Powell was born in Oxford, England, and learned to drive at the age of six, beginning karting two years later. She attended The Cotswold School and in 2014 was included in the BBC series 100 Women. Her early karting development led to a single-seater debut in the Michelin Formula Renault UK Championship in 2009 at the age of 16, making her the youngest female driver in a Formula Renault race at that time.
In 2010, racing with Manor, Powell set a landmark record at the fourth round of the Formula Renault BARC Championship by becoming the first woman to win a Formula Renault race in the United Kingdom. She went on to claim the championship outright, making her the first woman ever to win a Formula Renault title. Her race engineer that season was Sarah Shaw. Powell returned to Formula Renault in 2014, competing with FRD Motorsport in the International Class of the 2014 Asian Formula Renault Series, winning the class with five victories across the eleven-race season — four of which were also outright race wins.
After only two test days in the car, Powell was announced as a driver for the Status Grand Prix team in the 2012 GP3 Series. On 9 September 2012 she finished eighth in the sprint race at Monza, becoming the first female points scorer in the GP3 Series since its inception in 2010. She made a one-off return to the series in 2013 at Yas Marina, filling in for Melville McKee.
Powell joined the F3 Cup for 2013 and also competed in the opening round of the British Formula 3 season at Silverstone in a Dallara F306 run by Mark Bailey Racing. In the 2013 MotorSport Vision Formula Three Cup she finished second in the championship behind Alex Craven, winning five races over the course of the season.
Powell was among the eighteen women selected for the inaugural W Series Championship in 2019. She took four podium finishes across the six-race season, including a race win at the series finale at Brands Hatch, and finished third in the championship standings. She returned for the 2021 championship with the Racing X team, winning the opening race at the Red Bull Ring from pole position after leading every lap and setting the fastest lap. Powell closed the 2021 season with three wins, five podiums, and 132 points, finishing runner-up to champion Jamie Chadwick. In 2022 she moved to Click2Drive Bristol Street Motors Racing, finishing third in the standings with one win and four podiums.
In 2020, Powell participated in the Rookie Test following the Marrakesh ePrix, driving for Envision Virgin Racing alongside Nick Cassidy. She subsequently served as Simulator and Development Driver for the team from the 2021–22 season onward, also taking part in the Berlin rookie test in May 2024 and pre-season women's tests at Jarama in November 2024 and Valencia in October 2025.
Powell signed to compete in the 2015–16 MRF Challenge, scoring four top-ten finishes in the opening round in Abu Dhabi. The prospect of driving a Caterham Formula One car in a 2014 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix free practice session was explored but ultimately abandoned after it became clear the appropriate superlicence could not be obtained in time.
Powell joined the Sky Sports Formula 2 commentary team when the 2020 season resumed following COVID-19 disruptions. She has commentated at the Goodwood Festival of Speed and works for Whisper Entertainment's F1 coverage on Channel 4 as well as F1 TV. Since 2024 she has also served as co-commentator for the F1 Academy championship. Powell has served as Talent Identification and Development Mentor for the Alpine Academy since 2022, and acts as a coach and manager for Abbi Pulling, the 2024 F1 Academy champion.
Powell's two firsts — the Formula Renault championship win and the GP3 points score — remain significant milestones for women in European single-seater racing. Her transition into commentary and driver development roles has established her as an influential figure in bringing more women into the sport at all levels.
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