Laura Villars

Last updated
Laura Villars
Laura Villars - 2025.jpg
Villars in 2025
Nationality Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Swiss
Flag of France.svg French
Born (1997-08-29) 29 August 1997 (age 28)
Geneva, Switzerland
Racing licence FIA Silver Driver.png FIA Silver

Laura Villars (born 29 August 1997) is a Swiss and French racing driver, who last competed in the Ligier European Series for Team Virage.

Contents

Villars started her professional racing career in 2023, at age 25, in the Ultimate Cup Series, before moving to F4 Saudi Arabia and the Ferrari Challenge Europe in 2024. She then transitioned over to the JS P4 class of the Ligier European Series the following year, partaking in the first three rounds,

Villars announced her intention to run for president of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) in September 2025.

Early life and education

Born in Geneva, Switzerland, Villars discovered her passion for motorsport at the age of 14. [1] However, she opted to focus on her studies, graduating from CREA - OMNES Education with a bachelor's degree in business management in 2021, [2] before founding the LSVM group and also taking over the management of Starimmobilier SA the same year. [3] [4]

Career

In 2023, Villars made her single-seater debut in the Ultimate Cup Series Challenge Monoplace for Formula Motorsport. Racing in all but two rounds, Villars took a best result of 4th at Magny-Cours, which helped her finish 5th in the overall standings. [5] At the end of the year, Villars raced in the Formula 4 UAE Trophy Round at Yas Marina for Xcel Motorsport. In the two races supporting the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Villars retired in Race 1 before finishing 13th in Race 2.

Following that, Villars continued in the single-seater route, as she joined the Meritus.GP-centrally run F4 Saudi Arabian championship. In the series' only season, Villars partook in three rounds, scoring a best result of 5th at Jeddah, as she ended the winter 13th in points. [6] For the rest of the year, Villars joined Zenith Scuderia to compete in Pro-Am class of 2024 Ferrari Challenge Europe. Partaking in all but two rounds, Villars took a best result of 8th at Jerez and ended the year 20th in the Pro-Am standings, whilst dominating the Ladies' trophy as the sole entrant. [7] [8]

The following year, in 2025, Villars switched to the JS P4 class of the Ligier European Series. [9] [10] Driving alongside Dario Cabanelas through the first three rounds, the pair took a best result of 10th at Le Mans, before Villars left the series ahead of the round at Spa in August 2025.

Media and other activities

In 2023, Villars was the subject of a broadcast by Swiss Radio and Television in the program Couleurs Locales, which tells the story of her career in a predominantly male sport. [11]

In 2025, Villars launched a YouTube channel dedicated to her racing career. She shares behind-the-scenes content from racing events, tests cars and boats, and occasionally invites celebrities for challenges or driving experiences. [12]

Beyond racing competitively, Villars actively advocates for the advancement of women in motorsport. [13] She uses her fame to inspire other women to break down barriers in a traditionally male-dominated environment. [8] She is also involved in partnerships with initiatives promoting gender equality. [14]

Candidacy for FIA Presidency

In September 2025, Villars announced her candidacy for president of the FIA in the upcoming election on 12 December 2025. [15] [5] [16] She challenges incumbent President Mohammed Ben Sulayem, as well as American Tim Mayer. [3]

Racing record

Racing career summary

SeasonSeriesTeamRacesWinsPolesF/LapsPodiumsPointsPosition
2023 Ultimate Cup Series Challenge Monoplace - F3R Formula Motorsport1100002035th
Formula 4 UAE Championship - Trophy Round Xcel Motorsport20000—8th
2024 F4 Saudi Arabian Championship - Trophy Event Altawkilat Meritus.GP 40000N/ANC
F4 Saudi Arabian Championship 1100001315th
Ferrari Challenge Europe - Pro-Am Zenith Scuderia100000620th
2025 Ligier European Series - JS P4 Team Virage500002*18th*

References

  1. ↑ "LAURA VILLARS - MSM". msmgroup.com. 2024-03-20. Retrieved 2025-09-18.
  2. ↑ Marini, Luca (2025-09-18). "F1 | Who is Laura Villars? Meet the racing driver aiming to become FIA president". Scuderia Fans. Retrieved 2025-09-18.
  3. 1 2 Coleman, Madeline (2025-09-18). "Swiss racing driver Laura Villars, 28, announces candidacy for FIA presidency". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2025-09-18.
  4. ↑ Villars, Laura. "LinkedIn" . Retrieved September 18, 2025.
  5. 1 2 Racing, Villars. "Laura Villars, Swiss racing driver, becomes the first woman to run for FIA President". www.prnewswire.com (Press release). Retrieved 2025-09-18.
  6. ↑ "Once mujeres en el Circuit, seis pisando podio y esperando a Marta García". SoyMotor.com (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2025-04-08. Retrieved 2025-09-18.
  7. ↑ "Laura Villars, Ferrari Challenge Driver - Ferrari.com". www.ferrari.com. Retrieved 2025-09-18.
  8. 1 2 Mannerheim, Jenny (July 18, 2024). "Pilote sur la Riviera". L'Officiel de la Couture et de la Mode - Paris (in French). Retrieved 2025-09-18.
  9. ↑ Defet, Florian (March 29, 2025). "Ligier European Series : une grille record pour la saison 2025". endurance24.fr (in French). Retrieved 2025-09-18.
  10. ↑ Gale, Ewan (2025-09-18). "Surprise Third Candidate Joins Race For FIA Presidency". F1 On SI. Retrieved 2025-09-18.
  11. ↑ Laura Villars, une jeune pilote de course automobile, s'entraîne intensivement pour se faire une place dans un sport encore très masculin - Couleurs locales - Play RTS . Retrieved 2025-09-18– via www.rts.ch.
  12. ↑ "Laura Villars". YouTube. Retrieved 2025-09-18.
  13. ↑ DANDY (2024-05-23). "Visionary Leadership Can Drive Global Change in Motorsports: A Look into Laura Villars' Worldwide Circuit". Dandy Magazine (in French). Retrieved 2025-09-18.
  14. ↑ Taylor, James (2025-09-18). "Who Is Laura Villars as She Becomes First Woman to Run for FIA President". SPORTbible. Retrieved 2025-09-18.
  15. ↑ Maher, Thomas (2025-09-18). "Surprise twist in FIA Presidency race as first female candidate declares entry". PlanetF1. Retrieved 2025-09-18.
  16. ↑ Benyon, Jack (2025-09-18). "Surprise third candidate joins FIA presidential race". The Race. Retrieved 2025-09-18.
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