For Shriya Lohia, speed was never about how fast a car could go. It was about the feeling that came with being behind the wheel, the freedom, the focus and the unmistakable sense that she had found something she wanted to do for the rest of her life. She was only nine when a family road trip introduced her to go-karting. Almost half her life later, the 18-year-old has become India’s first female F4 racer, carving out a place for herself in a sport where women remain a minority. At the We Women Want Conclave & Shakti Awards 2026, hosted by The Sunday Guardian Foundation, on Monday, August 10, Lohia spoke exclusively about discovering motorsport, her family’s support, dealing with stereotypes and what needs to change for more young girls to enter racing.
The Shakti Awards celebrate women who are leading, creating, transforming and inspiring change across fields, women who challenge conventions, break barriers and create opportunities for those who follow. Lohia’s journey fits naturally into that story.
A Road Trip That Changed Everything
Unlike many racers who discover motorsport through their families, Lohia’s journey began just by chance.
“I started karting when I was nine years old. I’m currently 18. So practically half my life at this point,” she said.
Her first experience with a go-kart came during a family road trip. There was no long-standing racing tradition that she was following and no carefully planned career path waiting for her.
“It was something I just discovered when I was just on a road trip with my family,” Lohia recalled.
But the first drive was enough. “The first time I stepped into a go-kart, it was very clear to me that I absolutely fell in love with the sport and the feeling that it gave me. And that it was the thing I wanted to pursue for the rest of my life.”
At nine, however, dreaming about racing was one thing. Convincing her parents that she wanted to make it a career was another.
Shriya Lohia opens up about her inspiring motorsport journey, overcoming challenges and breaking gender barriers on the racetrack. Representing women in a male-dominated sport, she reflects on determination, resilience and the importance of creating opportunities for young girls.… pic.twitter.com/eXYUy1o9y0
— NewsX World (@NewsX) August 10, 2026
The Family That Let Shriya Lohia Dream
Motorsport is not an easy sport for a child to choose. It is expensive, physically demanding and carries risks that can make any parent nervous.
Lohia’s parents initially had their concerns. But they chose to stand behind their daughter.
“My parents, thankfully, were really, really supportive. They’re obviously the reason that I’ve gone this far in my career,” she said.
She understood why they were hesitant at first.
“I was just nine, I was a little kid, you know, telling them, I want to drive these fast cars for the rest of my life,” Lohia said.
Even today, she knows exactly how her father feels when she races. “Every time my dad’s watching a race, you can just see how nervous he is. Because it just is that it’s just that dangerous, and there are still so many risks involved in it.”
Yet her parents have never allowed fear to become a reason to stop her. “They’ve always just gone with the mindset of supporting their children in pursuing their dreams,” Lohia said. That support has been one of the quiet forces behind her journey.
‘We’re Kind Of Just Racing Drivers At The End Of The Day’
Being a woman in motorsport comes with another challenge, constantly having to prove that gender has nothing to do with ability. Lohia has experienced the stereotypes first-hand. From assumptions about women drivers to criticism on social media, she has learnt that not every battle needs to be fought.
“It’s been more about, you know, focusing on the efforts that I can put in, paying less attention to the things that people have to say, especially on social media,” she said.
For Lohia, the most important thing is not allowing the label of being a female racer to overshadow the racer herself.
“My family’s really supportive. They don’t ever let it get to my head or let me think much that, you know, oh, I’m a female or I’m different from the guys. I mean, we’re kind of just racing drivers at the end of the day.”
She acknowledges that the distinction exists. But she refuses to let it define her ability. “Yes, I’m female. Yes, there is a distinction. But ultimately, we’re all doing what we love.”
And then comes the line that perhaps best captures her philosophy.
“Even if I am a different gender, that does not dictate my skills on the racetrack or even outside the racetrack. You know, there’s no differentiation. It’s all about the efforts that we put in.”
When The Blame Is Automatically Put On Her
The stereotypes, however, do not always stay away from the racetrack. Lohia recalled incidents where being a woman meant that some people were quicker to blame her after an incident.
“They’re very quick to point the finger immediately at you and say that it was your fault, even if it wasn’t, because they just see it as like a way that, oh, it must have been her fault,” she said.
It is precisely this mindset that she hopes the next generation of female racers can help change.
“We’re really getting beyond it,” Lohia said. Her hope is simple: more women should enter motorsport, compete and let their performances challenge the assumptions.
“I really hope that a lot more people, a lot more women get into motorsports and we’re able to prove that, you know, it doesn’t really depend on your gender. It really just depends on how determined you are and the amount of work you put in.”
Racing At 200 Kmph Takes More Than Courage
From the outside, racing can look like a test of bravery and speed. For Lohia, however, the work begins long before she gets inside the car.
A racing driver needs cardiovascular fitness, strength, weight management, neck and core training, along with the mental discipline required to make decisions in fractions of a second.
“We have a lot of physical aspects and mental aspects that a lot of other athletes don’t,” Lohia explained.
Drivers spend hours in the car, often in intense heat, while dealing with the physical demands of high-speed racing.
“We train our necks and our core because we need to withstand the G-forces of the racing car, those speeds, as well as mental preparation.”
Then there is the concentration. “You have to be able to analyze every car around you, anything happening on the racetrack because everything could happen in milliseconds and you need to be able to prevent incidents.”
Reaction time is constantly trained, but so is something that might seem less obvious — staying calm.
“We focus a lot on meditation, a lot on keeping the mind calm and, you know, just relaxing as much as possible so that you have a clear mind when you’re racing on the track.”
What Needs To Change For More Girls To Race?
Perhaps the most important part of Lohia’s journey is not what she has already achieved, but what she wants her story to make possible for others.
When asked what systemic change could encourage more young girls to enter sports and eventually follow in her footsteps, she pointed first towards families.
“People need to start encouraging their daughters to pursue sports in general and more sports as well,” she said.
Lohia believes some of the biggest barriers begin at home, where old ideas about what girls should or should not do can quietly shape their choices.
She has seen people hesitate to teach their daughters or wives how to drive simply because they believe driving is “not a very feminine thing to do.”
“That’s a fundamental change that needs to take place,” she said.
But there is another barrier that cannot be ignored: money.
Motorsport remains an expensive pursuit, and Lohia believes funding and support are essential if India wants to produce more racing talent.
“In India, more sports is not as famous as other sports or it’s not very well known,” she said. “I think there is a different aspect to it where it’s also such an expensive sport.”
“Funding also plays a huge role in that, you know, getting the same support as other sports to build a lot of racing drivers from India.”
For Shriya Lohia, the road ahead is still long. But so was the road from a nine-year-old discovering a go-kart on a family trip to becoming India’s first female F4 racer.
And if her journey has taught her anything, it is that sometimes the biggest barrier is not the track itself, but the idea that someone does not belong on it.
