F1 Academy: New wildcard driver entry announced for Jeddah

Saudi Arabia GP, Jeddah — Photo: © IMAGO

F1 Academy 2025

New wildcard driver entry announced for Jeddah

F1 Academy have confirmed their wild card entry for Jeddah

Sheona Mountford F1 Journalist

Motorsport journalist working in F1 since 2024.

Tuesday 15 April 2025 13:54

F1 Academy have announced their new wildcard driver entry for the second round of racing in Jeddah this weekend, with Farah AlYousef joining the grid for the upcoming competition.

The 2025 F1 Academy season kicked off in Shanghai where Alisha Palmowski and Doriane Pin claimed the first two wins of the year, and the French driver enters Jeddah in the lead of the championship.

For every round of the F1 Academy championship a new driver will be selected as a wildcard entry for a one-off opportunity to compete in the Hitech seat, with Wei Shi racing in Shanghai.

Article continues under video

Now, F1 Academy have announced that Saudi Arabian racing driver Farah AlYousef will be competing in Jeddah, as the 22-year-old hopes to make her mark during her home races.

Who is F1 Academy’s latest star Farah AlYousef?

AlYousef was crowned champion at the 2022 Saudi Women’s Karting Championship, and went on to finish 26th place at the Karting World Finals the same year.

The 22-year-old is also well acquainted with the Jeddah Corniche Circuit where she will be racing this weekend, and has completed extensive testing there including a three-day test in F1 Academy machinery.

AlYousef recently made her debut in the 2025 F4 Middle East Championship, where she admitted to Al Arabiya English that it was tough to race at such a competitive level due to her lack of experience.

The Riyadh-born driver has only been racing for seven years, but has long immersed herself in the motorsport world, where she volunteered as a marshal at various events from F1 and Formula E to the Dakar Rally and Extreme E.

AlYousef also decided to study aerospace engineering at the University of Manchester, and has taken a year out to focus on her racing career, which has clearly paid off as she features on F1’s support series bill.

"Racing as a wildcard entry in the F1 Academy on home soil here in Jeddah is truly a dream come true," AlYousef said.

"Motorsport has been my passion for as long as I can remember, and to line up alongside some of the most talented young drivers in the world at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit is an incredibly proud moment.

"I hope my participation inspires young girls across Saudi Arabia to believe in themselves and chase their dreams.

"The journey hasn’t always been easy, but moments like this remind me why I love racing. I’m ready to give it my all and represent my country with pride."

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by F1 Academy (@f1academy)

F1 HEADLINES: Max Verstappen in Bahrain Grand Prix tirade as FIA announce late disqualification

Written by

Sheona Mountford - F1 Journalist

Sheona Mountford is a motorsport journalist specialising in F1. As a writer and contributor, she covers a wide range of motorsport series from F1 to F1 Academy, responsible for breaking news, live race coverage and in depth analysis of the sport and the culture around it.

View full biography

F1 Academy Doriane Pin Alisha Palmowski