Williams Ambassador Chadwick completes maiden F1 test at Portimao

Jamie Chadwick continued her record-breaking motorsport career with a recent test in Williams' 2025 Formula 1 challenger, becoming only the second woman to drive one of the team's cars after F1 ACADEMY CEO Susie Wolff in 2015.

The latest chapter of Chadwick's 14 years of racing – which has spanned single-seaters, sportscars and championships like W Series and Indy NXT – came in Portimão, where she completed 32 laps of the circuit in the FW47.

After undertaking a detailed programme of gym work, sim running and a seat fitting, she gathered valuable data and feedback for Williams during the test, helping the Grove-based outfit to prepare for Portugal's return to the calendar in 2027.

The opportunity formed part of her long-standing relationship with Williams and role as Team Ambassador and F1 ACADEMY Adviser, enabling her to join an exclusive list of women to have driven an F1 car including Wolff, Maria Theresa di Filippis and Lella Lombardi.

"It was a phenomenal day and an incredible experience," Chadwick reflected. "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 10 times more.

"I’m incredibly grateful to Atlassian Williams F1 Team for this opportunity. I remember being young and watching Wolff step into a Williams F1 car and how much 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.

"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."

Team Principal James Vowles added: “Jamie 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.”

Chadwick's experience will be shared across the team and Sky F1's social channels over the Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend, offering fans a rare behind-the-scenes viewpoint from directly behind the wheel.