Williams-backed F1 Academy driver Jade Jacquet believes her historic victory in the French F4 Championship has given her the confidence to challenge for her first points during the 2026 United States GP weekend in Austin.
The 16-year-old ART Grand Prix driver has endured a challenging rookie campaign, remaining the only full-time competitor yet to score a championship point after four rounds. However, her recent performances have provided encouragement, with an improved qualifying result and her strongest race finish at Zandvoort followed by a breakthrough victory in French F4.
Jacquet became the first woman to win an outright race in the French championship during September’s Lédenon round, controlling the reverse-grid contest from pole position and successfully negotiating a late Safety Car restart. The result marked her first single-seater victory and demonstrated the progress she has made throughout 2026.
Now competing at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA), Jacquet hopes to translate that success into her first F1 Academy points. Her confidence has already been reflected in qualifying, where she secured seventh for Sunday’s Feature Race, placing herself inside the top eight she had identified as her target.
Jacquet reflects on historic French F4 victory
Jacquet’s breakthrough came during the penultimate round of the 2026 French F4 Championship at Lédenon, where she delivered one of the most significant performances of her young single-seater career.
After qualifying 10th, the Williams Racing Driver Academy member secured pole position for the reversed-grid second race. She immediately established herself at the front, maintaining the lead while managing pressure from more experienced competitors.
Her advantage was subsequently eliminated by a Safety Car intervention, forcing her to defend the lead during a restart. However, Jacquet maintained control and rebuilt her advantage, eventually securing victory by 1.620 seconds over Thibaut Ramaekers.
The French driver also recorded the fastest lap, completing a commanding performance that made her the first woman to secure an outright French F4 race victory.
The historic achievement at Lédenon provided an important breakthrough after a season in which Jacquet had often struggled to convert her potential into results.
An “amazing” victory shows progress
Reflecting on the victory to F1 Academy, Jacquet described the satisfaction of demonstrating her progress and successfully managing the pressure of leading a race.
“I’m super happy about this victory. It shows the progress that I made since Zandvoort, and that’s really cool. It was an amazing race. I led all the laps and we had a Safety Car, so I needed to do a Safety Car restart for the first time. But it went well and after I won, the feeling was amazing. I’m so happy to have done that.”
The result carried particular significance given her limited single-seater experience. Having only begun racing internationally in karting in 2023, Jacquet has progressed rapidly through French F4 and F1 Academy while continuing to develop her racecraft.
Her success at Lédenon provided evidence of her ability to capitalise on a strong starting position and control a race, two areas that could prove important as she pursues a breakthrough in F1 Academy.
French F4 success gives Jacquet renewed confidence
Although Jacquet’s F1 Academy campaign has been difficult, the French driver believes her recent performances demonstrate that she can compete with the championship’s faster drivers.
She entered the season following her first full French F4 campaign in 2025, bringing relatively limited experience compared with several of her rivals.
Her opening rounds were consequently characterised by difficult qualifying sessions, incidents and the challenge of learning unfamiliar circuits. The first half of her rookie campaign included encouraging recovery drives, but Jacquet was unable to convert those performances into championship points.
However, progress became more apparent at Zandvoort, where she qualified inside the top ten for the first time and secured her strongest race finish of the season with 11th in the Feature Race.
Her subsequent French F4 victory reinforced that improvement, giving her greater belief in her ability to challenge for competitive results.
“For sure, I’m more confident. I know that I can be fast and I can fight with the fast guys. I’m more confident right now. I really like this race (in Austin, also the track is really cool. I feel confident, so I’m happy to race this weekend.”
The confidence Jacquet gained from her first victory could prove particularly valuable during the remaining rounds. Although she remains without points, her performances have become increasingly competitive as she gains experience.
Her immediate challenge is translating those improvements into a complete F1 Academy weekend, combining qualifying pace with consistent race execution.
Jacquet excited by demanding Circuit of the Americas layout
Austin presents another significant challenge for Jacquet, with the Circuit of the Americas representing a new venue for the French driver.
The 5.513-kilometre circuit features a demanding combination of high-speed corners, elevation changes and technical braking zones. Its opening sector is particularly challenging, beginning with the steep climb towards Turn 1 before a sequence of fast, flowing corners that demand precision and confidence.
Having previously struggled to find consistency on unfamiliar circuits, Jacquet believes the characteristics of COTA could provide an enjoyable opportunity to demonstrate her developing abilities.
