At just 16 years old, Shriya Lohia isn’t simply competing in motorsport; she’s rewriting the rules. The racing prodigy from Himachal Pradesh has become a powerful symbol for female empowerment, blazing a trail through the male-dominated world of Indian racing with her sights set firmly on Formula 1.
Shriya’s journey, which began with go-karting at age nine, reached a historic milestone when she became the youngest and first female driver to score points in the inaugural Indian Formula 4 (F4) Championship. Competing at speeds exceeding 210 kmph, she has decisively proven that “speed has no gender.”
Lohia’s accomplishments at such a young age are staggering. She has over 30 podium finishes in national and international karting championships and is a four-time recipient of the FMSCI (Federation of Motorsports Clubs of India) Outstanding Woman in Motorsports Award. In 2022, her excellence was nationally recognized with the prestigious Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar, India’s highest civilian award for children.
Despite facing financial and logistical hurdles in the expensive sport, and overcoming criticism that “racing is not for women,” Shriya’s relentless drive has propelled her forward. She is also one of the few women selected globally for the FIA Girls on Track – Rising Stars program, preparing her for the international stage.
Currently balancing her rigorous training with her academic life as a Class 11 science student, Shriya embodies dedication. She hopes her success will inspire a wave of young Indian girls to enter the sport.
“I don’t focus on being a woman racer; I focus on being the best racer I can be,” she asserts. For Shriya, the road ahead is challenging, with steps up to Formula 3 and Formula 2, but her ultimate ambition to represent India in Formula 1 remains her guiding star. With every race, she’s not just chasing a dream—she’s accelerating change for a generation.
