From Tennis to Racing: How Lilou Wadoux became The Brightest Talent in Motorsports

photo by Julien Delfosse via DPPI

Lilou Chloé Perrine Wadoux-Ducellier, a 24 years old frenchwoman born in Aimens, France, is a well-known name amongst the sportcar racing fans. The young driver has acquired a remarkable achievement although only started racing rather late compared to her peers.

Although having a racer father, Wadoux started her sport journey in tennis at the age of 8 until a back injury at 14 caused her to stepped away from the sport. Wadoux was an active kid, sitting down or being idle isn't in her vocabulary. To fulfill the void of being in competition and a thrilling feeling, Wadoux picked up go-kart just for the love of the game. Later on, her racing hobby became serious after meeting with fellow racing driver from Amiens, Julien and Florian Briché. With the help of them, in 2017, young Wadoux climbed the racing career ladder from go-kart to competitive racing circuit racing.

Wadoux started out in a French lower disivion of one-make car saloon car competition arranged by JSB Competition. By the end of the season, Wadoux finished 8th overall and second in junior class.

In the following season, Wadoux finished 3rd overall. At the same time, Wadoux also became a guest starts in Peugeot 308 Racing Cup and finished top-ten four times. She also took part in two-day test for 15 women's driver, they had the opportunity to drive the Formula Renault 2.0 and a Porsche Cayman GT4. The sessions was assessed by two legendary in motorsports, Michele Mouton and Tom Kristensen.

2019 was arguably a rough season for Wadoux. Starting out a new season in TCR Europe Tpuring Car Series with a Peugeot 308 from Briché's JSB Compétition, her season was cut out short after a crash at Spa-Fracorchamps. Wadoux crashed into the fence due to a Qatari driver, Abdullah Ali Al Khelaifi who lost a control of his Cupra León TCR car at Turn 16 and hit Wadoux's car. Although Wadoux was unharmed, the crash caused a financial shock that made her unable to return racing in the championship. Nevertheless, she came back to racing in October with two-time appearances in the Clio Cup France at Circuit Paul Ricard and scored a podium.

Wadoux entered Alpine Elf Europa Cup in 2020, she drove an Alpine A110 for Autosport GP. Wadoux had a consistent debut season by always finishing in the top ten throughout ten rounds and eight junior podiums. Anyhow, she ended 7th overall in the championship standings.

Wadoux's second season in Alpine Elf Europa Cup remained as consistent as she had been. She was fighting for the championship title alongside with reigning champion Jean-Baptiste Mela and a single-seater graduate Ugo de Wilde until the season finale in Portimão. In the end, Wadoux finished third overall and second in the junior class standings.

One of Wadoux's breakthrough career in 2021 was her appearance in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, competing in supporting round of the Porsche Sprint Challenge Cup. It was her first time driving at Circuit de la Sarthe with Porsche 911 GT3. Wadoux then set the fastest time in qualifying and dominated the whole race from start to finish.

With her amazing season in 2021, Wadoux earned her seat to compete in FIA World Endurance Championship, driving a prototype car LMP2 for Richard Mille Racing Team. She raced alongside with European Le Mans Champion Charles Milesi and World Rally Championship legend Sébastien Ogier. The trio raced for the first three round of the season, finished in 6th place at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. After the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Sébastien Ogier was replaced by Paul-Loup Chatin who then also became a driving mentor for Wadoux. By the end of the season, Wadoux and Milesi finished 12th in the championship standings.

Following the last round of FIA World Endurance Championship in Bahrain, Wadoux took part in the post-season rookie test. She drove the Toyota's tittle and Le Mans winning Hypercar and thus she became the first woman to drove a top-class prototype car since Vanina Ickx in 2011.

Wadoux continued her endurance campaign in 2023, driving a Ferrari 296 for AF Corse in the GTE Am category. This year also marked one of the most breakthrough steps of her career by signing a contract with Ferrari as a factory driver.

photo by Ferrari media

"I am delighted and incredibly proud to join the Ferrari family. Becoming an official driver is a dream come true and brings great responsibility. However, hard work always pays off and I will do my best to thank the people who believed in me from the beginning. This new position is an important step in my young career, but I am ready to give it my all and represent one of the most famous brands in the world." Lilou Wadoux on become official Ferrari’s driver.

Therefore, Wadoux became the first women factory driver in Ferrari. She drove the Ferrari 296 alongside bronze-rated driver Luis Pérez Companc and fellow Ferrari factory driver Alessio Rovera.

