Chloe Chambers: F1 Academy, Lamborghini Super Trofeo, and What It Takes to Race at the Highest Level
About this episode
Professional racing driver Chloe Chambers joins host Eva Gregory to share her journey from karting in New York to competing at the highest levels of motorsport. Chambers discusses her deliberate eight-year progression in karting, her transition to open-wheel racing in Formula 4, and her breakthrough moments in the W Series and F1 Academy representing Haas. She also opens up about her current transition to sports cars in the Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America Championship, highlighting the unique challenges of sharing a car with a much taller teammate and adapting her driving style.
Chloe Chambers has done what very few have: won in F4, the W Series, F1 Academy, and the Formula Regional Oceania Championship — where she made history as the first woman to start on pole and take the win.
Now she's bringing her skills to GT racing in the 2026 Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America with RAFA Racing. In this episode of the BeDifferential podcast, Chloe pulls back the curtain on the full picture of a professional racing career — the grind between races, the reality of sponsorship and brand building, the moments she questioned everything, and the mindset shifts that have kept her moving forward.
She also talks about working with Red Bull Ford, her goals for the Super Trofeo season, and what she hopes her legacy looks like when it's all said and done.
For aspiring drivers, motorsport fans, or anyone pursuing an unconventional path, this is a conversation you don't want to miss.
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Chloe Chambers
"...this week we are joined by professional racing driver with Rafa Racing Chloe Chambers."
A talented young American race car driver who races in major championships for sports cars and open-wheel formula cars.
An American professional racing driver currently competing in the Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America and F1 Academy. She is notable for her rapid rise through karting and open-wheel racing, as well as setting a Guinness World Record for the fastest vehicle slalom.
Lamborghini Super Trofeo
"...and I am racing in the Lamborghini Super Trafeo North America Championship this year."
A racing series where everyone drives the exact same model of high-performance Lamborghini race car, making the races highly competitive.
An international one-make championship organized by Lamborghini Squadra Corse. The series features identical, race-prepared Lamborghini Huracán Super Trofeo cars, offering a platform for professional and amateur drivers to compete in sports car racing.
Max Verstappen
"...which I think is kind of a thing now because, you know, it started with Max Restappan when he was very young."
One of the most famous and successful modern Formula 1 drivers, who started racing in F1 at an incredibly young age.
A Dutch Formula One driver who won multiple World Championships with Red Bull Racing. He famously debuted in F1 at just 17 years old, sparking a trend of teams pushing exceptionally young drivers rapidly through the junior ranks.
Kimi Antonelli
"...And, you know, now you have Kimmy, who's obviously doing pretty crazy things, being so young."
A highly hyped young Italian race car driver who was signed to a top Formula 1 team's development program as a teenager because of his incredible speed.
An Italian racing driver (Andrea Kimi Antonelli) who rose rapidly through the junior single-seater ranks to be signed by the Mercedes-AMG F1 Team. His rapid progression bypassed traditional steps like Formula 3, making him one of the youngest modern F1 prospects.
W Series
"...that was when I got the call up for an invite to a basically like a try out for W series."
A former racing championship exclusively for female drivers, designed to help them get noticed and progress to higher levels of motorsport.
An all-female single-seater racing championship that ran from 2019 to 2022. It aimed to provide free-to-enter racing opportunities and a pathway for female drivers to advance toward Formula One before being succeeded by F1 Academy.
F1 Academy
"...And then, you know, with F1 Academy, it was like that, but like times a million."
A racing series created by Formula 1 specifically to help young women develop their skills and climb the ladder toward the top levels of racing.
An all-female junior formula racing championship founded by Formula One in 2023. It is designed to prepare young female drivers for higher levels of competition like Formula 3, Formula 2, and ultimately Formula 1, with direct backing from F1 teams.
Haas F1 Team
"...They started having direct support from the F1 teams. So I got to represent Haas in the first year."
The only American-owned team currently competing in Formula 1, the highest level of international car racing.
