Since their conception in 2023, F1 Academy has worked hard to get women into Formula 1. They have started to create a pipeline to make it more accessible for women to join motorsports via Discover Your Drive. F1 Academy has also given women more access to the 10 Formula 1 teams and driver development programs. But what about the drivers who can’t join F1 Academy like Jamie Chadwick?
Jamie Chadwick is a 26-year-old British race car driver. That’s currently one year older than F1 Academy accepts. Chadwick has raced in many series and has proven her worth in each one of them. So why isn’t she able to break into the Formula 1 pipeline? Why is her dream of becoming an F1 driver over?
Jamie Chadwick supports F1 Academy
Chadwick has proven herself in female-driven competitions with the W series. The W series is an all-female single-seater competition that came before F1 Academy. Since 2019, Chadwick has won three W series titles. When talking about the pipeline into Formula 1, she said “I think the pathway is getting stronger and stronger” (Sky Sports).
W SERIES 2021 CHAMPION 🏆🏆🏆 pic.twitter.com/tPuTTwvu49
— Jamie Chadwick (@JamieChadwick) October 24, 2021
When speaking about the female single-seater competition, Chadwick said “F1 Academy and W Series is important to create more awareness around women in the sport” (Sky Sports). She said women needed to be supported “at an earlier grassroots level” (Sky Sports). Chadwick serves her fellow Williams Driver Lia Block as her F1 Academy Advisor.
Formula 1 out of reach for Jamie Chadwick
In an interview with Mirror, Jamie Chadwick said that her becoming a Formula 1 driver is “sadly not realistic”. At 26 years old, she feels as if her chances are slim to none and out of reach.
Adding to that, Chadwick also said “If I look at the level of Formula 1 now, where my age is and my experience, it really doesn’t look like I’m on that trajectory at the moment”. However, that hasn’t stopped her from talking to Williams Team Principal, James Vowles.
EXCLUSIVE 🚨
Speaking to @dmoxon_ Jamie Chadwick admitted that #F1 is no longer ‘realistic’ for her at 26 – but a 2025 IndyCar seat sure is 🇺🇸 https://t.co/M8H9RUxpYQ pic.twitter.com/rtdfuZXHX9
— Mirror F1 (@MirrorF1) October 9, 2024
Chadwick was a Development Driver for Williams as part of the Williams Racing Academy. While Formula 1 is out of her grasp, she’s hoping that IndyCar isn’t. Chadwick is hoping that after competing in her second season, a 2025 IndyCar seat isn’t out of her reach. She currently races for Andretti Autosport while competing in IndyNXT while also being a Williams Racing Driver.
