From its beauty products to its partnerships, Charlotte Tilbury has always been dedicated to empowering women—so it’s only natural that both the brand and its founder would venture into the world of motorsport. With a growing female audience—now accounting for around 40 per cent of the Formula 1 fanbase—and an increasing presence within the fandom and the sport itself, the beauty giant has partnered with F1 Academy, an all-women’s junior championship, of which Charlotte Tilbury has been an official partner since last year.
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As the beauty brand’s first global sports sponsorship and the championship’s first female-founded and beauty sponsor, the collaboration aims to empower the next generation of women in motorsport. Among them is 17-year-old racing driver Chloe Chong. Having grown up watching the sport, Chloe made her debut in the series in 2023 with Prema Racing and has since gone on to compete in the British F4.
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Returning this season, the British driver will be behind the wheel of the Charlotte Tilbury car, operated by Rodin Motorsport—a striking crimson and rose gold livery adorned with the brand’s iconic Hot Lips emblem—as one of 18 competitors in F1 Academy this season. She will also be sporting a race suit featuring Charlotte’s empowering mantra, “Makeup Your Destiny.”
Amidst the start of the season, Chloe sat down with ELLE Singapore to discuss joining the Charlotte Tilbury family, her racing journey, lessons learned from failure, and her favourite beauty products—both on and off the track.
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What led you to pursue a career in motorsport?
Honestly, it was just the thrill of watching Formula 1 as a child. Some of my earliest memories of motorsport are of my dad having it on the TV all the time when I was three or four. He used to do a bit of go-karting and even collected championships—I suppose his passion became mine as well. We bonded over watching races and interviews, placing bets on who would win, and I was raised in that kind of culture.
By the time I was five or six, I already wanted to try go-karting because I aspired to be like Lewis Hamilton. Once I was old enough, my dad took me to the local go-kart track, and I’ve never looked back since.
How does it feel to be a part of the Charlotte Tilbury family and to be driving the ‘Charlotte Tilbury operated by Rodin’ car this season?
When we first heard that I was going to have a partner livery, we had no idea who it would be. When the news finally came that it was Charlotte Tilbury, it was just fantastic. The team have been absolutely lovely, welcoming me both to the championship and to their family.
Meeting such an icon and make-up guru like Charlotte Tilbury has been incredible. She shared so much with me about skincare and the Magic Cream—it’s truly been a dream come true.
What was your first reaction to seeing this year’s Hot Lips Livery?
I’ve had so many people around the paddock say, “Wow, that Charlotte Tilbury car looks incredible.” Representing the brand and having it so visible on the track is a great feeling.
You made history as the youngest driver in F1 Academy in 2023 at 15. Now 17, looking back, what has been the biggest lesson you've learned from that debut season and what are your thoughts heading into this season?
It’s strange to reflect on the years behind me because, at the end of the day, I’m still just a kid, and it’s hard to be sentimental about the past. When you join the grid at 15, you’re just so excited to get out there and race. I was grateful for the opportunity to prove myself as a strong driver and to be recognised by a team like Prema Racing. I was honestly speechless and just took everything as it came—I never expected to make it that far.
Coming back this year, I have a lot more confidence from my experience in both British F4 and F1 Academy, especially with the progress we’ve made and the incredible team supporting me. We’ve found some amazing people who have taken me under their wing, and I can’t thank them enough for pushing me when I needed it, putting me through my paces, and helping me grow as a driver.
So this season, I’m coming in with what I feel is a wealth of experience—still a 17-year-old kid, but ready to give it my all and compete for the championship.
How does the mantra "Makeup Your Destiny" resonate with you?
I think it's all about being in control of your own goals, passions, and dreams. Charlotte has the quote, "Dare To Dream It, Dare To Be It, Dare To Do It," which sums up what I'm about. It's not about everyone around you, but about yourself and having the confidence to push for what you believe in. I'm happy to have that on my suit and represent all the people worldwide who want to push for their dreams.
