Indy NXT competitor Jamie Chadwick told Sky Sports F1 Presenter Naomi Schiff how both have been impacted by the former all-female W Series which has helped further female representation in motorsport.
Schiff interviewed Chadwick on the latest instalment of Sky Sports Editions – a series launched last Autumn showcasing original stories from and told by female athletes simultaneously woven into the realm of fashion as each star designs their own magazine cover.
Both Schiff and Chadwick competed in the W Series, an all-female single-seater category formed in 2019 that ran for three years before hitting financial hardship.
Chadwick won all three Drivers’ titles and has used that success as a springboard to compete in the Indy NXT Series in America and her second campaign with Andretti begins this weekend in St. Petersburg Florida.
Schiff meanwhile has developed her career in broadcast journalism and is a leading face of Sky Sports F1 coverage and both she and Chadwick credit the W Series being a significant moment for women in motorsport.
“I think there was a direct impact in terms of female license holders, mechanics, just so many people were inspired but this series and I think they really made a platform to expose the capabilities and opportunities for women in the sport,” said Schiff.
“I think without it we both wouldn’t be sat here,” added Chadwick.
Jamie Chadwick wants ‘more women’ in motorsport
In the wake of the W Series, the F1 Academy series has stepped in to lead female representation in motorsport.
The all-female single-seater category has embarked on its second season, starting in Saudi Arabia, with the backing of all 10 F1 teams and brands Puma, Tommy Hilfiger and Charlotte Tilbury.
F1 Academy is now broadcast live on a global scale and all seven rounds feature on Grand Prix weekends.
Chadwick meanwhile, alongside her Indy NXT duties, has launched an all-female karting programme in the United Kingdom and whilst she wants to focus on her career there’s a mindset driven to inspire girls at a grassroots level within motorsport.
“Maybe the more selfish side where I just want to focus on myself and having as much success as I can in my career as a racing driver,” Chadwick said.
“Then on the other side of that I think there’s a lot we can still do in sport.
“Ultimately, I want to see so many more women at the top level of the sport and inspiring younger generations to get involved in the first place.
“That’s across the whole board, not just drivers but mechanics, engineers, the whole sport becoming more diverse. Having that equal opportunity to be involved in the sport we know and love.”
Chadwick’s initiative is reflective of a general movement across motorsport for better female representation, along with F1 Academy’s Discover Your Drive karting programme and More than Equal’s Female Driver Development Programme dedicated to unearthing the first female Formula 1 World Champion.
