Interview
McLaren Team Principal Stella outlines F1 ACADEMY goals for Lloyd and Stevens
McLaren Formula 1 Team Principal Andrea Stella has set out his targets for Ella Lloyd and Ella Stevens, as the team back two drivers on the 2026 F1 ACADEMY grid.
Strengthening their commitment to opening pathways for women in motorsport, McLaren will be fielding two of their juniors in the series. Retaining Lloyd, she’ll be joined at Rodin Motorsport by newcomer Stevens in the McLaren Oxagon car, following the Briton’s rapid pace in the inaugural Rookie Test.
Sharing his thoughts ahead of McLaren’s third season in F1 ACADEMY, Stella praised the series’ role as a training ground for up-and-coming promising drivers.
“We are great supporters of F1 ACADEMY,” he began. “I enjoy the racing as well, I’m entertained during the race weekend watching F1 ACADEMY.
“It’s such a great initiative to give the opportunity to see the young talents grow in a category that I think gives the driver lots of space to express their talent, to see who deserves, who has the merit to emerge. Great support and I look forward to the new season.”
Expectations are high for the campaign ahead, particularly for title favourite Lloyd who scored the Rookie of the Year accolade last year. Nevertheless, Stella believes that a self-improvement approach rather than being results-focused is the right way to go.
“For me, what's important is that both Ellas will see and will be able to think that they are growing,” Stella explained. ”I'm a better driver, I'm a better person than I was last year, independently of the result. I think that’s the prospect, that’s the purpose that they should give themselves.
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“It’s not about the result. It's much more about the purpose and staying true to your purpose. That's where I would like them to feel like I'm achieving it. Then most of the time, if you stay truthful to your purpose, then you get the results as well. I hope they will be happy drivers, fast drivers, that will remain happy with the way they go racing.”
Investing in young talent has been a central part of McLaren’s strategy, with graduates including Formula 1 World Champions Lewis Hamilton and Lando Norris having come through their ranks from an early age.
Becoming the youngest member of the McLaren Driver Development Programme, 2025 F1 ACADEMY DISCOVER YOUR DRIVE karter Ella Häkkinen also joined Lloyd and Stevens to make a trio of female talent in their roster.
Cultivating a supportive environment to harness young talent, the Programme — led by Chief Business Affairs Officer Alessandro Alunni Bravi — also opens up more avenues to progress in the sport with the team’s F1, IndyCar and upcoming World Endurance Championship squads.
Asked about the importance of bringing through the next generation of young drivers to McLaren, Stella replied: “Our culture is a culture of evolution, progress and growth. Growing the young talents fits the culture so well.
“When I meet our Driver Development Programme drivers, honestly I get quite energised. It's exciting, it's such a good integration to the Formula 1 team. Obviously it's an integration to McLaren Racing, but for me as a Formula 1 Team Principal, it's such a good integration. It puts things in perspective.
“Sometimes in Formula 1 you just get channelled into what you do, but then you see the perspective of the young drivers, the growth and F1 ACADEMY, so it's great. I think Alessandro Alunni Bravi and everyone that is cultivating these talents at McLaren, they are doing a good job and I really look forward to see our young drivers growing.”