Atlassian Williams Racing has announced that French driver Jade Jacquet will represent the team during the 2026 F1 Academy season, competing with ART Grand Prix. The announcement comes just after Jacquet’s 16th birthday, with the young talent also joining the Williams Racing Driver Academy as part of the partnership.
A rapid rise through the ranks
Jacquet’s motorsport journey has been nothing short of remarkable. Having only begun competing in international karting in 2023, she quickly made an impression on the racing world. Her breakthrough came during the 2024 French Junior Karting Championship, where she first garnered significant attention from the motorsport community.
The transition to single-seater racing came swiftly, with Jacquet entering the arena at just 15 years old in 2025. Her campaign in French Formula 4 has yielded multiple top 20 finishes, including a 12th place result at Circuit de Nogaro and an 11th place finish in the reverse grid race at Circuit des 24 Heures. Her performances have not gone unnoticed, culminating in her claim of the Female Trophy at Dijon-Prenois, recognising her as one of the highest-achieving female drivers competing in the championship.
Academy support and development
As a member of the Williams Racing Driver Academy, Jacquet will benefit from comprehensive support designed to maximise her potential throughout the F1 Academy season. Working closely with the team at Grove, she will have access to the full spectrum of Academy resources, focusing on honing her skills both on and off the track.
Williams’ involvement in the F1 Academy project began in 2024, and the team has already overseen the development of American driver Lia Block during the 2024 and 2025 seasons. Block made a remarkable transition from rally racing to single-seater competition, achieving a second-place feature race finish in Zandvoort and securing her maiden victory in Singapore during the current season. Following the final race in Las Vegas, Williams bid farewell to Block, as F1 Academy rules limit drivers to two seasons in the series to create more opportunities for emerging female talent.
Jacquet’s response
Speaking on her appointment, Jacquet expressed her enthusiasm for the opportunity: “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.”
The team’s vision
Sven Smeets, Sporting Director at Atlassian Williams Racing, commented on the signing of Jacquet for the upcoming F1 Academy season. “We are proud to welcome Jade to our team as our Atlassian Williams Racing driver in F1 Academy,” he 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.”
“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. As a team, we continue to support Formula 1 and F1 Academy’s shared mission to advance female representation in motorsport and look forward to seeing Jade start her 2026 campaign.”
With Jacquet’s impressive trajectory and the backing of a major Formula 1 team, the young French driver appears well positioned for a bright future in F1 Academy.
