Williams Taps French Prodigy Jade Jacquet for 2026 F1 Academy Seat
When you look at Williams Racing’s history, you see a legacy built on taking chances on raw, undeniable talent. From Nigel Mansell’s days to the modern era, the team based in Grove has never been afraid to put a young gun in the hot seat. That tradition continues as the team officially confirmed they are handing the keys to 16-year-old French sensation Jade Jacquet for the 2026 F1 Academy season.
This isn’t just another press release signing. This is a statement. Jacquet is joining the grid with Atlassian Williams Racing, and, based on her resume, it’s clear why the scouts were watching her timing screens so closely.
A Meteoric Rise for Jacquet
In the world of motorsports, some drivers spend a decade toiling in karts before they ever sniff an open-wheel car. Then, there are drivers like Jacquet. Her ascent has been nothing short of blistering. We are talking about a driver who only started her international karting career in 2023. To go from your first international karting laps to signing a contract with a Formula 1 team’s academy in just three years speaks volumes about her natural feel for speed.
Most drivers take years to find the limit. Jacquet seems to have found it the moment she put her helmet on. After that initial 2023 run, she cut her teeth in the French Junior Karting Championship the very next year. But she didn’t stay parked in karts for long. By age 15, she was already stepping up to single-seaters, throwing herself into the deep end of the French F4 season in 2025.
Proving Ground: The 2025 Campaign
The 2025 French F4 season was where Jacquet truly showed she had the grit to handle wheel-to-wheel combat. It wasn’t just about showing up, but about surviving and thriving in a crowded field. She racked up multiple top-20 finishes, proving she could run in the pack and keep the car clean.
But the real head-turner came at the Circuit des 24 Heures du Mans. Anyone who knows racing knows that Le Mans is hallowed ground. It’s fast, it’s technical, and it eats rookies for breakfast. Jacquet kept her calm and drove to an impressive P11 finish. She backed that performance up by claiming the Female Trophy at the Dijon-Prenois circuit, a track that rewards precision and bravery in equal measure.
That performance didn’t go unnoticed. When the F1 Academy held its inaugural Rookie Test, Jacquet was there, and she wasn’t just happy to be invited. She clocked the seventh-fastest time of the afternoon, signaling to the paddock that she had genuine pace.
The Williams Connection and Future Support
For the 2026 campaign, Jacquet will be competing with ART Grand Prix, but she’ll be doing it under the banner of the Williams Racing Driver Academy. This is a game-changer for a young career. Being part of the Academy means she isn’t just showing up to the track on race weekends. She gets full access to the factory at Grove.We are talking about simulator work, engineering debriefs, fitness training, and the kind of mentorship that turns raw speed into championship consistency.
“I’m super excited to be joining the Williams Racing Driver Academy and F1 Academy for the 2026 season,” Jacquet said, clearly buzzing about the opportunity. “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.”
A Shared Vision for 2026
Sven Smeets, the Sporting Director at Atlassian Williams Racing, made it clear that this signing is about looking ahead to the future of the sport.”We are proud to welcome Jade to our team,” Smeets said. “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.”
Smeets emphasized that the team’s role now is to nurture that talent. It is a massive responsibility, but one Williams has handled before. As Jacquet prepares to strap in for 2026, the eyes of the motorsport world will be on her. She has the speed, she has the backing, and now, she has the ride. It’s time to go racing.
