Skip to content

McLaren driver trying to beat the boys to F1

"They probably don't like getting passed by females."

Nineteen-year-old Ella Lloyd from Pontypridd, Rhondda Cynon Taf, is on a mission to be the first woman in more than 30 years to race in Formula One.

She will race for McLaren in the all-female 2025 F1 Academy season after an impressive British F4 season where she secured four podiums.

The competition will also be the subject of a Netflix series.

Filmed and edited by Greg Davies, BBC News

18 November 2024

Explore More

A man sitting on a chair in a barbershop and surrounded by water

Barber devastated after second shop flooded

Flooded street

Flooded homes bailed out as Storm Bert causes chaos

Police arriving at June Fox-Roberts' home

Daughter's 999 call after finding mum’s body

Passengers stand on the platform at Pontypridd train station

Eisteddfod passengers spark 'Calon Lân' singalong

On the left Anne Hughes being pulled up by a shutter, and on the right Anne next to the graffiti mural of her on the shutter

Viral TikTok shop shutter gran 'proud' of mural

CCTV captures the moment a woman is hoisted into the air by shop shutters

Watch: Woman hoisted into the air by shop shutters

CCTV image of explosion in car, blast happening behind two vans

Moment of industrial estate blast caught on CCTV

Steven Davies was at the gym in the industrial estate when he heard the explosion.

Man says industrial estate explosion was carnage

New bridge in Treforest

Storm-damaged bridge replacement lifted into place

Dafydd in a blue polo shirt sitting in a chair by the window with garden visible

'Very little makes me happy anymore'

Burnt out roof of a home still smouldering

Firefighters battle flames in terraced house

Storm damage in Cardiff city centre

Storm damage after heavy rain and high winds

Leigh Wharton and pupil

Disabled pupils answer questions using eye tech

Teenagers said they had come across bullying left in social media comments

Social media is pretty dangerous, teenagers say

Callum Scott Howells

It's A Sin actor cannot believe Bafta nod

Mark Gibby with daughter Katie

'Goodbye Dad, I'm proud of you'

Pontypridd politician Alex Davies-Jones was a new mother when she was first elected in 2019

Parliament should set example on breastfeeding - MP

Detective Superintendent Jason Davies

Man arrested after woman's body found in her home

Police cordon remains at St Annes Drive

Murder investigation after woman's body found

Katherine Whitaker

'I'm the UK's first female arm wrestling referee'

Dee Montague-Coast

Endometriosis cost me my job

Dee Montague-Coast's former colleagues raised questions over whether her symptoms were fabricated.

Charlie Buckland wearing a santa hat and a scarf. she has long blond hair and is wearing a coat.

How can you have an eco-friendly Christmas?

In the UK more than 100 million bags of rubbish get sent to landfill each Christmas.

Jenny Rees with toilet and poo emojis and red screen behind her

Droppings or smooth sausages, what's a healthy poo?

BBC health correspondent Jenny Rees outlines what is and is not normal when it comes to your poo.

Brooke and her two-year-old daughter Ivy. Ivy holds a yellow toy and has brown curls, she looks into the camera as her mum Brooke snuggles her shoulder.

Christmas 'just another day' for family in hospital

For Brooke Bennett, Christmas Day is juts another day as her two-year-old will be in hospital.

Men cleaning road sign

Road sign cleaner says videos are satisfying

Ben Edgson's cleaning company in Bridgend has started cleaning council-owned road signs for free.

Mughshot of Brian Whitelock staring at the camera

Neighbour calls 999 over triple killer

Brian Whitelock is given a whole life sentence after murdering riding instructor Wendy Buckney.

Sabrina Lee standing in front of a map of the UK with place names: Weston-Stacey-Mare, Smithy-on-Sea, Gwenedd, Brynmawr, Petestow, Dawnpatrick, Birmingpam, Micklesbrough, Gavsgow, Loch Nessa. Photos of Gavin, Nessa, Smithy and Stacey

Oh, what's occurrin' with the weather?

Nessa, aka BBC weather presenter Sabrina Lee, gives us a look at the Christmas forecast.

Ruth Jones wearing a leopard print jacket

Why was Gavin and Stacey set in Barry?

James Corden and Ruth Jones speak about the inspiration for Gavin and Stacey as its finale nears.

Woman with Christmas tree in backround

Agony of period pain left woman in hospital

Emily Handstock has been suffering with severe period pain for more than 10 years.

Four members of the cast of Gavin and Stacey reunite for an official cast photo: Smithy, Gavin, Stacey and Nessa. They are stood against a brick wall. Smithy (played by James Corden) is wearing a grey jacket and blue jeans and has his arms crossed, Gavin (played by Mathew Horne) is next to him, wearing a blue jacket with his hands in the pockets and blue jeans. Next to him is Stacey (played by Joanna Page), she is wearing brown cowboy boots, a white floral dress and a pink jacket, and she is stood next to Nessa (played by Ruth Jones), who is wearing a burgundy leather jacket and a black dress with long black boots.

Wynne Evans recites his fave Gavin and Stacey line

And the opera star manages to get the famous tongue-twister word perfect.

Darts

Young darts players flock to the oche

The number of children playing has doubled in a year, says the body representing the junior game.

Megan Davies in a cream coat with blonde hair holding a phone which shows the constituencies

Do you know your new constituency?

Seats planned for the bigger Senedd in 2026 will mostly be referred to by Welsh-language only names.

Commuter train inside seen from seat in carriage

Male voice choir surprises commuters with Calon Lân

A male voice choir surprises commuters on a train into Cardiff with a rendition of Calon Lân.

Owain Hughes and Steven Meo

'My Gavin & Stacey joke was just a red herring'

Steven Meo, who played Owain Hughes, reveals the true meaning of his "no I don't" joke.

Terel Edmunds sits on the sofa in Cardiff Central square, he wears a black t-shirt, has brown eyes and short brown hair with an afro curl.

Could your energy bill be about to drop?

Energy firms will be forced to offer tariffs with no standing charges, under a proposal by Ofgem.

Catrin-Mai Huw as Natalie Lewis staring ahead, with brown hair in a grey jacket

'I had a 32-second stare-off with Stacey'

Catrin-Mai Huw still gets recognised for her role as Stacey's enemy, Natalie Lewis.

man in high vis vest and helmet

'I understand why people are fed up with 20mph'

Some people don't understand why a 20mph road where thousands have been fined has that limit.

sinkhole being filled in Merthyr Tydfil

Repair work begins after sinkhole nightmare

Work has begun to fill a sinkhole which forced 30 homes to be evacuated.

Rebecca has long dark hair and is wearing a green and cream polo neck sweater. She is sitting on the stairs with her hands on her lap. There is a plant with big green leaves behind her. She is not smiling.

Sexual abuse victim says monk stole her childhood

Father Thaddeus Kotik abused children on Caldey island for more than 20 years, a review finds.

Ruth Jones

Ruth Jones feels Gavin and Stacey 'really exist'

Ruth Jones says she and James Corden feel as if their characters will carry on living their lives.