Lloyd joins McLaren Driver Development program

McLaren Racing announced Tuesday that Ella Lloyd has joined the McLaren Driver Development program and will represent the team in the 2025 F1 Academy season with Rodin Motorsport. Lloyd, 19, began racing competitively in 2022 in the Ginetta Junior …

McLaren Racing announced Tuesday that Ella Lloyd has joined the McLaren Driver Development program and will represent the team in the 2025 F1 Academy season with Rodin Motorsport.

Lloyd, 19, began racing competitively in 2022 in the Ginetta Junior Championship, finishing in the points at 15 of 25 races that season. The following year, she competed in the Ginetta GT Championship, and finished the year as runner-up.

At the start of this year, Lloyd competed in the Formula Winter Series, taking the Female Driver Trophy multiple times. She competed in British F4, completing the 2024 season with three P2 results, one P3 and multiple points finishes. The Welsh racer also took part in the Singapore F1 Academy weekend as the Wild Card driver, finishing in the points in both races.

In line with the F1 Academy regulations limiting drivers to a maximum of two years in the series, Lloyd will step up to represent McLaren in the 2025 F1 Academy season, racing with Rodin Motorsport.

Her involvement in the McLaren Driver Development program, led by Stephanie Carlin, will see her compete in Formula E’s first-ever Women’s Test for the NEOM McLaren Formula E Team on Nov. 7, 2024, in Valencia, Spain.

Carlin, director of F1 business operations at McLaren Racing, said: “Ella has great talent and potential and has already cemented herself in the series, performing brilliantly as the Wild Card entry in Singapore, so we’re excited to see what she can do with us. We look forward to supporting her development.”

Lloyd herself said: “It’s an honor to drive for a team that has such a great racing history and also a long track record for developing talent. With McLaren, I now have everything I need to keep developing and pushing the boundaries as a female in motorsport.

“Thank you to Zak Brown [McLaren CEO], Stephanie Carlin and the entire McLaren team for their faith in me. I can’t wait to get racing in papaya.”

Chambers believes F1 Academy ‘opens a lot more doors’

American racer Chloe Chambers believes her move into F1 Academy with support from Haas “opens a lot more doors” to future career progression. Chambers has been signed by Haas as the driver who will run in the team’s colors in F1 Academy this year, …

American racer Chloe Chambers believes her move into F1 Academy with support from Haas “opens a lot more doors” to future career progression.

Chambers has been signed by Haas as the driver who will run in the team’s colors in F1 Academy this year, with all ten constructors doing the same. The all-female category was established last year and had its finale at Circuit of the Americas, but will be part of the F1 support schedule for all seven of its 2024 rounds and Chambers says the potential exposure is why the series was so attractive.

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“I had tried to pursue F1 Academy this time last year actually, and unfortunately I was a little bit too late on getting things going for that so I ended up missing out on the 2023 season of F1 Academy,” Chambers told Speed City Broadcasting. “So I ended up going off and doing some sportscar racing in the States, did very well in that, and then sort of in the middle of the year we started going back and thinking ‘maybe we should try and go back into F1 Academy again because the opportunities it can bring are massive’.

“Especially in 2024 with them changing it to be on Formula 1 race weekends as well as live streamed on all the Formula 1 channels, it just opens a lot more doors that weren’t really there in 2023. So I pushed really hard to get into it for this year, went out to Spain to do some testing with the teams and show myself to them so they were at least aware of me and the fact I was trying to pursue it.

“Ultimately we got into talks with A14 Management – who is now managing me – and they were a big help because they have so many connections over in Europe that my dad and I don’t have. So they helped a lot with getting everything sorted for me and I ended up getting paired with Haas F1 Team, which obviously makes a lot of sense.

“It’s the only American Formula 1 team on the grid and I’m an American driver, so that pairing really just made sense with me. Obviously who would say no with being partnered with a Formula 1 team? So I graciously accepted their offer, and I’ll be racing with Campos Racing at seven of the Formula 1 races this year.”

