In the high-octane world of professional racing, change doesn’t come easily. But Jamie Chadwick, the 26-year-old British driver, is accelerating a transformation that could help redefine the future of motorsport. Last month, Chadwick made history at Road America, becoming the first woman to win in IndyCar’s top development series, Indy NXT
XT
, since 2010. Leading all 20 laps from pole position in the Firestone Grand Prix, Chadwick isn’t just breaking records – she’s shattering long-held perceptions about gender in one of the world’s most male-dominated sports.
Chadwick’s journey in motorsport began on the karting track in 2010, quickly progressing to become the first female to win a British GT
GT
Championship in 2015. Her talent didn’t go unnoticed, earning her a spot in the Aston Martin Racing Driver Evolution Academy and recognition as a ‘Rising Star’ by the British Racing Drivers’ Club. But it was in single-seaters where Chadwick truly made her mark, becoming the first woman to win a British Formula 3 race in 2018.
Chadwick’s success, including three consecutive W
W
Series championships from 2019 to 2022, is forcing a reevaluation of long-held assumptions about gender and performance in motorsport. “It’s tough and it’s physical, but there’s no reason why women can’t be competing at the highest level,” Chadwick shared in our recent interview. Her performances on the track are serving as a powerful challenge to the entire industry.
Jamie Chadwick with the GEN3 Championship Car during practice at the Portland E-Prix, round 14 of the 2024 FIA Formula E World Championship (Photo by Simon Galloway/LAT Images for Formula E)
LAT Images for Formula E
Chadwick’s vision extends far beyond simply increasing participation numbers. She’s candid about the physical challenges women face in a sport designed predominantly for male competitors. “It definitely is [physical]. Often, you’re in the car in very hot climates for long periods of time. Your heart rate, your cardiovascular system, is at quite a high level,” she notes. By openly discussing these challenges, she’s pushing for innovations that could make the sport more accessible to a diverse range of competitors.
Acutely aware of her position as a role model, Chadwick is leveraging her success to create tangible pathways for more women to enter the sport. She’s advocating for a complete reimagining of the motorsport pipeline, from grassroots to the highest levels. This commitment is evident in her karting initiative, which aims to encourage more girls and young women into the sport, where currently just 13% of participants are female. “I really want more women,” she says, adding, “I think we should have more and more young girls starting in the Indy feeder series, getting through Indy NXT.”
Chadwick’s approach goes beyond mere representation; she’s working to change perceptions about motorsport itself. “Suddenly it’s not just a sport that you do just to become professional and it’s that intense cutthroat nature, it’s a sport you can do to enjoy,” she says. This shift from exclusivity to inclusivity could be the key to unlocking motorsport’s future potential, creating a sustainable ecosystem where female drivers can thrive at every stage of their careers.
As Chadwick continues to challenge norms and inspire a new generation, her impact extends beyond the race track. Her success and advocacy are not just opening doors for women in motorsport, but are challenging the very foundations of a sport long resistant to change. In doing so, she’s helping to steer motorsport towards a more inclusive and diverse future.
Watch the more interviews in the Power Women Profiles series here.
Source link : https://www.forbes.com/sites/moiraforbes/2024/07/22/how-jamie-chadwick-is-driving-the-future-of-motorsports-for-women/
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Publish date : 2024-07-22 16:52:56
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