Interview
‘I know it like the back of my hand’ – Lloyd looking to capitalise on Silverstone experience after topping Day 1
Ella Lloyd hailed her positive start to the Silverstone in-season test, as the McLaren driver set the pace early into the opening day.
Whilst the majority of the field sampled their first taste of the British circuit, Lloyd quickly got down to business, registering a 2:01.568 in the final hour of the morning running.
Speaking after her debrief, Lloyd was happy with the improvements made throughout the day as she and Rodin Motorsport experimented to find the ideal setup.
“Today been very positive actually,” she said. “There was a lot of grip out there from the race weekend that just happened. A positive day, just trying things with the car as well. I'm really looking forward to tomorrow and seeing what we can do.”
A crucial part of that pace was Lloyd’s ability to get right up to speed from the get-go. The 20-year-old is already well-acquainted with the track, with two previous appearances on the Grand Prix layout in British F4 and the circuit had ideal conditions following the British GT round over the weekend.
Reaping the benefits of her experience, Lloyd carried that speed into the afternoon but believes she could have been faster than P3 had she opted for a different run plan.
“Definitely any track knowledge helps,” noted Lloyd. “This morning, we had a pretty good car. This afternoon, we had a good car as well but I think the time we did (our lap) our new tyre wasn’t at the peak of the track.
READ MORE: Lloyd quickest on opening day of in-season testing in Silverstone
“We did it at the end and it went a bit cloudy and a little bit colder. I think when Payton did her time, which was straight after lunch, that was when the track was probably at its best. We set a decent lap time in the morning, so I think we can set another good one tomorrow.”
Lloyd continued: “I’ve always liked Silverstone. I’ve been coming here for who knows how many years now, so I know it like the back of my hand. I think because I’ve driven it so much, I've just got used to the track and how you need to drive it. So it definitely suits me and my driving style now.”
Looking ahead to the final day of track time before Round 2, many drivers and teams are hoping for a change in the weather with an eye to both the upcoming round and the Silverstone race weekend.
Despite a likelihood of damp conditions in the morning, Lloyd admits she’s hoping to keep an advantage over the rest of the field in managing any changes in the weather but acknowledges that the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve next time out will be incomparable to what they’ve experienced at testing.
“If it doesn't rain, it doesn't bother me because then it gives me the upper hand on the race weekend if it does rain,” stated Lloyd. “If it rains, there's more experience in the car and we haven’t really done a lot of wet running in this car.
She added: “It's definitely good to have a test considering we've missed out on a race weekend, so it's quite key to have this test before Montreal. This car is actually a lot different to drive compared to the normal F4 car.
“Even though I’ve been doing British F4 and testing, it’s nothing like driving the actual car, so it’s good to just get back out there. Montreal is completely different, no one drives there compared to here where we’ve just had a race weekend. It’s going to be a completely different challenge, but I’m looking forward to it.”