French F4: Lisa Billard returns to the top-10, claims Female Trophy title at Le Mans
- RACERS
- Sep 29
- 6 min read
Iron Dame Lisa Billard completed her French F4 season with a ninth-place finish and the Female Trophy crown at the Le Mans season finale, as all six female drivers ended the 2025 campaign showing progress.
The final round of the 2025 French F4 Championship at Le Mans saw Lisa Billard return to the top ten, equalling her best finish of the season with ninth place in Race 2. The Iron Dame driver collected all three Female Trophy victories over the weekend and sealed the title in the class.
Billard, who made her F4 debut last year in a part-time campaign, returned for her first full-time season in single-seaters and often ran at the front of the pack, though unlucky not to capitalize on more occasions. She nevertheless became the first of six female drivers on the grid to score points at Spa-Francorchamps, where she finished ninth in Race 3.
Jade Jacquet, also back on the Female Trophy podium at Le Mans, showed glimpses of good speed and at the season finale collected her personal best of eleventh place after a strong race, adding to a top-15 in Race 1. The result allowed Jacquet to finish as the second-best female driver in the championship standings.
It was an unlucky final round for Annabelle Brian, who has been one of the protagonists of remarkable duels and particularly great starts, often gaining several positions. That was again the case at Le Mans, but misfortunes prevented her from finishing higher, despite collecting Female Trophy wins earlier in the season.
Angelina Proenca ends her rookie season with six top-20 finishes, one more collected in Race 2 at the Bugatti Le Mans circuit with 17th in the reverse-grid race. Sofia Zanfari had several clean runs and a positive final race where she was second in the Female Trophy, though ultimately undone by a penalty. The Moroccan rookie nevertheless secured three top-20 finishes across the year and showed good racecraft.
The biggest step forward at Le Mans, however, came from Héloïse Goldberg, who made clear progress, running significantly closer to the pack and battling well. She showed convincing improvements, particularly in the final race, where she stood on the Female Trophy podium to wrap up her first F4 season.
Billard already showed good pace in qualifying, finishing just outside the top ten with P12 on a 1:38.169 lap which put the Iron Dame in contention for points finishes. Jacquet also showed promise with P18, clocking a 1:38.841, less than one and a half seconds from pole.
Proenca had a more difficult qualifying in P24, ahead of a strong performance from Goldberg in one of her best efforts of the year, in P26. Brian’s run of bad luck in qualifying continued with P28, while Zanfari would start from P29.
The 4,185m Bugatti Circuit layout hosted the 2025 season finale, at one of the most famous racing venues in the world. At lights out for race 1, Billard slotted into P14 with Jacquet holding P17. Brian starred once again at the start, gaining eleven positions to climb to P18. Proenca ran just outside the top 20, as Zanfari also made progress up to P27.
Jacquet kept pushing and was up to P16 on lap 2, while Brian, after her strong launch, fell back to P21 in battles with Senecloze, leaving Proenca right behind. Zanfari passed Milojkovic for P26. Goldberg, after a strong qualifying, was shuffled down to P28.
Jade Jacquet continued her charge, passing Devos on lap 4 to move into P15 and chased Billard for top female honours. Meanwhile, Brian lost positions to Riccobono Bello and Roques, dropping outside the top 20. Billard, running consistent 1:39.3s, closed in on Maassen while opening a three-second gap to the cars behind. Goldberg, meanwhile, regained 27th from Zanfari on lap 7 and showed her best pace of the season, pulling away with strong 1:40.3 laps.
Billard’s consistent 1:38 pace matched most of the top ten but she couldn’t quite reach Maassen and Herrouin ahead. In the closing minutes, Billard pushed with personal best sectors, pressuring Maassen as Herrouin picked up a five-second track limits penalty. On the final laps, Brian battled Carvalho, however eventually losing out to McKenna and Proenca.
At the flag, Billard crossed the line in P13, moving up when Herrouin’s penalty was applied. Jacquet finished P15 after a solid run. Brian gained the most positions of anyone, up seven spots to P22. Proenca finished just behind in P23, Goldberg took P27 after her strongest pace yet, and Zanfari ended P28.
The reverse grid of Race 2 put Herrouin on the front row with Bouzar. Billard lined up P12, Jacquet P18, Proenca P24, Goldberg P26, Brian P28, and Zanfari P29.
At the start, chaos struck as Sato and Devos retired immediately, bringing out the safety car. Billard moved up to P11, Jacquet climbed to P14, Proenca to P21, Brian again made up four places to P24, and Zanfari was P27.
Back to green, Billard dropped back to P12 after contact with Maassen but survived as the German retired. Proenca moved into P20, Brian climbed to P23, and Zanfari ran P25. Billard then battled Leurs while fending off Pirri Ardizzone. Brian then passed Carvalho for P22 and chased down Proenca, catching her by lap 9.
Jacquet held P15, then gained another place when Pererd went off, just as another safety car was deployed. Billard also capitalized to climb to P11. Under neutralization, Proenca held P20, Brian P21, and Zanfari P25.
The restart brought close battles: Billard fought Leurs and Iglesias for P10, Brian set her fastest laps and passed Proenca for P19 and the Female Trophy podium spot. Zanfari gained P24 with a move on Iliffe.
In the final minutes, Pasquier retired and Herrouin hit trouble; Billard therefore seized P10, then gained another place post-race when Roussel was penalized, equalling her career-best ninth.
Jacquet also capitalized to claim her best result of the season in P11, second in the Female Trophy. Brian gained 13 places to finish P15 and third in the Female Trophy. Proenca ended P17, Zanfari was P21 after a clean run, and Goldberg completed the race in P23.
For Sunday morning's third race, Lisa Billard started P12, Jacquet P21, Brian P25, Proenca P23, Zanfari P27, and Goldberg P28. At the start, Roussel went off, bringing an early safety car. Billard held position, Jacquet gained four places to P17, and Brian once again made up positions, climbing to P22 ahead of Proenca.
At the restart, Billard pressured Maassen with Herrouin close behind. Proenca lost out to Roques, while another safety car was soon deployed on lap 4 after Brian was hit at Turn 1 and forced to retire. Jacquet also dropped down the order but continued.
When racing resumed, Herrouin passed Billard, who fell to P13 but maintained a gap behind. Zanfari ran strongly in 1:39.4s, passing Proenca to take second in the Female Trophy. Proenca however fought back but came under pressure from Carvalho, who leapfrogged both. Zanfari held on ahead, until a late penalty for track limits dropped her to P25.
Billard took the chequered flag in P13, completing a weekend sweep of Female Trophy victories and securing the 2025 Female Trophy title. Proenca finished P21 and inherited second in the class, while Goldberg impressed with P23 and third in the Female Trophy. Jacquet finished P26 after a troubled race, while Brian ended the season with unfortunate contact not of her own making.
At the end of their debut season in single-seaters, each of the six female drivers had positives to take away. Lisa Billard emerged as the standout, sealing the Female Trophy title and scoring championship points in a convincing campaign that also earned her a place at the recent F1 Academy rookie test.
Jacquet closed the year with her strongest results and secured second in the female standings, while Brian repeatedly impressed with her attacking starts and racecraft despite a run of misfortune. Proenca and Zanfari both collected valuable top-20 finishes as rookies, gaining crucial experience and showing flashes of promise, while Goldberg made notable strides across the season and capped her progress with a Female Trophy podium at Le Mans. Together, the group demonstrated consistent development and laid a solid foundation for their future commitments.
