Jamie Chadwick experienced what she calls "the best day of my life so far" when she took the wheel of a Williams Formula 1 car for the first time at the Algarve International Circuit in Portimão, Portugal. The 28‑year‑old British driver, who also serves as a Williams brand ambassador and a Sky Sports F1 analyst, completed 32 laps in the team's 2025 chassis under the FIA's Testing of Previous Cars (TPC) programme on Monday. Chadwick’s outing makes her the second woman to pilot an F1 machine this year, following Doriane Pin, the reigning F1 Academy champion, who drove a 2021 Mercedes at Silverstone in April.
She also becomes the first British female driver to test an F1 car since Jessica Hawkins piloted an Aston Martin in 2023. Having joined Williams as a development driver in 2019, Chadwick has already built an impressive résumé. She dominated the all‑female W Series, winning every season of the championship, and in 2024 she broke new ground by becoming the first woman to claim a victory on a road‑course in the U.S.‑based Indy NXT series.
"It was a phenomenal day and an incredible experience," she said after the test. "Few things can prepare you for driving a Formula 1 car at speed around a track like Portimão, but it was everything I imagined and ten times more." She added that the opportunity meant a great deal to her personally and professionally. "I'm incredibly grateful to Atlassian Williams F1 Team for this chance.
I remember watching Susie Wolff step into a Williams F1 car when I was a kid and how that inspired my own journey. I'd love to be able to do the same for the next generation, and the experience I gained today will make a real difference both to my own racing and to what I can pass on to the drivers coming through." Chadwick concluded, "I'm so grateful and incredibly happy with how the day went. It's an experience I'll remember for a very long time – I'd go as far as saying it's been the best day of my life so far." The history of women in Formula 1 provides context for Chadwick’s achievement. Susie Wolff remains the most recent female driver to take part in a Friday practice session, having completed four practice runs for Williams across the 2014 and 2015 seasons.
The last woman to start a Grand Prix was Italian Lella Lombardi, who qualified for the 1976 Spanish Grand Prix. Williams team principal James Vowles praised Chadwick’s breakthrough, stating, "Jamie Chadwick is an inspiration for millions of women and girls who has broken records at every level, and she has thoroughly earned this F1 test opportunity with Atlassian Williams F1 Team.
Jamie gathered important data for the team as F1 prepares to return to Portimão next year, and her feedback and performance were impressive as we knew they would be. This clearly shows there is a path for women to compete at the top level, and I look forward to seeing how Jamie uses this experience to advance her own driving and advise our young drivers on what it takes to drive an F1 car." In a pre‑test interview with Sky Sports, Chadwick described the preparation that went into the day. "I did half a day in the simulator, the seat‑fit and all the procedural stuff that you do beforehand," she explained. "And then I have actually been upping the neck training a lot.
Obviously racing LMP2, I train my neck anyway, but that is naturally stepped up for an F1 test. George Russell's been helping me a little bit with the preparation.
I woke up the next morning after the first proper day of neck training I did with him, and I could barely move my head! So it's incredible, actually, when you realise what they are going through in terms of not just in the car, but also the training that they have to do for the necks at the moment. It's crazy." Chadwick had already driven the Portimão layout in the European Le Mans Series, giving her a baseline familiarity with the circuit’s undulating flow.
"Ollie Bearman said mentally it's one of the toughest tracks, actually. The flow is very undulating and there's a lot going on. In the mind it's very busy," she recalled.
"But most have just said to enjoy it. I feel like I learn a huge amount from Formula 1 generally in the role that I have with Sky Sports, which has helped me a lot in all the other stuff that I'm doing.
But I think this is going to take a new, extreme one from that." Beyond the personal thrill, Chadwick’s test carries broader significance for the sport’s diversity agenda. By delivering solid lap times and useful telemetry, she demonstrated that female drivers can meet the rigorous physical and technical demands of modern F1 machinery. Her presence also provides a visible role model for aspiring young women who may now see a clearer pathway from karting through junior formulas to the pinnacle of motorsport.
The test took place under the FIA’s TPC regulations, which allow teams to run previous‑year cars for development and promotional purposes. While the Williams 2025 chassis is not a current‑season contender, the data gathered still assists the engineering team in refining aerodynamics, suspension settings, and tyre performance ahead of the 2026 season. Chadwick’s involvement also dovetails with her duties as a Sky Sports F1 pundit, where she routinely breaks down race strategy, car behaviour, and driver performance for a global audience. The hands‑on experience of driving an F1 car enriches her commentary, giving viewers insider insight that few analysts can claim.
Looking ahead, Chadwick will return to her primary commitments in the European Le Mans Series and the Indy NXT championship, while continuing her ambassadorial work for Williams and advocating for greater female participation in motorsport. "I hope my day in the Williams can open doors for other women and show that with hard work, dedication, and the right support, the top tier is within reach," she said. Fans can follow the ongoing 2026 Formula 1 season live on Sky Sports F1, with the Azerbaijan Grand Prix kicking off a triple‑header of races this week.
The Baku race is scheduled for Saturday at midday, and viewers can stream Sky Sports via NOW, with no long‑term contract and the ability to cancel at any time.