FFSA F4: Clara Stiebleichinger takes Female Trophy lead and first points, Billard and Brian score top-10 finishes
- RACERS
- 9 hours ago
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Rookie Clara Stiebleichinger emerged as one of the protagonists of the third French F4 round at Spa Francorchamps, claiming her first Female Trophy victory in race 1 and securing her maiden championship point in race 3 to now lead the Female standings. Annabelle Brian produced some outstanding recovery drives to win the Female Trophy in Race 2 with her first top-10 of the season, and Lisa Billard convinced with a P8 in Race 3.
The third round of the 2026 French Formula 4 Championship at Spa-Francorchamps turned out to be another highly competitive weekend for the series' female drivers, who once again featured prominently in the battles for the overall top ten despite a succession of chaotic races, safety cars and incidents.
Rookie Clara Stiebleichinger emerged as one of the protagonists of the weekend, claiming her first Female Trophy victory in race 1 and securing her maiden championship point in race 3, while Annabelle Brian produced another trademark recovery drive to score her first overall top-ten finish of the season.
Lisa Billard remained among the benchmarks among the female entrants in qualifying and consistently challenged for overall top-ten finishes, while Autumn Fisher continued her impressive development following her recent F1 Academy wildcard appearance. Sofia Zanfari made big steps forward but a frightening rollover accident in Race 1 hampered her results.
Spa marked the third round of the season and once again featured one of the most interesting female line-ups in F4 globally. The field included Lisa Billard, Clara Stiebleichinger, Héloïse Goldberg, Angelina Proenca, Sofia Zanfari, Ginevra Panzeri, Autumn Fisher, Annabelle Brian and Jade Jacquet. Both Billard and Jacquet wereare competing as guest starters due to their dual F1 Academy programmes and were therefore ineligible to score Female Trophy points. Panzeri is also running a dual campaign and prioritized French F4 over a clashing Italian F4 weekend, making her also ineligible for Female Trophy classification despite arriving fresh from a highly competitive Dijon weekend where she had battled at the front of the field.
Meanwhile, Austrian rookie Clara Stiebleichinger continued to impress in only her first season of formula car racing, having just made her single seater debut in Indian F4 and immediately emerging as a contender for Female Trophy honours.
Notably absent from the Spa grid was Isabella Abreu, the first Cuban driver to compete in French F4, who did not return for the third round.
Qualifying proved highly competitive across the field. Angelina Proenca initially topped the charts in the early stages with a 2:37.5 lap before times rapidly tumbled as track conditions improved.
Sofia Zanfari was the first female driver to make a major impression, climbing into the overall top ten with a 2:27.3 before improving again to a 2:25.4, briefly placing sixth overall.
As the session progressed, Lisa Billard moved into the pace setters, while Clara Stiebleichinger and Ginevra Panzeri also gained the top 20. Billard continued improving late in the session, posting a 2:24.990 to climb into ninth.
Autumn Fisher also continued the encouraging form she had shown throughout practice, recording a 2:25.3 lap to move into 17th position with ten minutes remaining, just ahead of Zanfari. Stiebleichinger steadily closed on the top-20 while Jade Jacquet improved to a 2:26.1.
At the chequered flag, Billard secured the best qualifying result among the female drivers with a 2:24.967 lap that placed her 12th overall. Stiebleichinger qualified P14 with a 2:25.089 lap that placed her in a good position to challenge for points. Autumn Fisher continued her recent form in 19th, followed by the significantly improved Zanfari in 21st, ahead of Proenca in P25, Jacquet P27, Panzeri P28, Brian P29 and Goldberg P30.
Saturday morning's opening race took place under clear skies and sunshine. Billard lined up eleventh, ahead of Stiebleichinger in thirteenth, Fisher eighteenth, Zanfari twenty-first, Proença twenty-fourth, Jacquet twenty-sixth, Panzeri twenty-seventh, Brian twenty-ninth and Goldberg thirtieth.
