Chadwick becomes first woman to drive an F1 car in three years with Williams test at Portimao

Jamie Chadwick became the first woman to drive a Formula 1 car in three years after completing a Testing of Previous Cars programme for Williams at Portimao on Monday, covering 32 laps in the team’s 2024-spec FW47 as part of her development driver duties.

The 28-year-old three-time W Series champion broke two milestones in a single afternoon: she is the first female driver to pilot an F1 car since Jessica Hawkins ran for Aston Martin in 2023, and the first woman to do so for Williams since Susie Wolff in 2015 — a driver Chadwick cited as a formative inspiration.

“It was a phenomenal day and an incredible experience,” Chadwick said. “Few things can prepare you for driving a Formula 1 car at speed around a track like Portimao. But it was everything I imagined and 10 times more. I remember being young and watching Susie 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. I’d go as far as saying it’s been the best day of my life so far.”

Chadwick has been affiliated with Williams since 2019 and brings a résumé that extends well beyond single-seaters, with race wins in Indy NXT and the European Le Mans Series, plus a test driver role in the Genesis Hypercar programme.

Williams team principal James Vowles said Chadwick’s feedback and performance during the session were “impressive,” adding that the data she gathered carries practical value as Formula 1 prepares to return to Portimao for the Portuguese Grand Prix next year — the circuit’s first appearance on the calendar since 2021.

“Jamie Chadwick is an inspiration for millions of women and girls who has broken records at every level,” Vowles said. “This clearly shows there is a path for women to compete at the top level. 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.”