Lisa Billard secures first points in French F4, leads female trophy entries at Spa
- RACERS
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Lisa Billard secured her first points in French F4 with a ninth-place finish in race 3 at Spa Francorchamps. After having previously come very close to the top ten, the 15-year-old finally claimed the result at the third round of the season, where she also topped the Female Trophy podium in all three races.
Lisa Billard secured her first points in French F4 with a ninth-place finish in race 3 at Spa Francorchamps. After having previously come very close to the top ten, the 15-year-old finally claimed the result at the third round of the season, where she also topped the Female Trophy podium in all three races.
The third round of the French F4 Championship took place at Spa Francorchamps. For Iron Dame Lisa Billard, in her first full season in the series after a few outings in 2024, it marked a breakthrough weekend, as she secured her first top ten finish after having previously come very close.
The 2025 French F4 Championship features a very competitive field, including six female drivers—one of the highest numbers of women on the grid this year in a mixed-gender championship. All have shown encouraging pace over the first two rounds: Dutch racer Annabelle Brian has particularly impressed with her great starts and fighting spirit, producing brilliant comeback drives, though she has been unlucky with contact and other issues that have so far prevented her from fully displaying her potential.
Jade Jacquet, also a single-seater rookie, has already claimed one Female Trophy win last time out. Angelina Proenca has also shown great speed but has suffered some bad luck and a few DNFs, though she often battles within the top-15 and is not far off the top ten. At Spa, Moroccan driver Sofia Zanfari made a clear step forward, securing her first top-20 finish with P18 in both Race 1 and Race 3, and was the protagonist of strong recovery drives and great duels. Heloise Goldberg also scored a top-20 finish, equalling her best result with P20 in Race 3, capitalising on clean races and steady pace.
For many drivers, Spa Francorchamps was a new track — a big, complex, iconic circuit that is a favourite of both drivers and fans, with many legendary corners. In the free practice session, Angelina Proenca was the best-placed female driver, clocking a 2:24.757 for P12, seven tenths off overall pace-setter Hugo Herrouin. Lisa Billard was P19 with a 2:25.337, around 1.3 seconds off the fastest time. Jacquet was P22 with a 2:25.951, while Annabelle Brian placed P25, Goldberg P28, and Zanfari P30.
Qualifying took place on Friday afternoon. Early in the session, Annabelle Brian broke into the top ten with a 2:36.7 lap for ninth. Zanfari was also not far off the top ten in the early minutes. However, it was Billard who emerged strongly with a 2:24.2 lap, placing her P15, while Proenca also set a good lap of 2:24.8 to go 18th fastest.
Billard improved again to a 2:23.9, going under the 2:24 barrier and sitting just outside the top 15 as the session entered the final 10 minutes. Proenca remained within the top 20, while Annabelle Brian ran in P25 ahead of Jacquet, Zanfari, and Goldberg. Billard then found two more tenths to sit 15th fastest. In the second-best lap classification, she was also 15th, followed by Proenca in P19, Jacquet in P24, Brian in P26, Goldberg in P27, and Zanfari in P28.
The starting positions for Race 1 were: Billard P15, Proenca P19, Brian P24, Jacquet P26, Goldberg P27, and Zanfari P28. At lights out, Lisa lost one place, dropping to P16; Annabelle Brian had a remarkable start, gaining six places to move up to P18, while Proenca dropped to P21. Jacquet also had a great getaway, gaining four places to P22, as did Zanfari, who moved up to P24, with Goldberg just behind.
On the final turn of lap 1, a contact incident involved Consani, who continued, as well as Milojkovic, while Martinello and Shen were forced to pit. Billard had to take avoiding action. There was also contact and damage for Giaccardi at Les Combes, while up front, Munoz led from Sato and Roussel, who switched places on lap 2.
Billard held P15, with Jacquet making great progress behind her. Jacquet passed Proenca, who fell to P21. Zanfari also progressed, passing Pirri for P21, while Goldberg followed closely in P24 but lost one place to the recovering Consani. Unfortunately, Brian was hit by Pasquier at the final chicane: the Dutchwoman sustained damage to the rear suspension and was forced to retire on lap 4, bringing out the Safety Car at the end of lap 5.
The race resumed on lap 6. On the restart, Consani was caught in a crash with Perard, promoting Billard to P14 and bringing Jacquet, Proenca, and Zanfari into the top 20. Another Safety Car period however followed, and the race restarted again on lap 8 for the final 4 minutes. Billard made a great restart, gaining two more places as Bolliet and Leurs hit trouble, moving her up to P12 and closing in on the top ten.
Jacquet also moved up to P16, with Proenca and Zanfari following right behind in a tight battle. There was more contact between Caretti and Dorison at Les Combes, with Caretti nearly going airborne but managing to rejoin down the order.
Billard advanced to 11th and maintained her position comfortably, staying within one second of Riccobono Bello. She finished P11, top among the female drivers, claiming her first Female Trophy win of the weekend. Jacquet took the chequered flag in P16, two tenths ahead of Proenca. Zanfari completed a strong race to finish P18, gaining 10 positions and securing a solid top-20 finish, her first in the series. Goldberg finished just half a second behind Milojkovic, aiming for the top 20 but settling for P21.
Race 2 took place on Saturday afternoon in very sunny and warm conditions in the Ardennes. Starting positions were: Billard P15, Proenca P19, Jacquet P24, Goldberg P25, Brian P26 - after a three-place grid drop - and Zanfari P27.
