Skip to content
https://shop.fervogear.com/cart
Battig Secures Thrilling Wild Card Spot for Silverstone Race
Highlights
- Chiara Battig named Wild Card for 2026 F1 ACADEMY Round 3
- At 16, Battig will race the #6 Hitech car at Silverstone
- Car features Wella Professionals’ “Make It You” female empowerment livery
- Battig is youngest Swiss Karting Champion with three consecutive titles
- She earned six top-10s in F4 Saudi and podium in Formula Winter
- Currently third in British F4, debuting at F1 ACADEMY Silverstone round
Chiara Battig is confirmed as the Wild Card for Round 3 of the 2026 F1 ACADEMY at Silverstone. The 16-year-old will drive Hitech’s #6 entry, backed by Wella Professionals.
The single-event appearance offers a high-visibility platform during the British racing week, while allowing Hitech to evaluate a promising prospect within its development pipeline.
Wella’s “Make It You” livery emphasizes confidence and female empowerment, aligning with the brand’s role as the series’ Official Partner and amplifying its activation at a blue-riband venue.
Battig’s foundations are robust. She became the youngest Swiss Karting Champion in OK-Junior and the first to secure three successive titles in that class.
Youngest Swiss Karting Champion with three consecutive OK-Junior titles
In 2025 she finished runner-up in OK-N Senior in the Champions of the Future Academy Program International Series, following the F1 ACADEMY Discover Your Drive initiative.
Her potential drew Red Bull’s attention. After impressing during the Red Bull Driver Search on first contact with single-seaters, she was selected as a Red Bull Junior.
That form translated to cars: six top-10 finishes in F4 Saudi Arabia and a maiden podium in the 2026 Formula Winter Series.
Six top-10s in F4 Saudi Arabia and a 2026 Formula Winter Series podium
She currently races in British F4 and has already delivered at Silverstone, taking third in Race 2 earlier this season.
That circuit familiarity should compress her adaptation curve to F1 ACADEMY machinery, aiding run-plan efficiency across practice, qualifying, and race execution.
Wild Card debut for Hitech’s #6 at Silverstone under Wella’s “Make It You” banner
Battig frames the weekend as a learning opportunity, prioritizing clean sessions and incremental gains while representing Wella Professionals on a major stage.
Wella Company SVP Marlene Lotter positions the partnership as broader than branding, highlighting ambition and individuality at a pivotal moment for women’s sport.
The wildcard programme also benefits the series. It showcases emerging talent, strengthens partner engagement, and adds a variable to the competitive mix without distracting from the title fight.
Round 3 arrives with F1 ACADEMY’s profile accelerating, backed by manufacturer and partner investment and a calendar that places the category alongside marquee events.
Visual Summary
?
16
years old
3x
Swiss Karting Titles
?
Wild Card
Debut
Debut
“
It’s a dream to debut as the Wild Card at one of motorsport’s most legendary tracks. I aim to learn from every session and make a strong impression while representing Wella Professionals.
”
It’s a dream to debut as the Wild Card at one of motorsport’s most legendary tracks. I aim to learn from every session and make a strong impression while representing Wella Professionals.
”
— Chiara Battig
Zane Muniz writes across NASCAR, IndyCar, F1, IMSA, NHRA, and dirt-racing news. His breaking-news alerts and event previews ensure motorsport fans never miss a lap, drift, or drag-strip showdown.
