The choice of the FFSA Academy

"The French Formula 4 Championship is proving to be an excellent opportunity to make the transition from karting to single-seaters. Everyone is on an equal footing; there are no teams – it is the mechanics trained by the French Automobile Sport Federation's training centre who look after the cars. Admittedly, the decision to take part in this competition was made late, so I haven't been able to do as much testing as I would have liked. However, the motivation is there; I know I have a good chance and I'm determined to do everything I can to aim for the podium," commented Jimmy.

A sensational start!

Right from the first Free Practice sessions, Jimmy Hélias was able to demonstrate his top speed.

"The performance is there, but I still lack experience. I saw that in how I managed the Qualifying session. It's an area where I intend to improve," acknowledged the driver, who is licensed with ASK Rosny 93.

On the other hand, the fighting spirit he has always shown in karting is once again proving to be a major asset as he takes on this new challenge. In Race 1, within a field comprising an impressive field of 32 single-seaters, Jimmy staged a remarkable comeback from 15th to 7th place, setting some blistering lap times.

Jimmy Hélias in the top ten of the Championship

Although Races 2 and 3 did not allow Jimmy to boost his points tally as he had hoped, he is already 10th in the overall standings after this first round. It looks promising!

"My progress in single-seaters is only just beginning. With the support of Julien Abelli from Simumotion, further simulator sessions are planned ahead of the Dijon round, where I also intend to work closely with my engineer to gain a better understanding of my car by analysing data and footage from on-board cameras. My goal of a podium finish remains unchanged..."

2026 Calendar

4th–6th April: Nogaro (already raced)
15th–17th May: Dijon
19th–21st June: Spa Francorchamps (Belgium)
31st July–2nd August: Magny-Cours
18th–20th September: Lédenon
9th–11th October: Paul Ricard

About Jimmy Hélias

Born on 1st September 2008, Jimmy Hélias lives in Evreux in the Eure department of Normandy. He won the French Mini-Kart Championship and the National Karting Series in the Mini-Kart category in 2016, when he was not yet 8 years old! Since then, the promising young French driver has continued to demonstrate his talent, particularly on the international stage, with several podium finishes in both the Junior and Senior categories. His fourth-place finish in the 2024 OK World Championship remains one of his greatest achievements. A talented driver with huge potential, Jimmy is now ready and mature enough to shine in motor racing, starting with the French F4 Single-Seater Championship run by the FFSA Academy under the auspices of the FIA.