McLaren has announced that it has signed Ella Hakkinen, the daughter of 1998 and 1999 F1 drivers' champion Mika Hakkinen, and Ella Stevens to its driver development programme.
The team, with which the elder Hakkinen won his two titles, is "doubling down on its commitment to opening pathways into motorsport and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) careers for women" through the expansion of its driver roster.
The younger Hakkinen said: "I am really pleased to be joining the McLaren Driver Development Programme.
"It's an exciting prospect to be working with the team and learning from everyone. I look forward to seeing my progress over the years to come; it's going to be fun."
Meanwhile, Ella Lloyd, who has raced in papaya during the current F1 Academy campaign, will continue racing for McLaren in her second full year at that level, having been a wild card entry in 2024.
The Welsh driver is currently third in the standings, with one victory and a further four podium finishes, ahead of the season finale in Las Vegas.
"It's brilliant to be continuing my F1 Academy journey with McLaren Racing and Rodin Motorsport," Lloyd said.
"It's great that we can build on what we've achieved this year so that we can go for the championship in 2026. Thank you to the papaya family for all of their support."
She will be joined on the 2026 F1 Academy grid by Stevens, who will drive the McLaren Oxagon car in collaboration with long-standing McLaren partner NEOM. The car will be operated by Rodin Motorsport.
"I'm super excited to join the McLaren Driver Development Programme," added Stevens. "It's a really big milestone in my career, and it's great to be joining a team that put so much focus on development.
"Stepping up into F1 Academy next season is another important moment as it's my single-seater debut, so I am looking forward to seeing what we can do together."
Most read
Join the conversation!