Jamie Chadwick is now a three-time title-winner of the W Series; this season was cut short due to funding from an investor falling through; the British driver is looking towards other opportunities for the 2023 season and recently enjoyed testing in IndyLights
Tuesday 11 October 2022 18:32, UK
Jamie Chadwick has praised W Series for giving her and other female drivers a platform and has confirmed she has her eyes on the USA and Indy Lights for her crucial next step in motorsport.
Chadwick was this week confirmed as the 2022 W Series champion after being 50 points ahead of the nearest challenger when the season was ended early due to expected funding falling through.
The British driver is now a three-time title-winner of the W Series and during her incredibly dominant recent season, Chadwick was open about her goal of making the step up to Formula 1 "within the next five years" and said she wasn't expecting to remain in the W Series for 2023.
Speaking further on Any Driven Monday, Chadwick confirmed she is looking 'positively' at the options now available to her and really enjoyed testing in IndyLights - the feeder series to IndyCar in the United States.
"Nothing is confirmed yet, but I did the test with the Andretti team, and it was awesome," Chadwick said. "I really enjoyed driving the car and I really loved working with the team.
"I think the Indy Lights, IndyCar route - the road to Indy it's called - is really cool for young drivers. It's a big opportunity over there. It's looking interesting, but nothing confirmed yet.
"It's nice to now be in a position that I'm looking really positively at these options going forwards. Nothing confirmed, but I'm really looking forward to trying to get things nailed in for the next year."
Previously, Chadwick had indicated that she wanted to gain "good seat time" during the 2023 season to get as much experience as possible.
Indy Lights would see the British driver in control of a heavier and more physically demanding car and potentially pave the way for a return to Europe to race in F3.
We have been and always will be incredibly proud and supportive of her career and wish her well in her next exciting chapter.
Despite Chadwick looking at options away from the W Series, she is incredibly thankful for the opportunity it provided her and will continue to provide to others within motorsport.
"The W Series, in my opinion, the brand and everything that it stands for is still so strong," she said.
"Everything that it's done for the drivers that are in the Championship currently, me included, has been hugely valuable and in terms of inspiring that next generation and creating the role models. Also, giving experience to those that are working within the series - not just the drivers.
"It's so powerful and I think that's something they can't lose. It's so strong that they need to take that, however they have to structure the business model... I'm not I'm best versed at speaking about.
"I think they will have these few months and the wake-up call I'm hoping from the industry and outside the industry as well to support women in the sport and really get behind the series for the right reasons will be a really positive thing.
"From the start of it when we were in Hockenheim for the first race to now being in Singapore, it's just amazing how far the series has come.
"To be able to develop with that and learn so much myself as a driver and also personally, to be able to come out of it and continue to progress has been so valuable. I really hope and believe it's put me in a really strong place now going forwards."
