16 year-old Swiss driver Chiara Bättig joins the 2026 F1 Academy grid for the third round of the season at Silverstone as a Wild Card entry, supported by the series’ Official Partner Wella Professionals. In 2025, Wella Professionals backed Australian driver Joanne Ciconte, who ran the brand’s red colours with MP Motorsport throughout the season. This year, the partnership continues with Bättig’s Silverstone entry, with the Swiss driver set to race a livery inspired by the brand’s “Make It You” campaign.
Ahead of her F1 Academy debut at Silverstone next weekend, Bättig expressed her excitement about the opportunity and aims to make an impression. The 16 year-old said: “Silverstone is one of the most legendary circuits in motorsport, so making my F1 ACADEMY debut here as the Wild Card driver is a dream come true.”
“I’m excited to challenge myself, learn from every session, and show what I’m capable of on such a big stage with the support of Wella behind me. I’m focused on making every lap count and leaving a strong impression.”
Alongside supporting Bättig’s entry, the brand will launch a trackside activation, hoping to bring together beauty, sport, and culture within the F1 Academy paddock.
Speaking about the partnership, Global Professional Brands at Wella Company Senior Vice President Marlene Lotter added: “Our partnership with F1 ACADEMY goes beyond sponsorship – it’s about creating visibility for ambition and individuality at a defining moment for women in sport. Silverstone allows us to bring that vision to life at scale, connecting beauty with confidence, performance and cultural relevance in a completely new way.”
Bättig: A rookie in single-seaters continuing to gain experience
To begin with, 2026 marks the Swiss driver’s first-ever year in single-seaters. Having begun karting at the age of eight, she enjoyed a solid degree of success throughout her karting career. However, most notably, some of her achievements include being a three-time Swiss karting Champion in OK Junior.
On top of that, the F1 Academy “Discover Your Drive” programme selected Bättig as a karter in the Champions of the Future Academy Program International Series, where she finished runner-up in the OK-N Senior category in 2025. Her success then earned her a spot on the Red Bull Junior Team ahead of her single-seater debut. The prestigious junior team signed the 16-year-old after she had taken part in the Driver Search programme.
Making the step up to single-seaters, the Swiss driver made her debut in the Saudi Arabian F4 Championship, finishing 12th in the standings with 22 points. However, ahead of her full-time campagin in British F4 with Hitech this year, Bättig competed in the Formula Winter Series with Campos Racing, where she claimed her maiden single-seater podium and finished 17th in the standings with 19 points.
While her British F4 season continues to unfold, Bättig has already claimed a podium and currently sits 13th in the standings with 36 points—an impressive start to her first full season in single-seaters.
