Ella Lloyd announced as Wild Card entry for Round 5 of F1 ACADEMY in Singapore

F1 ACADEMY has announced that British racer Ella Lloyd will join the grid as the Wild Card entry for Round 5 of the season in Singapore.

Lloyd is currently competing in ROKiT FIA British Formula F4 with JHR Developments and has registered three podium finishes this season, sitting ninth in the standings out of 29. Singapore will see her get behind the wheel of an F1 ACADEMY car for the first time under the lights at the Marina Bay Street Circuit.

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The Wild Card initiative was introduced to help strengthen the talent pool in the regions in which F1 ACADEMY races and prioritises talented young drivers from each race region. At races where a driver from the local region is not available, the opportunity is made accessible to drivers from other regions who aspire to compete in F1 ACADEMY in the future.

Speaking about being the Wild Card entry in Singapore, Lloyd said: “I am very excited and honoured to be given the opportunity to be the F1 ACADEMY Wild Card entry in Singapore. My hard work and dedication throughout my rookie season in single seaters have led me to this amazing moment in my career and I am looking forward to putting everything I have learned into practice and making the most of the weekend.

“I will show everyone what I can do behind the wheel while making the most of the experience and hopefully inspiring other young female drivers to push for their dreams. I would like to thank Susie Wolff, F1 ACADEMY and everyone involved for making this possible.”

The 18-year-old will compete in a special-edition livery and race suit to spotlight F1 ACADEMY DISCOVER YOUR DRIVE, the series’ global programme aimed at changing perceptions of motorsport and inspiring the next generation of female talent.

In 2024 F1 ACADEMY DISCOVER YOUR DRIVE launched the Career Discovery Programme, an educational trackside experience in each city that F1 ACADEMY races, designed to give tertiary students the opportunity to explore a range of roles within the motorsport industry.

In Singapore, six students will be welcomed into the F1 ACADEMY paddock to participate in the early-careers programme. Across the weekend, students are assigned to an F1 ACADEMY racing team to learn about the inner workings of engineering, operations and strategy. They are also introduced to a variety of off-track roles, including journalism, marketing, sponsorship, hospitality and event management.

Across the Singapore race weekend F1 ACADEMY DISCOVER YOUR DRIVE will also welcome 100 local students to the F1 ACADEMY paddock for paddock tours and driver meet and greets.

Pilar Harris, F1 ACADEMY DISCOVER YOUR DRIVE Lead, commented: “At F1 ACADEMY, our mission is to inspire the next generation of female talent – both on and off the track. We’re working to bring opportunities to young girls and women around the world and encourage a new generation of girls and women to consider a career in motorsport.

“We’re delighted to welcome Ella as our Wild Card entry for Round 5 and to see her sporting a livery that underlines our commitment to fuelling futures with F1 ACADEMY DISCOVER YOUR DRIVE.”