Shriya Lohia is Racing Beyond Boundaries in Asia

Motorsport isn’t the easiest dream to chase in India - especially where cricket takes center stage and racing still feels like a faraway world for most people. And if you're a young girl trying to make your way into formula racing - the road gets even tougher. But, Shriya Lohia is trying to change that.

At just 16, she’s already spent seven years on the track. Her journey began when she first tried karting at the age of nine and she hasn’t looked back since. From there, she’s raced in national and international karting championships, Formula 4, autocross, and even tried her hand at drifting.

In 2023, Shriya made her mark in a big way. She became the youngest and the first-ever female driver to race and score points in the very first season of the Indian Formula 4 Championship.

She’s now one of the very few professional female racers in the country. And while there’s still a long way to go, Shriya is showing what’s possible when you stick to what you love, even if the odds aren’t in your favour.

“My first memory of racing is when I tried go-karting during a road trip with my family,” she tells Females in Motorsport. “I was nine. We spotted a track and decided to give it a go - just a few laps, nothing serious. But from that moment, I’ve fallen in love with racing.

“But the racing journey hasn’t been easy. Especially in a country where racing is still niche and female racers even rarer.”

Her journey has been filled with both success and obstacles.

“One of the biggest struggles has definitely been financial,” she says. “Motorsport is expensive, and coming from a non-motorsport background without a wealthy family made it even tougher. There was a point where continuing seemed impossible. I’m so grateful to the sponsors who stepped in without them, racing in F4 wouldn’t have been an option at all.

“And then there’s the societal side of it being a girl from India. In many homes, women still aren’t encouraged to drive, let alone race. Battling those stereotypes has been a challenge in itself.”  Despite it all, Shriya is grateful for what motorsport has taught her.

“Almost everything I know every life lesson I’ve learned through racing,” Shriya says. “It’s shaped me as a person. You grow up fast in this sport.

“One key lesson is that not everyone around you is there for the right reasons. It teaches you to value the ones who genuinely believe in you.” Another learning is to deal with things that are beyond her control like technical failures or crashes that can completely ruin a race, and unfortunately, a weekend.

“In those moments, especially when something goes wrong in one race, you can’t carry that mindset into the next,” she says. “You have to reset and refocus. That’s something motorsport really trains you for.”

When it comes to preparation, Shriya is big on mindset.

“Racing is 90% mental and 10% physical,” she says. “I like to listen to music before a race. It helps calm me down. But most importantly, I reset. I tell myself, ‘It’s okay, what’s done is done. Focus on what’s ahead.’ That inner dialogue helps me give my best in every race, no matter what happened before.”

As for her favourites, it’s clear she has a passion for the red team.

“My favourite track is Monaco. I would love to race there and my favourite team is Ferrari” she says.

Shriya’s journey is not just about speed or podiums but it’s about courage and believing in a dream that very few dare to chase, especially as a young woman from Asia. In a world where the odds are stacked high, she’s choosing to show up, push boundaries, and write her own story. And that, in itself, is already a victory.