The team started the season with retirement after Companc crashed in the opening laps of the 1000 Miles of Sebring. Nevertheless, they came back stronger with second place in Portimão and a first win at Spa-Fracorchamps. The win made Wadoux as the first woman race winner in WEC history. Eventually, their performance went downhill after Spa and finished eight in the championship standings.

photo by Ferrari Races

Wadoux then got invited for another post-season rookie test in Bahrain. But now she drove a Ferrari's Le Mans-winning 499p Hypercar and placed third fastest driver among 18 drivers, just behind Robest Shwartzman and Norman Nato.

photo by Ferrari media

In 2024, Wadoux widened her racing journey by competing in Japanese Super GT series. She raced with GAINER-run PONOS Racing squad. Wadoux shared the Ferarri 296 GT3 in the GT300 with Kei Cozzolino. They finished second place in a wet race at Spaortsland Sugo round, the first woman in the podium since 1995. In the same time, Wadoux also raced in IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship in LMP2 with AF Corse alongside with Ferrari's factory driver Nicklas Nielsen and her former teammate Pérez Companc. Although their campaign didn't start well, the trio finally won the race at Watkin Glen.

photo by Jake Galstad via IMSA media

Wadoux supposed to continue her journey in Super GT in 2025 but she withdrawn just before the start of the season to focus on her dual duty in European Le Mans Series and IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.

Wadoux's outing in IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Endurance Cup started rough with back to back do not finish in in 24 Hours of Daytona and 12 Hours of Sebring due to mechanical failure. She drove the Ferrari 296 GT3 with a senior Ferrari driver Alessandro Pier Guidi and silver-rated driver Simon Mann. Nonetheless, the team bounched back in 6 Hours of Watkin Glenn by just missed the podium place and finished fourth.

But luck might be not on their side. In penultimate round of Endurace Cup Wadoux forced to retire the car due to mechanical problems. After the never-ending bad luck, Wadoux and the team finally able to finish a race with an amazing result at Petit Le Mans. They won the race and so they got crowned as the GTD Endurance Cup Champion.

photo by Michael L. Levitt via IMSA media

On the other side, Wadoux's had a decent start of her campaign in European Le Man Series. Racing alongside with Riccardo Agostini and gentlemen driver Custodio Toledo. They finished 8th in the first round at Circuit de Barcelona and a win in her home race at Circuit Paul Ricard. Wadoux's first win at ELMS made her became the first woman driver to won in three different racing series from WEC, IMSA, and ELMS.

Wadoux always handled herself to finished in the top-ten, having an another win in penultimate round at Silverstone made her and them team to lead the championship standings before the season finale at Portimão.

via ELMS media

Unfortunately, Wadoux’s last round of European Le Mans Series didn’t start very well for Wadoux. The team had a bad qualification result and had to start in P7 as well as the first stint from her teammate made the race not easy at all. Her teammate dropped several positions and was fighting behind the pack before handling out the car to Wadoux.

Wadoux did the last stint for 40 minutes accommodated with fresh tyres until the checkered flag. She climbed from P12 to P8 in span of 20 minutes and defended her position, while unable to passed Kessel Racing driven by Ben Tuck. For all that, the team finished second in the championship with 70 points, just 8 points behind the champion-winning team.

via Lilou Wadoux’s Instagram account

To finished her outing this year, Wadoux got another invitation from Ferrari to drive Ferrari 499p hypercar in post-season rookie test in Bahrain accompanied by the newly crowned WEC champion, James Calado. Wadoux managed to pull herself as the fastest driver who drove the other Ferrari's hypercar, Alessio Rovera drove the #83 AF Corse and Oliver Gray in the #50 Ferrari AF Corse.

“I’m happy to be back at the wheel of a prototype after an entire season contested with Ferrari GT cars, with which I achieved important results. I really enjoyed driving the 499P today, on a special day free from the usual race stress, with the goal of collecting kilometres and gaining experience with this wonderful car.” Lilou Wadoux on driving Ferrari 499p via Ferrari News.

Wadoux amazing achievement this year and years before made her as one of the most decorated women's driver. Lilou Wadoux is definitely one of the brightest talent in motorsports with a remarkable achievement as a 24 year old driver. Her double duty in IMSA and ELMS has shown of her consistency and what she can do as a driver. It is also shown that women can achieve as much as men if they're given the same opportunity by the teams.

2025 season has wrapped neatly for Lilou Wadoux with one championship in IMSA Endurance Cup, vice-winner in ELMS, and three race wins in total. Alas, there is still no news about her contract extension with Ferrari. But I hope that their partnership will still be going for many years ahead and partnered her with professional drivers rather than the amateurs.