The Welsh racing driver with her sights set on reaching F1
Scott Hunt, PA F1 Reporter
It’s been some last few days for McLaren‘s Ella Lloyd who took her first F1 Academy race victory with a brilliant drive in Saudi Arabia at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit on the weekend.
Taking the lead from the front row, the young Welsh driver from Pontypridd, did well to fend off Ferrari’s Maya Weug and Red Bull’s Alisha Palmowski, to take her landmark win.
Lloyd has her sights set on reaching the very top of motorsport, driven on by a competitive spirit and grit that runs in the family.
The 19-year-old is one of Britain’s most talented young drivers, having enjoyed a rapid rise that has taken her to F1 Academy and onto McLaren’s driver development programme.
Such progress is remarkable given she only began racing competitively in 2022, going straight into Ginetta Juniors having never competed in karting.
Lloyd is the daughter of Paralympian Chris Lloyd, who was injured in a rally accident at the British Championships in 2011.
He had been skiing since the age of 14 but was told after his crash that he would never ski again – only to defy the odds and compete at world championships and the 2018 Paralympic Games.
Ella’s swift rise is perhaps no surprise, given her family background, and she says that her father’s rallying was her inspiration for taking up motorsport.
“I would say so. I have always been around it and I always just loved cars and anything with an engine since I was little,” she said.
“My dad did rallying, my brother did a little bit and as soon as I jumped in the car I thought ‘this is what I want to do’.
“I just loved every minute of it ever since I drove the car for the first time.”
Parents of racing drivers are often nervous about their children taking up the sport and Lloyd’s father would have more reason than most.
“I think he was a bit half and half,” she added. “Obviously he’s scared, probably, watching me but he enjoys seeing me do it and having fun.
“I think I also am determined to do the best I can and everyone behind me is determined to get me to the level that I want to be at as well.”
Lloyd’s sporting pedigree does not only extend to driving. She has competed and won in both show jumping and skiing.
(@ella_lloyd05)Her ultimate aim is to reach Formula One, which has not had a female driver in a race weekend since Giovanna Amati in 1992.
“My goal is to get to F1 and hopefully I will slowly progress my way up the ladder and hopefully I will get there and achieve that one day,” Lloyd said.
“I am in F4 this year and then I would like to move up to GB3 and then F3, just slowly progress up the ladder.”
F1 Academy is in its third season, with last season’s champion Abbi Pulling securing a spot in GB3 alongside Bianca Bustamante – another member of McLaren’s blossoming driver programme.
“McLaren won the F1 constructors’ championship last year and they have had an amazing start to this season, so it’s great to be part of the team and obviously to add to the history as well,” Lloyd said.
“The first time I went there was pretty unreal, seeing all the cars was amazing.”
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