Williams Racing Signs Rising French Talent Jade Jacquet for 2026 F1 Academy Season

Grove, UK: Atlassian Williams Racing has officially confirmed that promising young French racer Jade Jacquet will join the team for the 2026 F1 Academy season, competing with ART Grand Prix. The announcement comes just a day after Jacquet celebrated her 16th birthday, marking one of the most significant milestones of her early racing career. She will also become the latest addition to the Williams Racing Driver Academy.

Rapid Rise Through Karting and Single-Seater Racing

Jacquet first captured attention during the 2024 French Junior Karting Championship, showcasing speed and consistency despite only stepping into international karting in 2023. Her early success accelerated her transition to single-seaters in 2025 at the age of just 15—a testament to her exceptional potential.

During her 2025 French Formula 4 campaign, Jacquet delivered multiple top-20 finishes, including standout results such as P12 at Circuit de Nogaro and P11 in the reverse-grid race at Circuit des 24 Heures. She also won the Female Trophy at Dijon-Prenois, underlining her status as one of the most competitive female drivers in the championship.

Joining the Williams Racing Driver Academy

As part of the prestigious Academy programme, Jacquet will receive continuous support from Williams throughout the 2026 season. She will work with engineers, performance coaches, and simulator specialists based at the team’s Grove headquarters to refine her craft and accelerate her development.

Williams has been deeply involved in the F1 Academy initiative since 2024. The programme aims to nurture emerging female talent, and the team previously supported American driver Lia Block across the 2024 and 2025 seasons. Block made remarkable progress, achieving a feature race podium in Zandvoort and taking her maiden win in Singaporein 2025. With drivers limited to two seasons in F1 Academy, Williams bid farewell to Block following the finale in Las Vegas, paving the way for Jacquet’s entry.

Jade Jacquet: “I can’t wait to get on track.”

Reacting to the announcement, Jacquet shared her excitement:

“I’m super excited to be joining the Williams Racing Driver Academy and F1 Academy for the 2026 season. The team has been very welcoming and I’m looking forward to working with them to learn as much as I can throughout my debut season. Thank you to Atlassian Williams Racing for believing in me and I can’t wait to get on track.”

Williams Leadership Praises Her Potential

Sven Smeets, Sporting Director at Atlassian Williams Racing, expressed full confidence in Jacquet’s abilities:

“We are proud to welcome Jade to our team as our Atlassian Williams Racing driver in F1 Academy. Jade has made rapid progress in her motorsport career and has strong potential for the future, already demonstrating her ability to learn and adapt in her transition to single seaters. As a member of the Williams Racing Driver Academy, we’ll be working closely with her to nurture her development both on and off the track.”

Smeets also reaffirmed Williams’ commitment to F1 Academy’s mission of fostering greater female representation in global motorsport.

A New Chapter for Williams in F1 Academy

Jacquet’s signing marks the next step in Williams Racing’s long-term strategy to cultivate emerging female racers. With strong results already in her young career and the resources of the Williams Racing Driver Academy behind her, Jacquet begins her 2026 campaign with momentum and high expectations.