Chambers says the Haas deal extends beyond the F1 Academy backing too, and that she’ll spend time with the team at select other events.

“Part of my deal with Haas is that I will get to experience the inside of the team on a race weekend. I will obviously be at the tracks during the F1 race weekends where I am racing, but I also will get the opportunity to go to a few of the other races where I won’t racing. So I’ll be able to be with the team throughout the entire weekend, sit in on driver debriefs, watch the on-track action with the engineers, and kind of immerse myself so I understand how it works.”

Chambers doesn’t see the departure of Guenther Steiner as team principal as a negative development, after being welcomed by new team principal Ayao Komatsu.

“It’s cool. Guenther was such a face and a personality, especially from Drive to Survive, and I’ve seen some of the comments saying ‘Oh we want Guenther back’, but also you have to think about it from the perspective of the team.

“They did a really good interview with Gene Haas … and basically the way he said it was it was time for a change in the higher tiers of the team because the team had finished last place in the constructors’ championship two of the last three years. So it really does make sense to change something around with the team to try and figure out what the problem is.

“So as much as Guenther is a really cool personality, very funny, I think it will be good for Haas in the long run.”

U.S. racer Chambers gets Haas F1 Academy spot

American racer Chloe Chambers will be the Haas-supported driver in F1 Academy in 2024, the team has announced. The 19-year-old from Indiana will race in Haas colors for Campos Racing in the all-female series’ second season, with 2024 seeing F1 …

American racer Chloe Chambers will be the Haas-supported driver in F1 Academy in 2024, the team has announced.

The 19-year-old from Indiana will race in Haas colors for Campos Racing in the all-female series’ second season, with 2024 seeing F1 Academy switch to become a support championship on the Formula 1 calendar. After competing in W Series in 2022, Chambers raced Porsches in North America last year, as well as finishing ninth in the Formula Regional Oceania Championship — formerly Toyota Winter Series — with one victory.

“I’m super excited to be driving for MoneyGram Haas F1 Team with Campos Racing in F1 Academy,” Chambers said. “Having the backing of Haas is going to open many doors for new experiences and it’s going to be a place where I can learn.

“I’m excited to be going to Miami for Haas’ and my home race — that’s a race I’m looking forward to. It’s my first season in F1 Academy, so I’m looking forward to getting good results and developing as a driver. I did some testing over the winter with Campos Racing, and the team and I work very well together.”

All 10 F1 teams have committed to supporting one driver each in F1 Academy, with that driver running the F1 team’s livery regardless of the junior team they are driving for. New Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu says Chambers has been integrating herself at Banbury.

“As a father to two karting enthusiasts myself, I know the importance of representation in encouraging the next generation to take that leap and follow their dreams,” Komatsu said. “It was great to meet Chloe and see her enthusiasm for the season ahead, and the team thoroughly enjoyed getting to know her at the factory — from speaking with our engineers, participating in pit stop practice and undertaking her first media obligations.

“MoneyGram Haas F1 Team fully supports Formula 1 and F1 Academy in its objectives, and we’re committed to increasing the talent pool of young girls and women entering the sport, utilizing our resources.”

Chambers is the second American on the grid, with Lia Block joining Williams and racing for ART Grand Prix in 2024.

Seven F1 teams have now announced the drivers they are backing in F1 Academy, with Doriane Pin and Tina Hausmann — Mercedes and Aston Martin respectively — racing for Prema. Alpine-backed Abbi Pulling will race for Rodin Motorsport, while McLaren’s Bianca Bustamante joins Block at ART and Sauber junior Carrie Schreiner is paired with Chambers at Campos.

