Chloe Chong

Chloe Chong is an 18-year-old British racer competing in the F1 Academy, where she’s chasing the ultimate dream: becoming a Formula 1 World Champion. The youngest driver to join the series at 15, she’s making her mark in a field designed to prove there’s absolutely a place for women at motorsport’s highest levels.

EARLY YEARS

Born around 2007 to Canadian parents who’d relocated to Britain before her arrival, Chloe grew up with one foot in the UK and the other in Canada, where she regularly visited extended family in Vancouver and Toronto. Her father, a die-hard Formula 1 fan, unknowingly set her career in motion by parking her in front of the TV to watch race weekends. By age five or six, little Chloe had already decided: she wanted to be just like Lewis Hamilton.

Most kids outgrow their superhero fantasies. Chloe’s dad took hers seriously. As soon as she was old enough—around six years old—he drove her to the local go-kart track and let her loose. The obsession stuck. What started as a father-daughter bonding activity quickly escalated into something far more serious.

OTHER INTERESTS

Beyond racing, Chloe’s life appears refreshingly uncomplicated: she travels back to Canada to stay connected with her roots, but otherwise, details about hobbies, academic pursuits, or side hustles are scarce. At 18, her focus seems laser-locked on the track—which, given the intensity required to compete at her level, makes perfect sense.

EARLY SUCCESS

Chong cut her teeth in rental go-karts, racking up enough wins to earn her shot at the professional tracks scattered across the UK and Europe. From ages six to 13, she worked her way through club racing in England before stepping up to the British Kart Championship Minimax at 13, where she finished ninth overall despite a disastrous final round. The following year brought mixed results in Junior Rotax—she placed 22nd or 23rd in the British Championship after a string of unlucky rounds and crashes, though she showed promise in three rounds of the Rotax Euro Trophy.

Then came the race that proved she had something special. At the end of 2021, Chong entered the IAME Ladies Cup in France—her first experience in the X30 senior category. Despite torrential rain and zero experience with the tires, she set the fastest lap of the race. After starting 23rd, she clawed her way back to fourth in the final. She’d later call it one of the best races of her career, and it earned her attention from the people who mattered.

Those wins opened doors to elite training camps and academies, including the Ferrari Driver Academy Scouting Camp, where she tested an F4 car at Fiorano. The experience was “pretty life-changing,” she’d later admit, teaching her lessons she’d carry through her entire career. She became a finalist in the Senior category of the FIA Women in Motorsport Girls on Track Rising Stars program in 2022, which ultimately led to her signing with F1 Academy.

NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS

• 2021: Set fastest lap and recovered from 23rd to 4th in IAME Ladies Cup final in France despite rain and no tire experience[2][4].
• 2022: Named finalist in Senior category of FIA Women in Motorsport Girls on Track Rising Stars program[3][4].
• 2023: Became youngest driver in F1 Academy history at age 15, racing for Prema Racing and securing six points-scoring finishes with three P6 results at Spielberg, Valencia, and Austin[1][3][4].
• 2024: Competed in British F4, achieving best finish of 7th at Donington Park[1][3].
• 2025: Returned to F1 Academy with Rodin Motorsport and Charlotte Tilbury backing, sitting 11th with 11 points after eight races[1][3][5].

INSPIRATIONS

Lewis Hamilton isn’t just Chong’s childhood hero—he’s the reason she races. Watching him dominate on TV as a little girl planted the seed; her father watering it by taking her to that first karting track sealed the deal. She’s even had the surreal experience of sharing a race weekend with Hamilton during the US Grand Prix in Austin, where she finished sixth in the F1 Academy support race. Talk about full circle.

REPUTATION

Chloe has earned respect not just for her speed, but for her attitude. She describes F1 Academy as teaching her “the fundamentals to racing cars” while competing against an incredibly tight, competitive field. The camaraderie among the F1 Academy drivers stands out—these women genuinely celebrate each other’s successes and support one another, a refreshing contrast to the cutthroat reputation motorsport often carries. “We really celebrate one another and help each other out!” she’s said, highlighting the genuine friendships she’s built in the series.

Media coverage consistently paints her as humble, hardworking, and mature beyond her years—though she’s quick to remind everyone, “I’m still just a kid.” Her approach is pragmatic: she uses F1 Academy as an opportunity to practice not overthinking, focusing instead on executing the fundamentals while building confidence. After gaining experience in both British F4 and F1 Academy, she returned to the series in 2025 with noticeably more self-assurance.

FUTURE GOALS/PLANS

Chong doesn’t mince words about what she wants: “The ultimate goal is to be Formula 1 World Champion… to carry on racing, make it a professional career, and be successful in the sport.” For 2025, she’s focused on competing for the F1 Academy championship with Rodin Motorsport, backed by Charlotte Tilbury. Consistent point-scoring finishes are crucial—not just for standings, but for securing the sponsorship and support needed to progress within the two-year program limit F1 Academy imposes.

The championship started in Shanghai in March 2025, and Chloe came into the season declaring she was “ready to give it my all and compete for the championship.” She credits the series with providing critical track time and showcasing to younger generations of women that motorsport isn’t just boys’ territory. With an amazing team pushing her and the lessons from Ferrari, British F4, and her debut F1 Academy season in her back pocket, she’s positioning herself as one to watch—not just for what she’s accomplished, but for where she’s determined to go.

References:

F1 Academy Driver Chloe Chong Is Putting It All on Track – NUVO Magazine
Chloe Chong Racing Interview – Glorious Sport
Chloe Chong Driver Profile – F1 Academy
Chloe Chong: Meet the Youngest Driver on the F1 Academy Grid – Racers Behind the Helmet
Exclusive: F1 Academy’s Chloe Chong Interview – Elle Singapore