She expressed particular enthusiasm about the opening sector, highlighting the importance of precision through the high-speed corners.
“The first sector with the fast section and all the esses, it’s going to be amazing. You are ready to be at the limit every time and to be precise, that’s a really cool feeling.”
Austin also presents a relatively level playing field, with most of the championship’s competitors lacking previous racing experience at the venue.
However, the limited practice running means that adapting quickly remains essential. The drivers have only one Free Practice session to familiarise themselves with the circuit before qualifying, placing additional pressure on their ability to learn the track efficiently.
For Jacquet, the challenge is similar to Montreal, where the expanded three-race weekend also demanded quick adaptation to an unfamiliar venue.
Adaptation key to F1 Academy points ambitions
Jacquet acknowledged that adapting quickly would be one of the most important aspects of the Austin weekend, particularly given the limited opportunity to familiarise herself with the circuit.
Although her French F4 victory has increased her confidence, she recognises that the competitive nature of F1 Academy requires drivers to maximise every session.
The Williams-backed driver explained that finding speed immediately would be crucial, with the entire grid facing a similar challenge.
“It will be all about adaptation. It will be the same for everyone with this car. The goal will be to be the quickest as soon as possible and that’s the challenge. It’s going to be fun.”
Her comments highlight the importance of qualifying, which has often been one of her main areas for improvement during the season.
Starting further down the order has repeatedly forced Jacquet to focus on recovery drives rather than directly challenging for points. Although she has demonstrated an ability to gain positions, the short F1 Academy races leave limited time to overcome a difficult starting position.
At Zandvoort, qualifying inside the top ten represented an important breakthrough, reducing the deficit she needed to recover during the races.
Austin provides another opportunity to build on that improvement, particularly given the additional race included in the weekend’s schedule.
Jacquet targets first F1 Academy points and reversed-grid opportunity
Jacquet entered Austin with a clear objective of securing her maiden F1 Academy points after four challenging rounds.
The weekend features three races rather than the traditional two, with an Opening Race on Friday, a Reverse Grid Race on Saturday and a Feature Race on Sunday.
The expanded format for Austin and Montreal provides drivers with an additional opportunity to score points, although it also increases the importance of recording two competitive qualifying laps.
The fastest qualifying lap determines the Feature Race grid, while the second-fastest establishes the starting order for the Opening Race. Meanwhile, the Reverse Grid Race reverses the leading eight qualifiers.
For Jacquet, securing a place inside the top eight represented an important target because it could provide a more favourable starting position for Saturday’s reversed-grid contest.
“I want to score points, obviously! If we can be in the top eight in Qualifying and get on the Reverse Grid (Race), it would be cool.”
That objective has already begun to materialise. Following a difficult Free Practice session, Jacquet improved significantly during Thursday’s qualifying session, securing seventh on the Feature Race grid.
The result places her within the reversed top eight and gives her a front-row starting position for Saturday’s Reverse Grid Race, offering a valuable opportunity to challenge for her first championship points.
Her progress also demonstrates the importance of the confidence gained from her French F4 victory. Having previously struggled to qualify consistently near the points-paying positions, Jacquet has now delivered an encouraging result at another unfamiliar circuit.
Jacquet aims to convert progress into breakthrough result
Jacquet’s recent performances represent an important development in a rookie campaign that has frequently tested her confidence and consistency.
Her early F1 Academy races were characterised by the challenges of adapting to unfamiliar circuits and competing against more experienced drivers. Although she demonstrated encouraging race pace at several events, difficult qualifying performances and incidents prevented her from scoring.
Zandvoort provided the first clear indication of improvement, with her maiden top-ten qualifying result and season-best 11th-place finish. Her historic French F4 victory subsequently reinforced her belief that she can compete at the front when presented with the opportunity.
That progress has continued into Austin, where seventh in qualifying represents a promising starting point for the remaining races.
However, Jacquet’s immediate objective remains unchanged. The Williams-backed driver is determined to secure her first F1 Academy points and convert her growing confidence into a tangible result before the championship concludes in Las Vegas.
With a historic single-seater victory already secured and a stronger qualifying performance providing encouragement, the French driver now has an opportunity to demonstrate how far she has progressed throughout her rookie season.
Her focus will be on making the most of that opportunity and translating her recent breakthrough into the first points finish of her F1 Academy career.
