Jamie Chadwick crowned two-time W Series champion
Girls on Track UK ambassador and Motorsport UK Academy Team UK driver Jamie Chadwick finished the second season of the all-female single-seater racing series as a two-time W Series champion at the weekend (23-24 October).
The 24-year-old Briton won the 2021 double-header finale in Texas, with a lights-to-flag victory and fastest lap on Sunday to complete the perfect weekend. Jamie scooped the $500,000 (£363,000) top prize and a maximum of 15 FIA Super Licence points after beating fierce track rival and fellow Girls on Track UK ambassador Alice Powell to defend her title.
The Veloce Racing driver said: “That was a mega end to a mega year. It feels so good to finish it off like that – what a win! Thank you to W Series, Veloce, Formula 1 and everyone who’s supported me. It means so much to defend my title. It’s been really hard work this year as I’ve been pushed all the way by Alice [Powell]. The stakes were higher this weekend with the double-header, but to seal it by winning both races makes it so much sweeter, and I’m delighted to come out on top. Massive congratulations to Alice, who’s pushed me really hard, and it was a tough weekend for her with some issues which were out of her hands. I’ve got an amazing relationship with the Williams F1 team, who have helped me win this championship, so I’m really grateful to them. I don’t know what’s next for me, but I’ll enjoy this moment and go from there.”
In between her racing commitments, Jamie has supported Girls on Track UK at several school events throughout the UK to help inspire young girls and encourage an interest in STEM subjects. The aim is to increase female participation in these sectors, using motorsport as a medium to expose them to the incredible opportunities and career paths within the sport.
The Williams F1 development driver was inspired to start racing, aged 11, after her brother Ollie attended a karting party. Good old-fashioned sibling rivalry led her to achieve numerous wins at club level in the Junior series. A British Racing Drivers’ Club ‘Rising Star’, Jamie was the youngest – and first female – driver to win a British GT Championship. She became the first female winner of a BRDC British Formula 3 race and the MR Challenge Championship.
The W Series is a free-to-enter all-female racing championship that aims to provide a platform for women to race and eliminate the infamous financial barriers to entry within top-tier motorsport. Participating drivers are selected solely on their talents and driving ability, leading to only the top eight finishers in the standings guaranteed to return for another season in 2022.