British racing driver Jamie Chadwick may not yet be a household name. That could all change this June when the 26-year-old British racing driver heads to France to make her debut in the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Her impressive resume — three consecutive titles in the W Series and stints in Indy NXT, British Formula 3 and Extreme E — has some calling her the most “decorated” female driver in the U.K.
Early on, the 26-year-old Chadwick said she tried desperately to fit in with the male drivers, purposely not drawing attention to herself or her talents.
“My whole career, I was just one of the boys,” she told ABC News last month. “I laughed about their terrible jokes about women. It’s very easy for females not to make noise … we have this ‘just grateful to be here’ mentality.”
She is no longer staying silent.
Chadwick, a Rolex Testimonee brand ambassador who served as the grand marshal of this year’s Rolex 24 at Daytona endurance race, said she understands the importance of having a female role model in the sport. She was inspired by her own experience with Susie Wolff, the managing director of the F1 Academy and former Scottish racing driver.
“I wrote her an email in 2013 and she replied back with advice,” Chadwick said, adding that she has developed a “good relationship” with Wolff.
According to Chadwick, the F1 Academy effect has been “significant.” The academy, which started in 2023, helps to develop and prepare “young female drivers to progress to higher levels of competition” and “show them that there’s a place for them in our sport.”
Now, young girls are looking to Chadwick for encouragement. “I try to support and give guidance” to these future drivers, she said.
Moreover, Chadwick argued female drivers are increasingly in demand by team owners: “Everyone is secretly trying to find the next female superstar.”
Chadwick spoke about her unexpected rise in motorsports, how she prepares mentally for a race and training with her Le Mans teammates Logan Sargeant and Mathys Jaubert.
The following interview has been edited for clarity.
Q: Who was a role model for you in the beginning of your career?
A: I didn’t have too many role models when I started because there weren’t many [female drivers]. I fell into this sport by accident. The reason I got involved was because of my older brother and I think he was a role model — I just followed everything he did. We raced against each other when we were younger and were super competitive. It was not the healthiest of sibling rivalries, I am sure.
It wasn’t until a bit later that I realized the importance of role models in my career.
Q: Are you actively trying to be a role model for young girls who are interested in motorsports?
A: I try to do the best I can. I’ve benefited so much from initiatives and different doors opening for women in the sport. I feel like I’ve got a great opportunity now to really make sure the next generation has similar opportunities, if not better. It’s important for me to encourage as many young girls as possible because I think it’s a sport that should be more open to women and we can really do a lot to reduce that diversity gap.
Q: Did you face any naysayers early on who said you can’t have a career in motorsports because you’re a woman?
A: I definitely think there were naysayers … there were comments like, “Oh, she’s good for a girl.” When are we going to get a point where people stop saying that?
Not everyone has the same support that I did and that’s why I want to make sure the next generation has equal opportunities.
Q: There’s lots of talk about a possible female driver in F1. How involved are you in the F1 Academy?
I mentor Williams Development driver Lia Block and I love what the team is doing. Williams is putting a lot of visibility on women in the sport. There’s so much pressure to get a female driver into F1 … but it’s also not necessarily what we’re trying to achieve. We’re trying to achieve increased participation in general for women. The first step is just increasing participation and then down the line we can look at a female F1 driver.
Q: Where do you see yourself in the next five years?
A: I obviously want to be racing at the highest level I can. I am fortunate to be competing in Le Mans for the first time this year [in the LMP2 category], which is very exciting. I just want to grow and be the best racing driver I can be and continue to help develop the future of the sport.
Q: Why endurance racing?
A: I was competing in Indy NXT and I was very keen to go to IndyCar but the opportunities didn’t quite come about in the end. So my feet have sort of fallen into endurance racing. But it’s a great place to be in the sport. It’s a little bit more friendly for female drivers. IndyCar would have been really tough physically. Endurance racing is a good opportunity for me to establish myself.
Q: What’s your training regime for Le Mans?
A: It’s quite important to be light — the less you are, the better. So losing a little bit of weight is a factor. Plus making sure I am strong, fit and can stay in the car for three hours at a time. I am really looking forward to the challenge.
There’s no one better to ask than Tom [Kristensen] about Le Mans. I am lucky to have access to him. [Kristensen is a nine-time Le Mans winner and fellow Rolex Testimonee.]
Q: What has Tom said about Le Mans?
A: The main thing he said was to get in as many laps as you can in practice. Make sure your eyes are good for the night, which is a good bit of advice. And to enjoy it and make the most of it. He’s Mr. Le Mans and I am sure to pick his brain more. Just to win it once would be a dream.
Q: How do you stay focused for a 24-hour race?
A: Good question. Adrenaline is a big thing. You’re so focused on what’s coming at you — you’re dialed in. When it’s the middle of the night and you’re tired … you just have to focus and try not to make a mistake. It’s not easy.
Q: Are you frequently in touch with your Le Mans teammates?
A: My co-drivers are former Williams driver Logan Sargeant and Mathys Jaubert, who is 18. He’s very young but an exciting French talent. We’re all rookies, which will be pretty tough. We’ve never had teammates before so we’re getting used to that dynamic.
Q: You were the grand marshal at the 24 Hours of Daytona in January. How did your partnership with Rolex begin?
A: Partnering with a brand like Rolex is not something I had expected in my career. Rolex has a huge history in motorsport. In 2021, I was competing in the W Series and won my second title and on the back of that we started some conversations. Rolex is really keen to bring in young talent but also young female talent. I jumped at every single opportunity I had to work with them. We’re now going into our fourth year together and it’s an incredible partnership to have. It’s giving women drivers more opportunity and awareness.
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