Race 2 of the F1 Academy Singapore GP ultimately came down to a single strategic decision for Ella Lloyd and the rest of the field. The race began in dry conditions but quickly turned wet midway through, forcing drivers to choose between gambling on a pit stop for wet tyres or staying out on slicks. Lloyd, along with Maya Weug and Doriane Pin, opted to remain on their slicks, a choice that would prove decisive.
The gamble paid off, as Lloyd expertly managed her Rodin Motorsport (supported by McLaren) car in the changing conditions to secure P3 at the finish. The result marked her fifth podium of the season and elevated her into the top three of the 2025 F1 Academy Drivers’ Standings.
Fifth podium for Lloyd’s Rookie season
Lloyd was just as close on Saturday to taking P4 in Race 1, but a five-second penalty demoted her to P7, after she left the track and gained an advantage. But this didn’t stop her in on Race 2 for Sunday.
Lloyd started on the second row with Chloe Chambers, and at the green lights, Lloyd had a great getaway and was stuck in a battle for P3 with Emma Felbermayr. After contesting several corners three-wide, Lloyd came out on top and maintained her position for the remainder of the race.
“I’m really happy. I knew that I needed to get a good start – a better one than yesterday – and I did that. She reflected, “I took P3 going into Turn 1 and just held my position really.
“I think we struggled a little bit for pace but it still wasn’t too bad. Then obviously it rained which mixed it up quite a lot. It was just all about trying to stay on track and not go flying off.
“The Safety Car came out and then it was just that one last lap where I needed to keep it on track. That was my aim.”
Variable weather conditions in Singapore
On the flip side, when the rain started to fall, Chambers was one of the many drivers who opted to pit for wet tyres, in hopes the rain would continue to intensify and they would gain an advantage over the drivers who remained on slicks.
This gamble didn’t pay off. By the time the Safety Car, which was deployed after Nicola Havrda crashed in the wet conditions, returned to the pits, the drivers on wet tyres hadn’t managed to close the gap to those on slicks, leaving Chambers to finish down in P11.
Lloyd later reflected on her choice to stay out on slicks, explaining that a pit stop for wets wasn’t worthwhile given the limited laps remaining in the race.
“I was just keeping them really updated about the weather and how wet it was. I think we had three laps left or something and it was just so pointless to box.
“You’re going to drop all the way to the back and you didn’t have enough time. If it was an F1 race then fair enough, but it’s not. We only had that one lap at the end so we would have lost too much. It was a good decision to stay out.”
Lloyd’s movement to third in the Drivers’ Standings
Following the F1 Academy Singapore GP weekend, Lloyd has moved ahead of Chambers in the Drivers’ Standings, now sitting third with 101 points. The Red Bull Ford driver trails her by just two points, setting up an intense showdown at the season finale in Las Vegas.
Lloyd remains confident heading into the final round, emphasising the importance of maintaining her current form and consistency. With Las Vegas being a brand-new circuit for everyone on the grid, she believes the even playing field could work to her advantage.
“Just continue doing what I’m doing. I think that’s all I can do really, just stay consistent. It’s going to be a new circuit for everyone so I’ll see how it pans out. I’m going to be prepping hard and doing everything that I can to be at the top.”
