Interview
Lloyd looking to ‘get into the groove’ after double points finish in Shanghai as she sets goal for Jeddah
Ella Lloyd ended the first weekend of her rookie F1 ACADEMY season on a positive note, securing two firm points finishes despite starting from outside the top-10.
Forced to start Race 1 from the pit lane after her tyres were found to be under pressure on the grid, Lloyd managed to steer clear of trouble. Benefitting from three Safety Car restarts, she earned a P6 finish after penalties elsewhere in the field.
Repeating the approach on Sunday, the McLaren driver made up four places on her P11 grid spot to take a comfortable seventh. Satisfied with her race pace, Lloyd knows her one-lap pace is where she and Rodin Motorsport have some performance left to unlock.
“It was a tough start with Qualifying,” she summarised. “Not really Qualifying where we should have been. Then a tricky start to Race 1 with the tyre pressures, but it was a bit unfortunate as the side they checked was in the shade.
“We started from the pit lane and we just needed to make the most of it, and I think I did finishing in P6, which was not too bad. Then in Race 2, it was a Safety Car start because of the oil that had been tipped. We made the most of that as well finishing in P7. Overall, from P11 to P7 and two points finishes in the first weekend of the season is pretty good.”
She added: “Racing has always been the better bit. I can race quite well and the race was there or thereabouts, still a little bit to work on. I just really need to work now for Jeddah and be in the top-five for Qualifying.”
Lloyd is in the adjustment phase of her rookie campaign, with only one previous appearance as the Singapore Wild Card entry last year. The upcoming three-day test in Jeddah ahead of Round 2 presents the Welsh driver an opportunity to further her understanding of both the track and her new machinery.
“Those three days will make me get used to the car even more,” she noted. “This weekend has been beneficial in the three days, but I really need to get into the groove of the car for the next three days of testing before the weekend. Then, I should be good to go.
Explaining whether she can make inroads into the top-five, Lloyd said: “I think it’s pretty reasonable to be fair. I came from the pit lane to P6 and then 11th to seventh, so the pace is there, I just need to put it together in Qualifying.”