Farah Al Yousef joins F1 Academy field as Jeddah Wild Card
- RACERS
- Apr 15
- 3 min read
Farah Al Yousef will make her F1 Academy debut as the Wild Card entry at her home race in Jeddah, continuing her rookie single seater season after her rookie campaign in F4 Middle East Championship, aiming to inspire the next generation of Saudi female racers.
Young Saudi racer Farah Al Yousef is set to make her F1 Academy debut this weekend in Jeddah, joining the field as the Wild Card entry for the second round of the 2025 season of the all-female championship.
The 22-year-old is contesting her first season in single-seater racing, having stepped into F4 machinery for the first time earlier this year by competing in the F4 Middle East Championship. Over the course of the season, she made steady progress in a learning-oriented campaign, significantly closing the gaps to the more experienced field.
Al Yousef completed 13 races, scoring a top-20 finish in the highly competitive field at the Lusail season finale, driving for Evans GP.
She will now join the ranks of Hitech Grand Prix, which operates the Wild Card entries in the 2025 season at every round. Farah will drive the #4 MUHRA-liveried Tatuus machine.
"Racing as a Wild Card entry in the F1 Academy on home soil here in Jeddah is truly a dream come true,” Al Yousef commented. “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."
Although her involvement in motorsport behind the wheel is relatively recent, Al Yousef is determined to learn quickly and hopes to inspire more young women in the region. She follows in the footsteps of Reema Juffali — the most successful Saudi female racer to date — who became the first-ever F1 Academy Wild Card in the 2024 Saudi Arabian round.
Earlier this year, Farah also took part in the Formula Woman Nations Cup, representing her country in the Radical prototype during the Dubai Autodrome qualifiers. She is set to compete in the Finals later this May. In preparation for her F1 Academy debut, the Saudi racer has tested extensively, including at the official three-day collective test at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit last week, where she continued to make solid progress, further reducing the gap to the front-runners.
Al Yousef was nominated by the Saudi Motorsport Company (SMC) — the promoter driving motorsport development in Saudi Arabia — which operates under the Saudi Arabian Motorsport Federation and the Ministry of Sports. Her entry is part of the country’s ongoing efforts to promote local talent and create new opportunities for emerging female drivers in the region.
“I hope my participation inspires young girls across Saudi Arabia to believe in themselves and chase their dreams"; Al Yousef continued. "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."
Following the Chinese GP round, the Jeddah Corniche Circuit will host the second meeting of the 2025 F1 Academy championship this weekend, from 18–20 April, as part of the Formula 1 STC Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Friday will feature a practice session and qualifying, followed by Race 1 on Saturday and Race 2 on Sunday.
