Palmowski and Lloyd on chasing their Silverstone dream

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What is F1 TV?F1 GlossaryGet involved2026 RegulationsNewsVideosPalmowski and Lloyd on chasing their Silverstone dreamLiveLIVE COVERAGE: All the action from FP1 at SilverstonePiastri on the reported talks between Verstappen and McLarenAlonso plays down upgrade role in Aston Martin futurePlay33:01Weekend Warm-Up - 2026 British Grand Prix 2:22Piastri: Contest 'changing a lot from track to track' but Mercedes 'constant challenge' Alexander AlbonFernando AlonsoKimi AntonelliOliver BearmanGabriel BortoletoValtteri BottasFranco ColapintoPierre GaslyIsack HadjarLewis HamiltonNico HulkenbergLiam LawsonCharles LeclercArvid LindbladLando NorrisEsteban OconSergio PerezOscar PiastriGeorge RussellCarlos SainzLance StrollMax VerstappenAll Drivers Hall of FameTeamsChevron DropdownAlpineAston MartinAudiCadillacFerrariHaas F1 TeamMcLarenMercedesRacing BullsRed Bull RacingWilliamsAll TeamsFantasy & GamingChevron DropdownF1 Sim RacingFantasyF1 25F1 Manager 24F1 PredictF1 ClashF1 Members' AreaMenuFIA if(window.f1MobileDetection.iOSSafari) { var meta = document.createElement("meta"); meta.name = "apple-itunes-app"; meta.content = "app-id=835022598, app-argument=https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/my-life-would-be-complete-palmowski-and-lloyd-chasing-silverstone-dream-on-f1-academys-british-gp-debut.55TXnyiJwCsc2pfZ63n9Uq.55TXnyiJwCsc2pfZ63n9Uq"; document.head.appendChild(meta); } {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/my-life-would-be-complete-palmowski-and-lloyd-chasing-silverstone-dream-on-f1-academys-british-gp-debut.55TXnyiJwCsc2pfZ63n9Uq","url":"https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/my-life-would-be-complete-palmowski-and-lloyd-chasing-silverstone-dream-on-f1-academys-british-gp-debut.55TXnyiJwCsc2pfZ63n9Uq","mainEntityOfPage":"https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/my-life-would-be-complete-palmowski-and-lloyd-chasing-silverstone-dream-on-f1-academys-british-gp-debut.55TXnyiJwCsc2pfZ63n9Uq","datePublished":"2026-07-03T12:19:19.222Z","dateModified":"2026-07-03T12:19:19.222Z","headline":"‘My life would be complete’ – Alisha Palmowski and Ella Lloyd chasing Silverstone dream on F1 ACADEMY’s British GP debut","author":"F1","description":"Ella Lloyd and Alisha Palmowski are both looking forward to the prospect of racing in front of a home crowd in F1 ACADEMY.","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://media.formula1.com/image/upload/f_auto/q_auto/v1783080535/fom-website/2026/F1%20Academy/EXCLUSIVEINTERVIEW%20FEATURE%20V3%20-%202%20people.png"},"isAccessibleForFree":"true","publisher":{"@type":"SportsOrganization","@id":"https://www.formula1.com#organization","name":"Formula 1","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://www.formula1.com/etc/designs/fom-website/social/f1-default-share.jpg","width":"480","height":"120"}}}F1 AcademyRoad to F1Great BritainShow more tags‘My life would be complete’ – Palmowski and Lloyd chasing Silverstone dream on F1 ACADEMY’s British GP debutElla Lloyd and Alisha Palmowski are both looking forward to the prospect of racing in front of a home crowd in F1 ACADEMY. F1 ACADEMY’s first outing at Silverstone is a homecoming loaded with emotion and expectation for Ella Lloyd and Alisha Palmowski, as each look to stand on the top step of the podium in front of the cheering British crowd. Racing for McLaren and Red Bull respectively, Lloyd and Palmowski know that their title dreams and futures could ultimately hinge on how they perform on home soil. Both were touted as pre-season title favourites, but the starts to their sophomore campaigns couldn’t be in more stark contrast. Palmowski arrives at Silverstone riding high with a 25-point lead in the Drivers’ Standings after a dominant weekend in Montreal, where she claimed both pole positions, won two of the three races and twice broke the record for the series’ biggest winning margin. Meanwhile, last year’s top rookie has struggled to recreate her form. Lloyd sits eighth in the Standings with only one top-five finish from the opening five races. Yet the Welsh racer has shown impressive speed on occasion, most notably in Montreal, where she made up 21 places across the three Montreal races after a disastrous Qualifying left her at the tail end of the order. Racing in front of a home Grand Prix crowd is a rare privilege for any driver, even those further up the ladder in F1, Formula 2 and Formula 3. The emotional significance and pressure that comes with that isn’t lost on either driver, but both remain steadfast in their level-headed approach to the weekend. “It's obviously very exciting to be racing there on the F1 package with F1 ACADEMY,” begins Lloyd. “I