Laura Villars

Laura Villars is a Swiss-French racing driver who made history in 2025 as the first woman to run for president of the FIA—and at just 28 years old, she became the youngest candidate ever to seek motorsport’s most powerful position.

EARLY YEARS

Born August 29, 1997, in Geneva, Switzerland, Villars didn’t follow the typical trajectory of a racing driver. While most future competitors are piloting go-karts before they hit double digits, she didn’t discover motorsport until she was 14—practically ancient in racing years. But what she lacked in early starts, she made up for in focus and ambition. Rather than dropping everything to chase a racing career immediately, Villars played the long game. She earned her bachelor’s degree in business management from the French university CREA-Geneva, proving she had the brains to match her speed. Unlike the typical privateers who burn out chasing sponsorships with no backup plan, she built a foundation that would serve her both on and off the track.

OTHER INTERESTS

Villars isn’t just a helmet-and-gloves girl. She’s a full-blown entrepreneur with serious business chops. Around 2021, she co-founded LSVM Group SA and launched her own management company, giving herself the kind of control over her career that most drivers only dream about. By 2025, she’d expanded her digital presence with her own YouTube channel dedicated to her racing journey, sharing everything from track action to the grittier behind-the-scenes realities of being a woman in motorsport. She’s savvy enough to know that building a brand is just as important as building lap times—and she’s doing both.

EARLY SUCCESS

Starting late meant Villars had to hustle harder than most. She worked her way through a patchwork of series that reads like a European racing passport: Ultimate Cup Series F3R, F4 UAE, Ferrari Challenge, and the Ligier European Series. By 2023, she’d committed fully to her racing career, setting ambitious goals and refusing to let a late start define her ceiling. In 2024, she competed in the F4 Saudi Arabian Championship, where she snagged a pole position at Kuwait Motor Town—proof that she could hang with drivers who’d been at it since childhood. That same year, she ran in the Ferrari Challenge Europe Trofeo Pirelli Am category, adding five race starts to her resume. Across 58 race starts in various series, Villars proved she wasn’t just showing up for participation points—she was there to compete.

NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS

• 2024: Earned pole position in F4 Saudi Arabian Championship at Kuwait Motor Town[1].
• 2024: Competed in five Ferrari Challenge Europe races in the Trofeo Pirelli Am category[2].
• 2025: Became the first woman—and youngest candidate ever—to run for FIA president at age 28[3].
• 2025: Competed in Ligier European Series JS P4 class with Team Virage, earning a best finish of 10th at Le Mans with co-driver Dario Cabanelas[4].
• 2025: Part of a historic Ligier European Series grid featuring four women competing for the full season[5].
• 2025: Launched legal challenge in French court against FIA election rules, arguing for more democratic processes[6].

INSPIRATIONS

Villars has been vocal about the women who paved the way for her. She’s expressed deep respect for Susie Wolff and her work with the F1 Academy, recognizing the program as a critical step forward for women in motorsport. She also admires Michèle Mouton, the rally legend who remains the only woman to have won a round of the World Rally Championship—four times, no less. These women didn’t just race; they kicked down doors, and Villars sees herself continuing that fight. Her presidential campaign wasn’t just about her own ambition; it was about making the sport more accessible, transparent, and equitable for everyone coming up behind her.

REPUTATION

When Villars announced her FIA presidential bid in September 2025, the motorsport world did a collective double-take. Some dismissed it as a publicity stunt—because apparently, a woman with a business degree, a racing career, and genuine policy ideas couldn’t possibly be serious. But Villars hit back hard, making it clear she wasn’t there for headlines; she was there to shake things up. She wants transparency, she wants to remove barriers for young drivers of both genders, and she’s not afraid to challenge outdated systems. Her lawsuit against the FIA over what she called “undemocratic” election rules proved she’s willing to fight for change even when it’s uncomfortable. Major outlets across the globe picked up the story, and her public profile skyrocketed. Whether or not she won the presidency, she’d already made her point: women belong in every corner of this sport, including the top office.

FUTURE GOALS/PLANS

In 2025, Villars continues to race in the Ligier European Series, competing in the JS P4 class with Team Virage. She’s part of a groundbreaking season that features four women running the full calendar—a first in the series’ history. Beyond the track, her vision for motorsport is bold: she wants to “renew and refresh” the FIA, making it more transparent and accessible. She’s advocating for policies that lower the barriers to entry for aspiring drivers, regardless of gender or financial background. And while her presidential bid faced legal and procedural hurdles, she’s shown no signs of backing down from her mission to change the culture of the sport from the inside out. Whether she’s setting lap times or setting precedents, Villars is making it clear she’s here to stay.

REFERENCES

Laura Villars – Wikipedia
Woman Spotlight Wednesday: Laura Villars – DIVEBOMB Motorsport
Laura Villars Becomes First Woman To Run for FIA President – The Shop Mag
Laura Villars, Ferrari Challenge Driver – Ferrari.com
Who is the surprise female candidate for the FIA presidency? – RacingNews365
Laura Villars – Driver Database
Laura Villars: Who is the surprise late runner for FIA presidency? – Autosport
Exclusive: FIA presidential candidate Laura Villars reveals her vision – PlanetF1
Racing driver Laura Villars challenges FIA election rules in court – ESPN
Who is Laura Villars, the surprise late runner for FIA presidency? – Motorsport.com
A record grid for the 2025 season – Ligier European Series
Racing driver Laura Villars, 28, launches FIA presidency bid – ESPN
Laura Villars wants to ‘renew and refresh FIA’ in presidency bid – ESPN
FIA Drama: Villars Responds to ‘PR Stunt’ Criticism with Defiance – F1-Fansite