This Girl Dad Just Won Formula E - And He's Taking His Whole Team to Ibiza

By Lewis Barnett 24 July, 2025 5 mins read 248 Views

Listen. I've been following motorsport for fifteen years, and I've never seen a championship celebration quite like this one.

Oliver Rowland - this 32-year-old from Barnsley who just became Formula E world champion - broke down crying on his final lap in Berlin. But here's the kicker: his four-year-old daughter Harper was on the team radio saying "Daddy, you're the world champion!" I'm not gonna lie, I teared up watching that clip. My editor owes me twenty bucks because she bet me I wouldn't get emotional over a racing story.

Play Article Audio

From Legoland to World Champion (Yeah, Really)

So what does a newly-crowned world champion do after seven seasons of grinding in Formula E? Takes his kid to Legoland, obviously.

Rowland spent the week after his title win doing dad stuff - and I mean proper dad stuff. He was at Legoland on Harper's birthday last Tuesday, coaching her on the baby cars like she was about to qualify for Monaco. "She wasn't tall enough to get her driver's license but she went on the baby cars and I was asking her to get her head down like they do in go karts," he told me, laughing. "It was so funny."

Poor guy was "absolutely knackered" by the end of the day. Welcome to parenthood, mate.

The Ibiza Plan (Because Why Not?)

Here's where it gets interesting. Most drivers celebrate with champagne and fancy dinners. Rowland? He's taking his entire Nissan engineering team to Ibiza after this weekend's London finale.

"Since we're so close to City airport and all in London together I decided to invite all the engineers away with me," he explained. "I just thought it was something different and nice to do for them. Let them have a nice two or three days."

Four wins and seven podiums this season, and the man's response is basically: "Right lads, let's go party in Spain." I respect that energy.

Max Verstappen Sliding Into DMs

Plot twist I didn't see coming: Rowland and Max Verstappen are proper mates. The four-time F1 world champion was texting him encouragement before the Berlin race weekend.

"He sent me a message on Saturday night, telling me to score points and calm down a little bit," Rowland said. After a rough Saturday (his words: he made a "mistake"), Max reached out again. "Just said 'yeah look, you got this, you're doing a good job'."

Imagine getting a pep talk from Max bloody Verstappen. That's some serious friendship goals right there.

Girl Dad Energy

But honestly? The Max texts don't compare to Harper's congratulations.

Rowland calls being a "girl dad" his biggest achievement, which... God, that hits different when you hear it from someone who just won a world championship. Wife Lauren's pregnant with baby number two, and he's hoping for another Harper. "At the beginning I always wanted to have a boy but another girl like Harper would be super cute."

This guy's been grinding in Formula E for seven years. He's worked with Alpine for a decade, had a stint with Williams back in 2018, mentors Red Bull junior driver Arvid Lindblad. But ask him about his proudest moment and he'll talk about his daughter on team radio.

That's the kind of authenticity you don't see much in motorsport these days. No glitz, no glamour - just a Barnsley lad who prefers doing his talking in the car and his celebrating at Legoland.

The Ibiza trip's gonna be legendary though.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Parc Ferrme in Formula 1?

The FIA uses the term Parc Ferme to describe a secured area in the pit lane, where the cars are closely monitored by them before and after the qualifying session and race. Once the car enters Parc Ferme, it cannot be modified in any significant way. There are a few exceptions. This is to ensure that the cars adhere to the rules, and that no team gains an unfair advantage.

What is DRS Formula 1? How does it work

Drag Reduction System, or DRS in Formula 1, is a device used to help facilitate overtaking. It reduces aerodynamic resistance when it is activated. This gives the following car a temporary edge in speed. DRS only works in predetermined zones, or at points of detection during the race when a driver has less than one second between him and the car in front.

How do drivers qualify for a Formula 1 race?

The Formula 1 qualifying system is a knockout system that takes place the day before the race. It's divided into three segments: Q1, Q2, Q3. The first segment is Q1, where all the drivers compete. The five slowest cars are then eliminated. Five more cars are then eliminated from the Q2 group of 15 drivers. The top 10 drivers then move onto Q3, where they will compete for pole position and to determine the order of the first 10 positions in the grid.

Can Formula 1 teams continue to test their vehicles year-round?

No, Formula 1 teams are not allowed to test their cars year-round. The FIA regulates pre-season and during-season testing. These restrictions are put in place to maintain an even playing field and control costs. The limited number of testing opportunities must be used to the fullest by teams in order for them to prepare and gather information on their cars.

Statistics

Michael Schumacher holds the record for the most World Championships won by a single driver, with a total of seven titles.
The Italian Grand Prix at Monza is known as the 'Temple of Speed', which has the highest average speed of any circuit on the current Formula 1 calendar.
Jenson Button accomplished the greatest number of overtakes in a single race, with a total of 26 during the 2011 Canadian Grand Prix.
The Monaco Grand Prix is the shortest race on the Formula 1 calendar, with a total race distance of only 260.286 kilometers.
Ayrton Senna holds the record for most consecutive pole positions, achieving a series of eight poles from the 1988 Spanish Grand Prix to the 1989 United States Grand Prix.
The highest number of cars to start a Formula 1 race was 34 at the 1953 German Grand Prix.
As of the end of the 2022 season, Formula 1 races have been held in 34 different countries around the world.
The Silverstone Circuit, home to the British Grand Prix, has hosted more Formula 1 races than any other circuit since the championship began in 1950.

External Links

How To

How to Listen to Formula 1 Team Radio

Formula 1 radio team broadcasts are a great way to immerse yourself in the strategy, emotions, and strategy of the race. Subscribe to F1 TV Pro which provides live streaming as well as additional feeds that go beyond the standard broadcast. This includes unfiltered team communication. The team radios are also available via dedicated race apps for a monthly fee. During live broadcasts of races, team radio clips will often be played. They provide viewers with a view into the real decisions and challenges teams and drivers are facing.