think we’ve got to grip with the track pretty well, I’ve had good success there before and I know what I need to do there and go in there open-minded, just kind of chipping away as the weekend goes along. “At the end of the day, I want to win. I want to win every race, so it doesn't matter if it's at home and I want to be the best Brit, I want to be the best driver, so that's my goal and aim.” For Palmowski, this trip to Silverstone is even more poignant. Her first visit to the British Grand Prix as a fan 11 years ago ultimately set her on the path to F1 ACADEMY. Once waiting for the gates to open at 5am, she returns looking to forge new unforgettable memories on track instead. “It's always been my dream to race at the British Grand Prix,” says Palmowski. ”Silverstone is really where my passion for motorsport was unlocked. For me now to be on the other side of that fence actually on track racing, I just can’t comprehend what a special feeling that will be for me.” She adds: “I don’t think my younger self would believe it to be honest. My whole journey has been such a whirlwind. It’s been a very long journey at times, but equally it's flown by. I can still remember my first time in a go-kart dreaming of racing at the British Grand Prix. To now make that dream a reality, I don't think it's fully sunk in yet, and it won't sink in until I'm out there on track. “My next bucket list will be to stand on the podium at Silverstone. That would be so, so special. I've watched so many podiums of Silverstone. All my idols have stood up there on that podium, so I think my life would be complete if I can make it on there.” However, Palmowski acknowledges that those dreams of success and recent form have only raised the stakes and her own expectations. “There’s more pressure to beat everybody and win,” the Briton admits. “I think that would be a real dream come true. There is more pressure around Silverstone. There's no point in me denying that, because it's just the race that I really want to win. If I could win one race for the rest of the season, it would be Silverstone that I'd choose.” United in their ambitions this weekend, Lloyd and Palmowski’s journeys to this point couldn’t be more different. Palmowski followed the more traditional route from karting into the GB4 Championship before stepping up into F1 ACADEMY. Lloyd’s route was rather more unusual. A decorated showjumper and Welsh Skiing Championship gold medallist, the 20-year-old traded one type of horsepower for another when she competed in the 2022 Ginetta Junior Championship. She later moved up into British F4 in 2024 — the Championship previously won by the likes of reigning World Champion Lando Norris and Williams reserve driver Luke Browning. Lloyd believes her unconventional background has aided her understanding behind the wheel, particularly when it comes to adapting to ever-changing conditions and reacting instinctively. “I learnt a lot from show jumping and ski racing and definitely it transitioned well into car racing, “ she explains. “You’ve got a live animal underneath you, you don't know what she's going to do. You've got to learn a course of show jumps, so that transitions as well to going around the track. “In ski racing, you’ve got to feel the surface underneath you because it could change, it could be a little bit icy or a little bit powdery. The balance definitely transitioned well and getting a feel of what's underneath you with your bum on the horse or through your feet and skis.” Both drivers made their F1 ACADEMY debuts as Wild Cards in 2024 before being picked up by their respective F1 teams. Benefitting from training at Woking along with trackside support, Lloyd credited the McLaren Driver Development Programme’s efforts to support her growth in the series. “It’s an amazing opportunity to be representing McLaren and to be a part of their Driver Development Programme,” says Lloyd. “Now I’m kind of a part of the family and it's great to be involved with them. “We get a lot of support all round. At the track, we've got Warren (Hughes — former endurance driver and British GT race winner) every weekend as the driver coach, which is nice to have a driver's perspective. Away from the track, we've got fitness and media training to keep us prepared and on top of things. They've got the new simulator coming soon, which hopefully will be good, I’m excited to get on that! They're helping in so many different avenues.” Over at Red Bull Racing, Palmowski says the support has bolstered her self-belief and understanding of what she has to do to progress. “The support's honestly changed my life,” she acknowledges. “I've not only developed a lot as a driver being with Red Bull, but I think as a person I've learnt a lot about myself […] I'm constantly learning. I