The opening lap was fiercely contested, with drivers running two and three abreast throughout the field. Billard retained 11th overall, Stiebleichinger settled into 14th, Fisher held 18th and Zanfari immediately gained a position to 20th. Both Jacquet and Brian made progress, with the Dutch driver once again displaying her customary strength on opening laps.
The race was neutralized on lap 2 following a massive accident involving Sofia Zanfari and Cheezum at Turn 1. Zanfari's car was launched into a violent rollover, flipping twice before coming to rest upside down with a small fire visible. Fortunately, the Moroccan driver emerged unhurt from the frightening incident.
Following the safety car intervention, racing resumed with 15 minutes remaining. Billard had moved up to 10th overall, while Stiebleichinger held 13th. Fisher executed an excellent restart to climb into 17th, while Brian had already surged to 20th. Further back, Goldberg slipped to 28th while Panzeri faced a challenging opening phase and ran 26th.
Billard found herself in a battle for the overall top ten with Senecloze. Although she briefly reclaimed tenth after being overtaken, she soon came under pressure from Pasquier, who eventually found a way through as well.
Meanwhile, Brian continued her charge through the field: after overtaking Fisher for 18th place, she established herself as third among the female entrants while Proenca and Jacquet joined the same train of cars.
Stiebleichinger was rapidly emerging as one of the revelations of the race. After repassing Francis for P13, she began reeling in Billard in the fight for Female Trophy honours despite receiving a track limits warning. Running impressive 2:25.1 pace, the Austrian eventually produced a decisive move on Billard to take over the top female position.
Brian also continued her progress, pulling away from Fisher after passing Soares and climbing to 17th overall.
Further down the order, Jacquet passed Proenca for P21, while Panzeri and Goldberg both advanced to 25th and 26th respectively.
At the chequered flag, Stiebleichinger secured her first Female Trophy victory and was classified 11th overall after post-race penalties, completing a highly impressive performance. Billard finished 12th overall and second among the women.
Brian completed another excellent recovery drive to finish 17th overall and third in the Female Trophy classification. Fisher crossed the line 18th but set the fastest lap among the female drivers with a 2:25.7.
Jacquet finished P20 ahead of Proenca in P23, Panzeri in P24 and Goldberg in P25. Zanfari was unfortunately forced to retire following her dramatic early crash.
The second race of the weekend, the reverse grid contest, brought another action-packed race. Lisa Billard again started twelfth, ahead of Stiebleichinger in fourteenth, Fisher nineteenth, Zanfari twenty-first, Proenca twenty-fourth, Panzeri twenty-seventh, Jacquet twenty-sixth, Brian twenty-eighth and Goldberg twenty-ninth.
A chaotic start at La Source saw cars running five-wide and making light contact, but everyone survived the opening corner. Billard capitalized immediately, gaining two places to move into tenth. Fisher and Zanfari also advanced to 18th and 19th respectively.
The highlight on the opening lap was once again Annabelle Brian: starting near the rear of the grid, she surged to P21 within only a few corners before continuing her charge. By the end of the opening lap she had climbed to 19th place, gaining nearly ten positions and even passing Zanfari.
Fisher also enjoyed an excellent start, moving into 16th after overtaking both Woda and Chandaria.
Stiebleichinger produced another strong opening lap, climbing to 11th and positioning herself directly behind Billard in the battle for Female Trophy honours. However, defending from Pasquier cost her momentum in her pursuit of the leading female driver.
As the race developed, Fisher, Brian and Zanfari became locked in a close three-way battle around 17th position.
Meanwhile, Billard continued to benefit from intense battles ahead. Running behind Goudchaux and Pasquier, she seized an opportunity when both drivers ran wide exiting the Bus Stop chicane and briefly moved into eighth place. The trio remained locked together, running three-abreast along the Kemmel Straight.
Panzeri enjoyed a productive first part of the race as she worked her way past Beisemann and Cheezum before targeting Proenca.
With 15 minutes remaining, Billard occupied ninth overall while Stiebleichinger remained 11th and within striking distance of the top ten. However, the Austrian later slipped back to 14th.