What are your favourite products from Charlotte Tilbury?
It’s hard to choose—I could easily give you a list of ten! I love the Magic Cream; it’s the OG product, and ever since I started using it, my skin has been so smooth, and I haven’t had any breakouts.
As for my favourite product on track, the setting spray is absolutely magical. I don’t usually wear much makeup when I’m racing, but the setting spray keeps everything in place for so long that I never have to think about it rubbing off.
Lastly, I love the Magic Serum—it’s amazing and fits perfectly into my skincare routine.
What are some of the challenges you faced in your racing journey, and how have you tackled them?
I’ll be honest, the general opinion in the past—especially when I was growing up—was that girls didn’t belong in the sport. You’d overhear little comments, like fathers telling their sons, “She’s a girl. If you don’t beat her, it’s embarrassing.” That stereotype was definitely one of the main setbacks for me in racing, but as a driver and athlete, it’s important for me to leave those experiences behind.
All I focus on is going out there, doing my job, and doing it to the best of my ability. I think the introduction of F1 Academy, and seeing girls like myself performing and finishing on the podium, has really helped change that stereotype.
What are your three favourite drivers of all time?
It was a hard choice between the last two, but my three favourite drivers are Ayrton Senna, Lewis Hamilton, and Michael Schumacher.
Racing requires both mental and physical endurance. What’s your training routine to stay sharp and active on and off the track?
Over the last five months, I haven’t been in the car. For some drivers, budget issues make it difficult to stay in the sport and get proper in-car training. But with the support of my team and management, we’ve put together an intense physical program to ensure that, by the first race week, I’ll be one of—if not the—strongest girls on the track.
I think we’ve done a great job incorporating a mix of exercises, from power training to endurance work, and even two-hour bike rides. It’s all about pushing my limits with weights and failing.
I can’t even begin to express how much failing I’ve done over the past four or five months with training. As someone who always strives for perfection, it’s something I’ve always been afraid of, but thanks to the training and the mentality my team has instilled in me, and their honesty, I’ve learned how to embrace it. I believe that’s what will set me apart this season and help me succeed.
What’s been your biggest ‘pinch me’ moment so far?
I mentioned earlier that I started racing because of Lewis, and I had the chance to meet him when he appeared in our paddock for the last race of the 2023 season at COTA in Austin, Texas. He was so humble and down to earth—literally the same guy you see on TV. I’ve looked up to him and still do, so meeting him while I’m racing the same weekend was incredible. To be racing on such a big world stage, with all these Formula 1 drivers there with me, doing the same thing, was truly a surreal moment.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
I’ve received so much good advice and met so many amazing people during my time in motorsport. If I had to pick one piece of advice, it would be from my team manager, Stephen Hunter. He told me, “If you don’t believe you can win that race from last place, you don’t belong in motorsport.” What that really taught me was that you can’t set your expectations too low because everyone is there to win, and anything can happen. Having the mentality to go into every race with the mindset of chasing, never stopping, has definitely made my season better and helped me grow as a driver.
Lewis, when he visited the paddock during the 2023 season at COTA, also gave us great advice. He told us to keep believing, keep pushing, and not let anyone hold us back. He spoke about failure and how it’s part of the journey—knowing that it’s something you’ll face in your career but you need to keep moving forward. At the time, I was too young to fully understand it, but over the past year, I feel I’ve matured so much and experienced those moments myself. I can genuinely say that his advice has been some of the best I’ve ever received from people within the sport.
What’s your ultimate goal in motorsport?
The ultimate goal is to be Formula 1 World Champion—I think you'll get the same response from a lot of drivers. For me, it's to be a Formula 1 World Champion, to carry on racing, make it a professional career, and be successful in the sport.
*The interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
The F1 Academy 2025 season will begin in Shanghai from 21 to 23 March 2025 at the Shanghai International Circuit. For more information, visit their website.