Canada.
“The film is truly fantastic. It gives you a much better understanding of how difficult it is for young drivers to fulfill their dreams,” commented Rudi Roubinek, also known as TV character Seyffenstein, himself an avid classic car enthusiast.
Numerous F1 greats, including Racing Bulls boss Peter Bayer and former Pirelli F1 boss Mario Isola, also offered their congratulations. “Harry has made a wonderful film that perfectly illustrates the challenges faced by young drivers in formula racing,” Isola said.
RACE ACADEMY is currently available on Austria’s streaming platform JOYN https://www.joyn.at/filme/race-academy. It will also be available in English on Amazon Prime from mid-September.
RACE ACADEMY – A True Motorsport Story
Premiere: End of February 2026, Length: 1 hour 20 minutes
Languages: German/English
Director: Koriun Khachesarian
Screenplay: Harry Miltner
Cinematography: Vedran Kos
Production: HM Sports & IMCG Holding
Presenter: Judith Tieber-Gibbs
Consultants: Riccardo Patrese, Jost Capito, and Tonio Liuzzi
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