Learning at Speed
Fourteen-year-old Elli Henneman arrived at the latest Jamie Chadwick Series round at Daytona Tamworth knowing she needed to maximise every opportunity. With the 4-Stroke Lights title fight approaching its conclusion, there was little room for error.
Qualifying did not initially go to plan. Traffic repeatedly denied Henneman the space she needed, leaving her P14 as the session entered its closing moments. On her final lap, however, she found the time required to climb ten positions and secure fourth. The conditions made the challenge even greater. Heavy rain had transformed the circuit, forcing the drivers to search constantly for grip and alternate between the wet and dry lines. Henneman adapted, moving into third during the opening laps before completing a pivotal double overtake around the inside at turn 11. That performance placed her in contention for the Final, where she absorbed sustained pressure before pulling clear as the race developed. She ultimately won by 13 seconds, completing a perfect 61-point round and reducing the gap at the top of the championship.
It was an accomplished performance from an experienced racer, except this is Henneman’s first season in the Jamie Chadwick Series, and she only began racing with Daytona in November.
Her interest in motorsport stretches much further back. Henneman had watched racing from the age of six and already knew that she wanted to compete when she was older. She took her first steps into karting at 12, initially racing indoors to learn the fundamentals before progressing into outdoor competition.
Joining Daytona brought a new learning curve. The weather, circuits and strength of the competition all presented fresh challenges, but Henneman quickly demonstrated that she could contend with established drivers. She entered InKart to prepare for the Jamie Chadwick Series and gained further experience through open races and cameos in SuperChamps, securing podiums against former champions and previous Daytona Drivers of the Month.
Her results have developed rapidly, but the process behind them is particularly revealing. Henneman studies the drivers around her, paying attention to their racing lines, steering inputs and pedal work. If another competitor gains time through a particular corner, she analyses what they have done differently and considers how she can adapt it to her own driving. That willingness to learn has also shaped her approach to coaching. One-to-one sessions with Daytona Tamworth instructors Will and Tom helped her develop the foundations of her racing line, overtaking and defending. Further tuition with Ollie at Daytona Sandown Park demonstrated that valuable advice does not always have to come from the quickest driver on the circuit. His understanding corner strategy helped Henneman improve her technique and eventually surpass a hot lap time set by Jamie Chadwick herself.
“I always listen to advice,” she explained. “There is always someone who can help you, no matter how small the detail might be.”
Her first Jamie Chadwick Series victory at Daytona Tamworth provided an early indication of what that attitude could produce. Before then, Henneman had never won a race or considered herself a regular front-running contender. Standing on the top step showed her that she possessed the ability to compete in the decisive positions and succeed under pressure.
She has since established herself as one of the leading drivers in the 4-Stroke Lights class, taking three victories across the opening eight rounds. Heading into the finale, Henneman sits second in the standings, just 14 points behind reigning Junior champion Sarah Telford. Nonetheless, in such a closely matched championship, she considers the entire field to be her competition and approaches every battle with the same determination. Her focus for the finale is similarly straightforward: extract the maximum possible points from every session and remain in contention until the end.
She describes her driving style as aggressive when necessary but smooth when the conditions demand it. Her confidence in placing the kart on the inside allows her to attack and defend, while her ability to adapt her corner entry and exit has become one of her greatest strengths. Jamie Chadwick Series Round Eight at Daytona Tamworth, where every corner required a different balance between the wet and dry lines, demonstrated both qualities.
Her progress has already created opportunities beyond arrive-and-drive racing. Henneman has begun testing Rotax machinery as she prepares for a possible move into owner-driver competition. Further ahead, her ambition is to progress into single-seaters, a pathway given fresh visibility by series founder Jamie Chadwick’s recent Formula One test with Atlassian Williams F1 team.
For now, Henneman’s attention remains on the Jamie Chadwick Series finale and a championship contest that few could have expected when she began at Daytona last November. Whatever the outcome, her first season has already shown how quickly determination, analysis and a willingness to listen can translate into results.
Her advice to other developing drivers reflects the approach behind her own rise.
“Take every session day by day because every weekend will be different. Listen to other people and the advice they have to share. Karting is unpredictable, so don’t get down about anything, there is always something you can learn.”
