Alpine star announced in NEW lineup as rookie drive confirmed

Alpine Race(H)er driver Lisa Billard sat in the cockpit with closed helmet visor in F4 — Photo: © IMAGO

F1 Academy

Alpine star announced in NEW lineup as rookie drive confirmed

An Alpine star will receive an exciting opportunity

Kerry Violet F1 News Editor

F1 editor and journalist covering motorsport since 2024.

Monday 15 September 2025 10:55

A member of Alpine's young driver karting programme has been announced in the first lineup of a brand new rookie test for the F1 Academy.

The all-female racing series was launched in 2022 and since its inaugural season in 2023, has championed some of the best young talent in female motorsport.

Ahead of this weekend's F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, the series run by Susie Wolff has announced that their very first rookie test will take place from September 17 to September 18, at Circuito de Navarra in Spain.

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18 drivers, all eligible for a seat on the 2026 F1 Academy grid, have been carefully selected to take part alongside official testing, providing a great opportunity to earn a full-time seat or spot as a Wild Card entry for the 2026 season.

On the first day, the chosen drivers will be immersed within an F1 Academy team where they will observe briefing and engineering sessions. The 2025 F1 Academy grid will also participate in physical and cognitive assessments delivered by the groundbreaking initiative, More Than Equal.

The two-day schedule will conclude with the participating drivers, all aged 15-21, getting behind the wheel of F1 Academy machinery with a total of six hours of testing on offer throughout the day.

The stars of the 2025 F1 Academy grid will also be present at the first-ever rookie test

F1 Academy confirm lineup in all-new rookie test

Among the selected stars of the future is Lisa Billard, who, at just 15-years-old has already gained support from Alpine as part of their Rac(H)er programme and represents the Iron Dames in French F4.

Scottish racer Rachel Robertson has also been selected after making headlines recently, thanks to public and financial backing from BBC Sports presenter Gabby Logan.

Following the announcement of the rookie test, Susie Wolff, Managing Director, F1 Academy, said: “This is a landmark moment, not just for F1 Academy as a series, but for our sport. Over the past three years, the global female talent pool has grown stronger and more competitive, and our priority is to ensure that we have the best possible drivers competing in F1 Academy.

“With this test, we are providing 18 of the most promising talents with an equitable platform for them to demonstrate that they deserve a seat on an F1 Academy grid.”

Katie Denver, Performance & Talent Development Manager of the F1 Academy continued: “This test is more than just a statement of intent; it reflects our deep-rooted commitment to identifying and nurturing the next generation of female talent and strengthening the future talent pipeline.

“Change demands meaningful action, and our mission is to create a clearer, more accessible pipeline that breaks down barriers, and creates a pathway for the most talented to succeed.”

Tom Stanton, CEO of More than Equal, added: “Supporting F1 Academy in delivering important physical and cognitive assessments at this rookie test reflects our shared mission to ensure that the most talented female drivers are given the tools, data, and opportunities they need to succeed.

“By combining research-led insights with real track experience, we are not only helping individual drivers unlock their potential but also building the knowledge base required to strengthen the entire pipeline of female talent in motorsport. This initiative is a landmark moment in creating a level playing field for the next generation.”

Below is the full table of drivers selected for the 2025 F1 Academy rookie test:

Drivers Selected: 2025 Rookie Test

Lisa Billard	Autumn Fisher	Rachel Robertson
Laura Bourguet	Zoe Florescu Potolea	Michalina Sabaj
Annabelle Brian	Natalia Granada	Emma Scarbrough
Megan Bruce	Alexandra Herve	Ella Stevens
Alexia Danielsson	Jade Jacquet	Alexandra Vateva
Eva Dorrestijn	Imogen Radburn	Payton Westcott

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Written by

Kerry Violet - F1 News Editor

Having graduated from the University of Sheffield with a 2:1 in Journalism in 2022, Kerry continued her pursuit of finding a full-time position in motorsport through work with the F1 Arcade in London, where she got to meet true fans of the sport and make a live grand prix watch party memorable for them. It was here that she confirmed her dream of combining her background in journalism and love of motorsport, going on to volunteer with the female-led platform Empoword Journalism. Having completed stints as a screen editor and sports editor, Kerry landed her first F1-specific editorial role with GPFans and has thoroughly enjoyed continuing to work closely with the sport ever since. The access GPFans offers Kerry has allowed her to interview big names such as Naomi Schiff and David Coulthard and given her experiences she could only have dreamt of as a young F1 fan.

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F1 Academy Susie Wolff