McLaren Racing Expands Driver Development Programme, Adds Second Entry to F1 Academy

McLaren Racing has strengthened its long-standing commitment to advancing women in motorsport by announcing a major expansion of its Driver Development Programme and confirming a second McLaren-backed car for the all-female F1 Academy series.

As part of the programme’s significant growth, current F1 Academy driver Ella Lloyd will now be joined by two rising stars: Ella Stevens and Ella Häkkinen.

Stevens, 19, from Gloucestershire, brings an impressive record, having recently finished Vice-Champion in the 2025 British KZ2 Karting Championship. Notably, she remains the only woman to win in the UK’s premier karting class, further solidifying her credentials as one of Britain’s most promising racing talents.

Meanwhile, 14-year-old Ella Häkkinen becomes the youngest driver in McLaren’s development roster. Despite her age, she already boasts a standout career, including her first major international victory at the 2024 Champions of the Future Academy in Cremona, followed by multiple podiums across Europe. Häkkinen will join the programme to prepare for single-seater testing ahead of a planned step up in 2027.

In 2026, Stevens will join Lloyd on the F1 Academy grid as McLaren Racing enters a second car into the championship, operated by Rodin Motorsport. The new entry will compete under the banner F1 Academy McLaren Oxagon, supported through McLaren’s long-term collaboration with NEOM, the innovative development underway in northwest Saudi Arabia.

McLaren continues to lead efforts promoting gender diversity in motorsport, both on and off the track. The expansion underscores the team’s commitment to widening access to STEM and motorsport careers for women.

Zak Brown, CEO of McLaren Racing, said:
“While I recognise that more remains to be done to increase female representation in motorsport, I’m immensely proud of the progress we’ve made in this space. I hope this signals to all the amazingly talented female karters, drivers, engineers, mechanics, marketeers and accountants out there that our sport is open to all and deeply committed to keeping up the incredible momentum we have seen over the past few years.

“There are so many opportunities both at and away from track and I want to thank NEOM for partnering with us in this space to help us open more pathways for women. To now have three talented young female drivers in our Driver Development Programme is really exciting, and I cannot wait to see them hit the track.”

With its strengthened driver lineup and expanded footprint in F1 Academy, McLaren Racing continues to push forward in shaping a more inclusive future for motorsport.