McLaren Doubles Down: ELLA STEVENS & ELLA HÄKKINEN Join Development Programme

November 17, 2025

• McLaren’s doubling their F1 Academy commitment with ELLA STEVENS joining ELLA LLOYD in 2026, backed by a second Rodin Motorsport-operated car. Stevens brings serious karting credentials as the only woman to win in UK’s KZ2 class, plus a 2025 British KZ2 runner-up finish that proves she’s ready for the next level.
• Fourteen-year-old ELLA HÄKKINEN becomes McLaren’s youngest-ever development signing, and yes, she’s Mika’s daughter – but her 2024 Champions of the Future Academy victory at Cremona shows she’s earning this on merit. She’ll spend time testing single-seaters before a planned 2027 debut, giving McLaren a proper long-term talent pipeline.
• CEO Zak Brown’s backing this expansion with NEOM partnership support, acknowledging there’s still work to do while celebrating tangible progress. Three women in their development programme isn’t just box-ticking – it’s McLaren putting real resources behind creating pathways that actually lead somewhere meaningful in motorsport.

all-female f1 academy, driver development programme, mclaren racing, rodin motorsport