At just 20 years old, Welsh racing driver Ella Lloyd has already built a motorsport career as unusual as it is impressive. Competing in the 2025 F1 Academy season with Rodin Motorsport under the McLaren Driver Development Programme, Lloyd is quickly making a name for herself as one of the brightest talents on the grid.
From first test to full-time racer
Lloyd has been racing for only four years, having jumped straight into cars in 2022 with no karting background. She first raced competitively in the 2022 Ginetta Junior Championship, scoring points in 15 of 25 races. Just a year later, she dominated the Ginetta GT Championship, securing 10 wins, 10 pole positions, and seven more podiums, finishing Vice Champion in the Pro Class.
She recounts the moment she knew she wanted to race professionally: “Yeah, it was probably after I did my first test.” When asked what she enjoyed most in the test, she answered, “Probably the speed, I would say. The speed and the adrenaline going round the track.”
Life outside the cockpit
When she’s not racing, Lloyd enjoys skiing and showjumping, sports she once competed in at a high level. She even went on to win gold at the Welsh Skiing Championship.
However, she has always been around racing. Lloyd’s father, Chris Lloyd, competed in rally, until an accident left him with severe injuries, converting him to Paralympic Skiing. Motorsport was part of the family environment, but it wasn’t until her first test that she decided to pursue it seriously.
If she hadn’t pursued motorsport, she believes she might still be in the arena: “I don’t know, maybe a showjumper.”
When asked about her personal favourites, she stated her go-to cheat meal is “probably a Nando’s or a Five Guys. Just a butterfly chicken with peri salted chips and garlic bread. Can’t go wrong”. She continued on to share her favourite films, noting Matilda, as well as Home Alone during the Christmas Season.
Race-day mindset
Pre-race rituals aren’t a big part of Lloyd’s preparation. Rather, she prefers to stick to her average warm up, before jumping straight into her car. The warmups and exercises she is required to complete pre-race, aren’t a negative aspect of her day. She finds herself improving within these exercises.
“No, I just do my normal warm-up and get in the car!... I just do the exercises I do and I don’t mind them, to be honest. I used to hate skipping, but now I’m not too bad at it.”
Career highlights and tracks to watch in 2025
One of Lloyd’s most memorable moments came in 2024 when she made her F1 Academy debut as a wildcard at the Marina Bay Street Circuit in Singapore. Despite only having about five laps in Free Practice, she delivered two points-scoring finishes and thoroughly enjoyed the experience.
This has given her the confidence to believe she can do well in Singapore once again.
“I think Singapore will be a good one because I was the Wild Card there last year… I really enjoyed the circuit and the race weekend,”
Reflecting on her career so far, Lloyd lists her Singapore debut alongside four podiums in British Formula 4 last year as standouts. She currently sits fourth in the F1 Academy standings with 67 points, including a win in Jeddah and three podiums in Montreal.
“It was pretty special because the field is quite competitive in British F4, so to be only in my third year [of racing], getting podiums against people who have done karting was pretty good.”
Rivals, family, and bragging rights
If she could race anyone from history, Lloyd wouldn’t choose a legendary champion. She instead opted for her brother, who she would love to simply beat. She mentioned that her brother is certain he could beat her, leading her to aspire to prove him wrong.
“My brother, just because I’d want to beat him! It’s because he always says he’ll beat me all the time.” And when asked if she’d race against her dad, she replied: “Oh yeah, I’d smoke him any day of the week!”
Advice for young girls in racing
With the female population of the motorsport industry consistently increasing, Lloyd was asked about advice she would give to young girl looking to become a racing driver. Her message is simple: “Just go and give it a go really. Everyone says you’ve got to start in karting and younger; I didn’t do that. I did two different sports before coming to racing. I was 16 when I started, so you don’t have to start young. Just give it a go.”
Targets for the season ahead
Lloyd is balancing F1 Academy with British F4, and she has clear ambitions to be at the top of both categories. With her unconventional journey, competitive drive, and rapid rise through the ranks, Ella Lloyd is proving she belongs among the best, and her story is just beginning.
“I just want to be as consistent and [as far] at the top as I can be… I want to be at the top in both.”