At lights out, Billard dropped two places to P17, just ahead of Proenca, who gained one position. Both Jacquet and Brian made strong starts, gaining three and four places respectively. The Dutch racer, eager for redemption, was up into P22 by the end of the first lap. Goldberg and Zanfari followed, battling a bit further down the order.
Throughout the field there were big battles: Brian gained two more places on lap 2 to move into P20, chasing down Proenca, while Billard duelled with Devos to recover from her tricky start. Brian set a purple first sector and continued her charge, passing Jacquet and Milojkovic to move up to P18 by lap 4. Meanwhile, Zanfari passed Goldberg for P24, then overtook Perard and Roques to climb to P22.
Billard passed Devos for P16 on lap 3. Proenca however hit trouble and lost ground, dropping eight seconds behind the pack but continuing. On lap 5, Sato and Herrouin crashed at La Source while battling in the top five, bringing out the Safety Car. Under neutralisation, Proenca was able to bunch back up with the pack. Billard was up to P14, Brian close behind in P16 - with Devos in between - Jacquet in P18, and Zanfari P23 as the race resumed with 10 minutes remaining.
At the restart, Brian lost a place to Milojkovic and soon came under pressure from Jacquet, who passed her after a spirited battle. Zanfari went off and dropped to the tail end of the field, promoting Goldberg to P24 and Proenca to P25 after clearing Carvalho.
Billard held P14, attacking Senecloze, while in the midfield battles Brian fell behind Jacquet, Martinello, and Perard on lap 9, as she suffered from a technical issue.
Proenca suffered further issues, spinning again and losing positions. Billard, trying to pass Senecloze, was repassed by Devos and had to settle for P15, though she secured her second Female Trophy win of the weekend.
Jacquet had a strong race to finish second in class and 17th overall. Goldberg also progressed through the field, finishing P22 and third among the female drivers. Brian, after a superb opening to the race, finished an unfortunate P24 due to a wheel coming loose after earlier promising pace. Zanfari managed to rejoin and finished P26.
The third and final race took place on Sunday morning under sunny skies at Spa Francorchamps.
The starting grid was: Billard P15, Proenca P19, Jacquet P24, Brian P25, Goldberg P26, and Zanfari P27.
At lights out, the 30-car field made it cleanly through the La Source hairpin; through Kemmel and Les Combes, there were many battles, but the first incident came at Rivage, where Herrouin made contact and picked up front suspension damage, bringing out the Safety Car.
Billard had a tricky start, dropping one place to P16. Annabelle Brian on the other hand again had a phenomenal start, gaining seven places to move up into P18. Zanfari also had a strong start, gaining six places to P21, while Proenca was boxed in and dropped to P23 ahead of Jacquet in P25 and Goldberg in P26. Up front, Munoz led Iglesias and Roussel.
The green flag flew at the end of lap 2. In the midfield, Billard chased Milojkovic while having to defend from Martiniello and Brian. Zanfari made a great restart, passing Pasquier for P20 and continuing her forward charge. Proenca dropped one place to Roques, Brian was passed by Devos and ran P19 - soon joined by Zanfari after the Moroccan driver set a personal best of 2:26.1.
Billard passed Senecloze, who lost four places on lap 4. Jacquet also moved forward, passing Carvalho and then Proenca for P24. On the Kemmel straight, Iglesias suffered contact and rear wing damage and had to pit. Brian kept pushing, setting a 2:25.353 lap to climb back to P18 after passing Pasquier.
Zanfari continued her charge, gaining two places on lap 6 to move into P18. Meanwhile, race leader Munoz had to pit with damage.
Annabelle Brian passed Devos again, hunting down Billard in P14. Billard responded with a 2:24.689 lap, moving up to P13. Brian, caught in an intense battle, was however repassed by Devos and Pasquier on lap 7. Zanfari ran P17 but had to defend hard from Roques with 10 minutes remaining.
Jacquet and Proenca picked up positions amid the midfield battles, closing in on the top 20. Goldberg followed in P23.
As the race entered its final stages, Billard’s strong pace brought her up to P12 after passing Martiniello, with a two-second gap to Milojkovic and Senecloze, giving her a shot at the top ten.
Brian held P16 amid more battles, while Zanfari dropped to P21 but kept pushing, setting a personal best of 2:25.7 in an effort to catch Proenca, Shen, and Jacquet.
With 2 minutes remaining, a massive crash occurred at Raidillon involving five cars: Bouzar, Perard, Giaccardi, and Senecloze were taken out after Bouzar and Leurs locked wheels, sending Perard into the barriers. Giaccardi and Senecloze collided while taking avoiding action, with one car nearly flipping.
Billard avoided the chaos and surged through to take eighth place. Brian also survived the crash, finishing P12 after another excellent recovery. The race ended under the Safety Car, with Billard securing a top-ten finish and her third consecutive Female Trophy win.
Annabelle Brian completed an outstanding drive in P12; Jade Jacquet finished P14, scoring another top-15 result. Angelina Proenca recovered to P15 and Sofia Zanfari finished P18, equalling her personal best from Race 1, and Heloise Goldberg closed in 20th.
It was a standout weekend for Lisa Billard with three Female Trophy wins and her first overall points in French F4. It was also a positive outing for Jacquet, who scored her second top-15 result of the season, and for Zanfari, who showed strong progress and excellent racecraft throughout the weekend.
The championship now reaches its midway point, with the next round scheduled for Magny-Cours on 1–3 August.