Brian once again starred among the female entries; after passing Fisher for third in the Female Trophy battle, she moved into 17th overall and began closing on Stiebleichinger.
A separate battle unfolded between Panzeri and Proenca for P21, with Cheezum involved as well.
Jacquet's race became compromised after contact with Goldberg on the main straight sent her car into the outside wall. Jacquet would pit with damage and retire.
The closing stages were particularly dramatic. Senecloze overtook Pasquier and then found a way past Billard for tenth, while multiple incidents erupted at Les Combes. Contact between Iliffe and Goudchaux forced Stiebleichinger through the gravel, allowing Brian to capitalize and move into P13.
Brian then overtook Francis and rapidly closed on Billard. On the final lap, the Dutch driver produced a spectacular outside pass at Les Combes after running side-by-side along Kemmel, snatching the Female Trophy lead and 11th position overall.
Brian crossed the line eleventh before being promoted to tenth overall after penalties, securing her first overall top-ten finish of the season and completing one of the drives of the weekend.
Billard was classified 14th after penalties. Fisher finished a strong 12th, ahead of Stiebleichinger in 13th and Billard in 14th. Zanfari crossed the line in P17, while Panzeri eventually overtook Proenca to finish P20. Goldberg ultimately finished P26 after receiving a track limits penalty.
Sunday morning's final race again took place in sunny and warm conditions. Billard started eleventh, followed by Stiebleichinger eighteenth, Zanfari nineteenth, Fisher twenty-third, Proenca twenty-fourth, Jacquet twenty-seventh, Panzeri twenty-eighth, Brian twenty-ninth and Goldberg thirtieth.
The opening lap once again featured fierce battles throughout the field; Billard immediately gained a position to move into 10th, while Stiebleichinger climbed two places to 16th. Zanfari settled into 20th.
Annabelle Brian then produced one of her traditional opening laps, immediately moving ahead of both Panzeri and Goldberg.
However, disaster struck for Proenca, whose car rolled over heavily at Turn 6. The driver escaped unharmed, but a lengthy safety car period was required to recover the overturned machine.
When racing resumed with 15 minutes remaining, Billard maintained tenth while Stiebleichinger continued to push forward, overtaking Pasquier for 15th.
Jacquet, who had to pit for repairs after a contact on the first lap, used the safety car to rejoin the pack after an earlier stop and passed Goldberg for P29, while Panzeri battled Eschalier ahead.
Billard continued fighting around the points-paying positions, chasing McKenna while defending from Shane Chandaria. Stiebleichinger also remained involved in a multi-car battle around the top-15.
Brian passed both Beisemann and Herriouin and began closing on Fisher.
A second safety car was deployed on lap 7 after Woda stopped exiting Raidillon and Goudchaux went off at Le Fagnes. The race restarted with just over two minutes remaining.
Billard was now ninth and executed a superb restart to gain another position and move into eighth, equalling her best result of the season.
The final lap produced also another remarkable performance from Stiebleichinger. The Austrian climbed to 15th before capitalizing on contact ahead involving Chandaria in the final corners. She crossed the line 12th and was later classified 11th, securing her first championship point thanks to Billard's guest-driver status and ineligibility for points.
Fisher also enjoyed a strong final lap, overtaking Zanfari to claim 17th. Zanfari finished 18th ahead of Brian in 19th. Jacquet recovered from early contact to finish 14th on the road before receiving a penalty that dropped her to P26. Goldberg finished P23 and Panzeri P24.
Following the Spa weekend, Clara Stiebleichinger emerged as the new leader of the Female Trophy standings: her first class victory and consistent performances elevated the Austrian rookie to 126 points.
Annabelle Brian's outstanding recovery drives throughout the weekend moved her into second place on 119 points, ahead of Angelina Proenca, who now sits third with 115 points.
The French Formula 4 Championship will next head to Magny-Cours on 31 July-2 August, where the increasingly competitive battle among the female drivers is set to continue.
