Once Told 'Racing Isn't For Girls', Shriya Lohia Became India's First Female F4 Driver

Shriya Lohia was introduced to motorsports when she was just nine years old. She was travelling with her family when she tried rental go-karting for fun and immediately fell in love. "It was an adrenaline rush. It was a new feeling for me. The thrill I got from it made me want to want to do more of it," Lohia exclaimed, speaking to SheThePeople. Today, at 16, she stands tall as India's first woman in Formula 4 racing.

How Shriya Lohia's Motorsport Dreams Came True

Shriya, originally hailing from Himachal, looks up to her father Ritesh Lohia, who is a sports enthusiast. She belongs to a multi-talented family, her sister is a shooter and her mom is an entrepreneur. Lohia started Karting in Vadodara on a track run by a well-known name in motorsport, Mira Erda. However, Lohia's journey in the sport was not without its challenges. 

"I am a first-generation motorsport racer in my family. So everything had been new and a little harder to do," Lohia said. "At 16, being an 11th-grade student trying to balance sports and schooling wasn’t easy. But the thought of racing against others, beating guys and making history fascinated me and motivated me to step ahead in racing."

Being in a male-dominated sport, Lohia faced many struggles. "I was bullied if I made mistakes on the track. ‘She is a girl; it's not her cup of tea.’ often I would get to hear such comments. But instead of letting them break me, I made these comments my motivation to work hard and prove them wrong."

Lohia was the winner of the JK Tyre National Karting Championship in 2019 at age 11. Participants in the X-30 Cadet Class stood shocked as the Pune girl muscled her way into a majorly male-dominated arena. The Class VI student clocked 11 min 13.233 seconds to win the game. This race is for drivers between the ages of 8 and 12 years. She also won the FMSCI award in the Outstanding Women in Motorsports category in 2018.

In 2022, Lohia won the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar Award, which further motivated her to take motorsports to new heights in India. "I hope to make a name for my country and myself. [I want to] become a leading force for women in motorsports that would help more girls and women take an interest in it," Lohia expressed.

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SheThePeople also interviewed Lohia in 2020, when she was 11 years old. She shared about her journey in the motorsport community and some significant experiences that shaped her career.

Excerpts From The Interview

Shriya, was Go Karting always on your to-do list? Can you describe your childhood and what inspired you to take up racing?

As a kid, I used to play with toy cars. I had never imagined I would end up becoming a racer until at the age of nine when I tried go-karting for the first time. That day, I realised this was the thing I was waiting for. So, I joined a racing school in Bangalore. I was quite a shy kid when I was younger. Racing has helped me socialize more. I am working hard to achieve my goal.

Every month you have to go to Bangalore and other places to practise, isn’t it hectic sometimes balancing both studies and this sport?

I am good at studies, but this sport is my life and I aspire to be a Formula One driver.

How was your initial experience in karting? How has your coach helped you perform well overall? 

It was great. It’s different than other sports and that's what makes it unique. Akbar Ebrahim, my super coach was an amazing formula racer in his time. He always wants me to win, he sets the kart to have the best result and helps me improve on my weak points. Sohil Shah, a formula racer also coached me for X-30 alongside Yash Aradhya who is a Bal Puruskar awardee. All my coaches helped me improve.

Your career is now set on a certain path, yet you have a long way to go in learning and experiencing another type of motorsport. How was your equation with the other racers?

All racers at the track are down-to-earth. They always help each other, and point out each other's mistakes. I am lucky to be learning from them.

You are just 11 and doing extraordinary on the tracks? You are currently the only Indian Girl to compete in National Rotax Championship India. Any thoughts?

Race is not about age. It’s just a passion which attracted me towards it.

In India, it’s a general idea that racing is about screeching tyres and possible smashes. What are your thoughts on industrial legends in and outside India? How can Indian racers be inspired by them?

Indian racers like Mira Erda, Sneha Sharma, Arjun Maini, Kush Maini, and Diana Pundole are doing spectacularly well in formula racing and are some of my biggest inspirations. One of my biggest inspirations is Narain Karthikeyan who is the only Indian to have reached F1. I also love Scuderia Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc. 

How is the karting scene in India for women?  Why isn’t it a popular sport among women in your state?

How have you modified your game for better results?

I'm learning from my mistakes and improving.

How do you deal with growing expectations?

When I perform well people expect more from me and I don't stop. I proved to them that I was better than what they expected.

How is your family taking all the spotlight given to you now? Are they supportive of your career choices?

I'm not the only person in my family with fame. My sister is an ace shooter, my dad is an adventure freak, and my mom is an entrepreneur. My family is my backbone.

They are extremely supportive. During races my sister sends me messages, encouraging me to do the best I can. My dad is the one who travels with me, he is very supportive whether I lose or win. He tells me what to do and how to improve. My grandparents always call me to give their blessings.

How do you balance life?

Due to the championships, I usually end up missing school and then I have a lot of work to complete and because of my racing timetable, I am unable to attend exams. My teachers always help to cover up work.

How can Indian authorities improve facilities/infrastructure to appreciate the culture of sports here?

Indian sports are usually promoted by the sports ministry, the same should be done for racing. Racing should be advertised more and should be considered as one of India's best sports. They should support us financially as well.

Do you face gender discrimination in the industry?

Most people think that girls aren't capable of winning in this sport. Most of the time, guys also have an attitude that they can beat the girls. In my case, I beat the guys and people do get shocked because a girl has beaten a guy in a male-dominated sport.

Some promote girls for being 'girl racers', not for their hard work. I feel this is unfair and I don't live under the title of 'woman racer'. I just consider myself a racer like everyone else.

Mental health is as important as physical health and one needs to look at both with regards to being fit. What can athletes do regularly to develop and maintain it?

Being fit is extremely necessary in racing as you might get drained out after just 20 laps. Of course, to keep ourselves fit, we have to workout, go to the gym daily, maintain a proper diet and do Yoga. Every effort we put in takes us one step higher.