always say that I'm like a sponge. I'm just asking as many questions as I can, trying to absorb as much information as possible to maximise the opportunity that I have. “Last year, I learnt things that I didn’t know I didn’t know about. They've made me consider new aspects around motorsport that I'd never even appreciated before. The drivers that they have and the data from that I'm able to compare to, we’re talking Max Verstappen. It's the best drivers in the world, the level that I'm able to now compare data to. “From a driver development perspective, you can't learn more. I'm literally in the best place in the world to be able to develop as a driver, so it can't be underestimated how huge this is that I've got.” The significance of the Silverstone weekend stretches beyond personal results or a milestone for the series. Back in 2014, F1 ACADEMY Managing Director Susie Wolff became the first woman in over two decades to participate in an F1 session when she made her Free Practice debut at the British Grand Prix with Williams. While Lloyd and Palmowski’s own journeys began in the years following that landmark moment, both recognise the opportunity the series has given them and their chance to give something back. “At every track we've got so much support for us and F1 ACADEMY which is amazing,” says Lloyd. “We're always inspiring the younger generation. I had someone come up to me on the plane on the way out saying, ‘you’re an inspiration to many people’. “It kind of takes you aback. I just think I'm a normal person at the end of the day and to hear people say that it makes you think you actually are doing something. It's incredible to see and I never thought that I'd be in this position to be honest.” Palmowski adds: “What’s so great about F1 ACADEMY is that the series really serves a dual purpose. Firstly it gives an opportunity to people like me who are already involved in the sport to develop as drivers, develop as people and try to progress through the single-seater ladder. “Simultaneously while developing our own careers, we're hopefully inspiring the next generation to realise how many opportunities there are within motorsport. The first time I went, I still didn't realise at that Grand Prix that this is something I can do. I didn't realise there's an opportunity out there for me to get in a car. “Whereas now, all the young female fans coming to the British Grand Prix this year, they'll see 18 young female drivers racing on that same race weekend as Formula 1. Hopefully they'll realise, should they want to, there's no reason they can't get a career in motorsport. I think F1 ACADEMY’s got to be game changing in that respect.” Although undoubtedly a special weekend for both drivers and their families, this weekend is one equal part of a much bigger picture. With four rounds remaining, including this weekend at Silverstone, Lloyd and Palmowski are contemplating the big question of what comes next. Although this year’s sophomore drivers may be eligible for a third campaign, the pair view a title charge as a springboard to the next step up in their careers. For Lloyd, there could be a natural path to follow, emulating 2024 Champion and Rodin Motorsport stablemate Abbi Pulling with a move to the GB3 Championship. “It definitely means a lot to fight for the title or to win it because you don't know what the future holds and what's going to happen,” she acknowledges. “Obviously, to have that under your belt would mean a lot. “My aim is to carry on going up the single-seater categories, whether that's GB3, FREC etc. There are so many different categories, so I'm not quite sure yet, but hopefully fingers crossed.” Palmowski’s path on the other hand is less clear cut, but that uncertainty has only made her more resolute in her pursuit of being crowned the 2026 Champion. “Without winning the title this year, I’m not sure where I’ll be next year,” admits Palmowski. “I don’t know where I’ll be racing or if I'll be racing. There's a lot of pressure in that respect, it's a high-stakes year. “Equally, I think nobody wants me to win more than me, so it doesn't change how I approach the year. I've always said if I have a 40-point lead or a 40-point deficit, it's not lost or won until that last race in Las Vegas. So it's all to play for the whole time.” 5 storylines we're excited about ahead of the British GPLeclerc shares doubts over Ferrari’s British GP prospectsUnlockedAll the stories that got the Silverstone paddock talkingFacts, stats and trivia ahead of the British Grand PrixAS IT HAPPENED: Follow all the build-up ahead of SilverstoneOUR PARTNERSView allDownload the Official F1 AppScheduleDriversNewsTeamsFantasy & GamingCookie PreferencesMoreF1FacebookXInstagramYouTube© 2003-2026 Formula One World Championship Limited