McLaren Racing has strengthened its support for women in motorsport. They announced today an expansion of its Driver Development Programme. With this the Formula 1 team confirmed to fill a second car in the all-female F1 Academy series.
Rising racing talents Ella Stevens and Ella Häkkinen will join current driver Ella Lloyd as part of the team’s effort to create clearer pathways for young women aiming for motorsport and STEM careers.
© McLaren Racing
Stevens, 19, arrives after an impressive karting career, including a Vice-Championship in the 2025 British KZ2 Karting Championship. She is the only woman to win in the UK’s top karting class. The British driver will race alongside Lloyd in the 2026 F1 Academy season, with both cars run by Rodin Motorsport.
Häkkinen, 14, becomes the youngest member of the programme after earning major international karting success, including victory at the 2024 Champions of the Future Academy. She will prepare for single-seater testing ahead of a planned 2027 debut.
Deepening Commitment to Representation
The new entry will compete as F1 Academy McLaren Oxagon, continuing McLaren’s long-standing collaboration with NEOM, outside of Formula E.
McLaren CEO Zak Brown said the expansion underscores the team’s drive to “open more pathways for women”, adding that having three promising female drivers in the programme marks an important and exciting step forward.