Driver lineup at Singapore GP changes as ‘wild card’ name revealed

The lineup at this weekend's Singapore Grand Prix has received a last-minute addition as a wild card driver has been confirmed.

F1 will return to Marina Bay Street Circuit for the 18th round of the 2025 campaign, but the event also marks the penultimate round of this year's F1 Academy championship.

The all-female racing series features six teams with three drivers per squad, with a total of 18 young stars racing in the series full time. On top of this, there is also a Wild Card entry that is selected to participate at every round of the season, with this weekend's chosen driver announced as Lisa Billard.

The 16-year-old will represent Gatorade, an official partner of the series, in the sixth round of this year's championship, taking to the wheel of the #60 F1 Academy car which will don a special Gatorade livery to celebrate the brand’s 60th anniversary.

Gatorade's partnership runs until 2030 and is designed to help fuel the next generation of female drivers. With this latest announcement, the sports drink giants hope to deepen their support for the all-female series, having already supported Wild Card entry Mathilda Paatz at round four in Montreal.

Karin Fink, Head of Commercial Operations at F1 Academy said of Billard's entry: “It’s fantastic to see our youngest ever F1 Academy Wild Card driver benefiting from our partnership with Gatorade in Singapore. Our collaboration continues to set new standards in the sport, bringing their sports science expertise directly to the next generation of emerging female talent, and offering invaluable tools and knowledge that will benefit the drivers throughout their careers.”

Parinya Kitjatananpan, GM Asia & ANZ Beverages at PepsiCo, added: “At Gatorade, we’re proud to celebrate our 60th anniversary by fueling the future of motorsport with F1 Academy. Lisa Billard’s debut as the youngest-ever Wild Card driver reflects exactly why we’re here – to provide world-class sports science, hydration, and support to the next generation of female athletes. Together with F1 Academy, we’re committed to giving rising talent like Lisa the tools they need to perform at their best, today and for years to come.”

What is the F1 Academy Wild Card?

F1 Academy's Wild Card seat was introduced in 2024 and this year it will see seven young racers handed the coveted opportunity to compete in a round of F1 Academy.

The concept was introduced to help strengthen the talent pool, with Billard set to become the youngest Wild Card entry selected so far having only just turned 16.

The French racer has already impressed in her career, becoming the first female to win a race in the French Junior Karting Championship and earning the support of Alpine and the Iron Dames.

Last month, Billard was also selected as part of F1 Academy's first rookie test lineup, taking to the Circuito de Navarra in Spain to observe briefing and engineering sessions, test machinery and participate in physical and cognitive assessments delivered by More Than Equal.

Four drivers on the 2025 F1 Academy grid secured their full-time seat in the series after being selected for a Wild Card seat last season, including McLaren star Ella Lloyd.

The 20-year-old was the Singapore Wild Card this time last season, going on to claim her first F1 Academy victory in race one in Jeddah.

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