Lia Block set for F1 Academy with Williams

Williams Racing has announced that Lia Block will represent the team in the F1 Academy series next year. The daughter of the late rallying legend Ken Block will drive for ART Grand Prix, the team that will also be running McLaren’s Bianca Bustamante …

Williams Racing has announced that Lia Block will represent the team in the F1 Academy series next year. The daughter of the late rallying legend Ken Block will drive for ART Grand Prix, the team that will also be running McLaren’s Bianca Bustamante in the F1 support series aimed at preparing female drivers to progress to higher levels of competition.

“I am so excited to be joining the Williams Driver Academy and competing in F1 Academy in 2024,” said the 17-year-old. “This is something I never could have dreamed of. I can’t wait to embrace this new experience and learn as much as possible.”

As well as racing under the Williams banner in F1 Academy, Block will also work closely with the F1 team at its Grove, UK base.

“We are excited to welcome Lia to Williams Racing as our F1 Academy driver for 2024,” said Williams team principal James Vowles. “Lia has already achieved a tremendous amount in motorsport, has incredible natural talent, and the champion mindset and dedication to make a success of her journey into open-wheel racing.

“We cannot wait to get started on this journey together. As a team, we are committed to Formula 1 and F1 Academy’s joint efforts to improve female representation in motorsport, and we look forward to working with Lia as a key part of the Williams Racing Driver Academy.”

While Block’s career to date has almost exclusively been in the off-road arena — combining championship-winning runs in the American Rally Association’s Open 2WD class with campaigns in Nitrocross and Extreme E — she has previously expressed an interest in circuit racing, as well as competing in karting events since she was 11 and testing open-wheel cars in the last couple of years.

News of Block joining the Williams fold comes after RACER revealed in July that two F1 teams were keeping an eye on her progress. Derek Dauncey, who has long worked with the Block family as a mentor and team manager, said at the time that Block had a “big interest” when it came to potentially racing in F1, adding that she is “not like her dad” and that when it came to driving, she is the “anti-Ken.”

Upon Williams’ announcement, Dauncey took to Instagram to say he was “Extremely proud of Lia.

“Her talent has been noticed at the highest level of motorsport,” he said. “I would personally like to thank Williams Racing Sven Smeets, James Vowles and James Matthews for the this opportunity and trust shown in Lia.”

F1 Academy champion Garcia to get fully-funded FRECA seat

Formula 1 Academy has announced its inaugural champion Marta Garcia will receive a fully-funded seat in the Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine (FRECA) in 2024. Garcia wrapped up the title over the United States Grand Prix weekend as F1 …

Formula 1 Academy has announced its inaugural champion Marta Garcia will receive a fully-funded seat in the Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine (FRECA) in 2024.

Garcia wrapped up the title over the United States Grand Prix weekend as F1 Academy announced its F1-supporting calendar for next year, with the all-female series gaining big interest as part of the race program. To ensure progression for talents, Garcia will have her seat funded through a combination of F1 Academy itself, PREMA — who ran her in F1 Academy — chassis manufacturer Tatuus and tire supplier Pirelli.

The series has committed to trying to promote its winner further up the motorsport ladder each year, and FRECA has updated its regulations to allow teams a season-long fourth entry if they sign a top-three finisher from the F1 Academy championship.

“I’m so thrilled and excited to be racing in FRECA next year,” Garcia said. “Coming from F1 Academy, it’s going to be a big step. We know we will have to work a lot with the team to succeed but I’m really determined to do well.

“I can’t thank F1 Academy enough. It is such a fantastic initiative, and it is the right way to do it, trying to take drivers with the best results to the top level. What an amazing opportunity, I’m looking forward to it and to the work that we have ahead, inside and outside the track.”

PREMA team principal Rene Rosin says the move into FRECA with Garcia is based on her talent and the potential his team has seen in her over the past year.

“We are really happy to continue working with Marta for 2024,” Rosin said. “We were really impressed by her approach and professionalism, and the progress she made throughout the year showed that she is ready to take the next chapter of her career. This step is also a great testament to the work done by F1 Academy in the development and promotion of young woman talent in motorsport.

