McLaren F1 Academy Driver Ella Lloyd Hopes to Inspire Women in Motorsport

“We are all driving the same car on the same track. It is who wins at the end of the day.”Nineteen-year-old Ella Lloyd, who is set to join a prominent Formula 1 brand, stated that her presence in the sport would encourage more women to participate, both as drivers and in support roles. Lloyd, an accomplished athlete with a background in skiing and show jumping, hails from Pontypridd, Rhondda Cynon Taf. She is slated to compete for McLaren during the 2025 F1 Academy season. Despite her achievements, Lloyd noted that she still encounters “mixed views” from men within the sport. She expressed hope that her involvement, alongside an upcoming Netflix series featuring some of her fellow competitors, would help to overcome existing stereotypes. Having only begun driving two years prior, Lloyd has already participated in races globally, achieving four podium finishes in her most recent F4 season. For the 2025 season, she will represent McLaren as one of 22 drivers vying for success. Lloyd commented, “Its an amazing opportunity to be involved with McLaren and to be on the development programme. It’s a full female grid to try and promote females in motorsport, not just in driving but as engineers and so on. Its going to be a big jump, not in terms of car, but just being in F1 and the media but I’m ready for it.” The aforementioned Netflix series, produced by Reese Witherspoon’s company Hello Sunshine, will document the races and personal lives of some of Lloyd’s peers. Although Lloyd is not part of this program, she emphasized the critical importance of female representation in sports for the future of Formula 1. She stated, “There isn’t that many females at a high level so there aren’t many [women] to look up and say ‘I want to get into it,’ but F1 Academy is creating that. Seeing females compete, especially on the F1 weekend, is definitely going to make young females get into it.” Lloyd also noted that despite demonstrating their capabilities, women continue to face challenges in securing the full support of some male counterparts. She elaborated, “I have been competing against males this whole year on F4 and its been pretty positive and I’ve had quite a few podiums so there is no reason we can not be as good or even better. When you’re out on track they probably don’t like being passed by females but when you’re on the track overtaking you’re all there to do the same thing.” Despite these challenges, she affirmed that she does not feel pressure, stating, “My goal is to go to F1 but I am just making small steps each time I get in the car to edge my way closer and closer to the goal. It would be pretty amazing to get that high [to race in F1] and it would inspire more women to get into motorsports. Not just driving but the mechanics and everything.” Lloyd dedicates extensive hours to training, attributing her ability to do so to her family’s unwavering support, as they attend every race and track day. Her family also maintains unique routines. She shared, “My mam plaits it in two plaits so it goes directly between my spine… She has always plaited my hair since so it’s kind of a tradition now.” Her father, Chris Lloyd, is a Paralympic skier who became paralyzed from the neck down following a rally car accident in 2011. She noted that he has consistently encouraged her athletic aspirations. Lloyd expressed, “My family are always there with me whatever I am doing. I can’t thank them enough.” She added regarding her father, “He [dad] still gets very nervous when I get in the car. I don’t think he likes it very much just in case something happens.” Given the extensive travel involved in her profession, Lloyd stated that she consistently returns home during periods when she is not testing, though she conceded that she does not “miss the rain.”