An American Formula One racing team founded by NASCAR Cup Series co-owner Gene Haas. The team debuted in the F1 World Championship in 2016 and is known for its unique business model of outsourcing major chassis and powertrain components to partners like Dallara and Ferrari.
open-wheel racing
"...Well, obviously, the biggest difference is the car itself, you know, going from open wheel to sports cars is not something new to me."
A type of car racing where the cars have exposed wheels outside the main body and an open cockpit, looking like traditional 'formula' cars rather than regular street cars.
A category of motorsport where the wheels of the racing cars are not covered by bodywork or fenders, and the cockpit is typically open. Examples include Formula One, IndyCar, and Formula 4.
Laguna Seca
"...I haven't ever driven at Watkins Glen or Laguna Seca."
A famous race track in California known for a crazy, steep downhill S-curve called the 'Corkscrew.'
A 2.238-mile paved road racing track in central California, world-renowned for its signature 'Corkscrew' turn, a blind, multi-story drop that is one of the most challenging corners in motorsport.
Watkins Glen
"...I haven't ever driven at Watkins Glen or Laguna Seca."
A famous, very fast race track in New York state that has hosted some of the biggest car races in American history.
A legendary 3.45-mile road course located in upstate New York, famous for its high-speed corners, dramatic elevation changes, and rich history hosting the Formula One United States Grand Prix from 1961 to 1980.
Monza
"...And then at the end of the year, we have Monza and I've never driven there either."
A historic race track in Italy famous for being incredibly fast, with long straightaways where cars can reach their maximum speeds.
Known as the 'Temple of Speed,' the Autodromo Nazionale Monza is a historic racetrack near Milan, Italy, famous for its long straights and high-speed layout where Formula One cars reach their highest velocities of the season.
reverse grid
"...and then reverse grid was like something with where you finished race one..."
A racing rule where the fastest qualifiers or finishers from a previous race are forced to start at the back of the pack, making them fight their way to the front.
A race starting format where the starting order of the grid is determined by reversing some or all of the qualifying or previous race results. This is commonly used in junior categories to promote overtaking and test drivers' racecraft.
track walk
"...like the first day that you're at the track is track walk day. That's basically it."
When race car drivers walk around the track on foot before the race starts to look closely at the pavement, bumps, and corners to plan their driving strategy.
A practice where drivers and engineers physically walk the racetrack prior to the start of a race weekend. This allows them to closely inspect track surfaces, curbs, elevation changes, and potential grip levels that aren't visible at high speeds.
Road America
"...And then our next race is run America, which is like my home race."
A massive, scenic race track in Wisconsin that is highly loved by drivers for its fast straightaways and beautiful countryside setting.
A legendary 4.048-mile road course located in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. It is one of the oldest and most respected natural-terrain road courses in North America, known for its long straights and challenging high-speed turns.
multi-class racing
"...Super Trefeo is still multi-class racing. So there's pro, pro AM and then AM."
A race where different types of cars—some much faster than others—are all on the track racing at the same time, requiring drivers to constantly pass slower cars.
A format of sports car and endurance racing where different categories of cars (with varying speeds and performance levels) compete on the track at the same time. Drivers must constantly manage traffic and overtaking between faster and slower classes.
Pro-Am
"...So there's pro, pro AM and then AM. So I kind of got thrown into the deep end a little bit."
A type of racing where a professional driver and a non-professional (amateur) driver share the same car, taking turns driving during the race.
A class structure in sports car racing that pairs professional ('Pro') and amateur ('Am') drivers in the same car. This format allows gentlemen drivers to compete alongside elite professionals while sharing the physical and financial demands of a race weekend.
Lamborghini Huracán Super Trofeo
"...especially with it being both of our first times in the car this year, first time kind of doing this like teammate racing type of deal."
A high-performance race car version of the Lamborghini Huracán supercar, built specifically for drivers to compete against each other in identical cars.
A spec racing car built by Lamborghini's motorsport division, Squadra Corse, based on the road-going Huracán supercar. It features a 5.2-liter naturally aspirated V10 engine sending power to the rear wheels, specifically designed for Lamborghini's one-make championship series.
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