“The Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine is a challenging and competitive championship, but we think that Marta will be up to pace, and we will support her to get there as quickly as possible.”

F1 Academy will also reduce the driver contribution needed for a 2024 race seat from a little over $150,000 to slightly more than $100,000 (€150,000 to €100,000) to try and encourage participation in single-seater racing.

“F1 Academy is all about progression and creating more opportunities for young women across motorsport, so to offer a fully funded seat in FRECA for our inaugural champion is a significant moment,” F1 Academy managing director Susie Wolff said. “The fact that she will also continue to race with PREMA, whom she has built a relationship with and are current team champions in this category, will also aid in her future development.

“I am proud of the progress we have made in our first season, and as we begin to build for our 2024 season where we will join the F1 calendar, this announcement, alongside the decision to further subsidize the 2024 F1 Academy driver contribution to €100,000, is a statement of our continued commitment to make motorsport more accessible and break down the barriers faced by female drivers.”

Bustamante becomes first female in McLaren driver development program

F1 Academy driver Bianca Bustamante has become the first female signed to McLaren’s driver development program and will race in the team’s colors in 2024. All Formula 1 teams will support at least one driver in F1 Academy next season, including …

F1 Academy driver Bianca Bustamante has become the first female signed to McLaren’s driver development program and will race in the team’s colors in 2024.

All Formula 1 teams will support at least one driver in F1 Academy next season, including running the livery on one of the cars. For McLaren, 18-year-old Bustamante has been signed ahead of the season finale at this weekend’s United States Grand Prix, an event she goes into sitting seventh in the championship with two wins to her name.

“The team are delighted for Bianca to join us, and for McLaren to be involved in F1 Academy,” team principal Andrea Stella said. “It’s a core principle of ours to be a diverse and inclusive team, so we’re pleased to be so involved in Formula 1’s work on the important topic of improving gender diversity within motorsport. We also look forward to seeing Bianca grow and progress within the McLaren Racing driver development program under Emanuele (Pirro)’s guidance.”

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Bustamante has previously raced in W Series, Italian and UAE Formula 4 championships and USF Juniors, and Pirro says she’s shown potential that the team hopes to develop through next season.

“I’m pleased that Bianca is joining our driver development program,” Pirro said. “She’s a promising young talent who has a brilliant work ethic and is aligned closely to our team’s values. I look forward to working with Bianca on her development as a racing driver. We’re also excited for Bianca to be representing the team in the F1 Academy series and we look forward to seeing her race in papaya in 2024.”

The Filipino driver has raced for Prema in F1 Academy this year but will move to ART next season under the McLaren program, for which Cisco has been named as the primary partner.

“This is such an unreal moment in my career, to sign with McLaren and ART Grand Prix is way beyond anything I could’ve ever imagined growing up racing karts in the Philippines,” Bustamante said. “I still have a hard time seeing my name next to McLaren without getting emotional, as the history and heritage linked to this team leaves me truly speechless.

“I’m so grateful for this opportunity as I believe I now have the best possible development structure around me to take the next step up in my career, and for this I am so thankful. 2023 was all about improving my speed which I demonstrated across several races this year, but in 2024 my aim is to establish consistency and improve my mental strength in order to make a title challenge in the coming F1 Academy season.

“For now, my focus is to finish off the F1 Academy season strongly here in Austin, but we’ll get to work immediately on the 2024 season,” she said. “I’ve never been more motivated in my life! A big thanks goes to Susie Wolff and the team at F1 Academy for fighting so hard for us girls and to give us this opportunity to be the best we can be. Additional thanks go to Zak Brown, Andrea Stella, Emanuele Pirro, Sebastian Philippe, my sponsors, and all my supporters for believing in me and making this all possible. I am full of gratitude, and I promise to give it my all.”

The three F1 Academy races over the USGP weekend, along with the two qualifying sessions and two practice sessions, will air live on ESPNEWS and stream on ESPN+. Click here for air times.