{"id":2735,"date":"2026-09-24T10:15:00","date_gmt":"2026-09-24T13:15:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/?p=2735"},"modified":"2026-09-24T10:29:57","modified_gmt":"2026-09-24T13:29:57","slug":"jamie-chadwick-completes-williams-f1-test-and-calls-it-best-day-of-my-life","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/f1\/jamie-chadwick-completes-williams-f1-test-and-calls-it-best-day-of-my-life\/","title":{"rendered":"Jamie Chadwick completes Williams F1 test and calls it \u201cbest day of my life\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The three-time W Series champion completed 32 laps in the FW47 at Portim\u00e3o, becoming only the second woman to test a Williams Formula 1 car<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">News Summary<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Jamie Chadwick completed 32 laps in a Williams FW47 during a TPC test at Portim\u00e3o<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>She became only the second woman to test a Williams F1 car, following Susie Wolff<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Chadwick described the experience as \u201cthe best day of my life so far\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Jamie Chadwick completed her first test in a modern Williams Formula 1 car at Portim\u00e3o, describing the experience as <strong>\u201cthe best day of my life so far\u201d<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The 28-year-old drove the FW47 during a Testing of Previous Cars session at the Aut\u00f3dromo Internacional do Algarve on Monday, September 21. Chadwick completed <strong>32 laps\u2014or approximately 149km\u2014<\/strong> around the Portuguese circuit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Williams said she impressed the team with her pace and technical feedback while also collecting information before <a href=\"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/f1\/f1s-european-calendar-is-starting-to-rotate-heres-what-2027-tells-us-about-the-future\/\">Portim\u00e3o returns to the Formula 1 calendar in 2027<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The test made Chadwick only the <strong>second woman to drive a Williams F1 car<\/strong>, following current F1 Academy managing director Susie Wolff, whose final Williams appearance came in 2015.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Chadwick is also the first British woman to drive a modern Formula 1 car since Jess Hawkins tested an Aston Martin AMR21 at the Hungaroring in 2023.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Chadwick: \u201cEverything I imagined and 10 times more\u201d<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Chadwick prepared for the test through an extensive programme involving physical training, simulator sessions and a seat fitting at Williams\u2019 Grove headquarters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The British driver said the speed and physical demands of the FW47 exceeded her expectations. \u201cIt was a phenomenal day and an incredible experience. Few things can prepare you for driving a Formula 1 car at speed around a track like Portim\u00e3o, but it was everything I imagined and 10 times more,\u201d Chadwick said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Her relationship with Williams began in 2019, when she joined the team\u2019s driver academy. Since then, she has won three W Series championships, competed in Indy NXT and moved into international endurance racing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Chadwick also highlighted the influence Wolff\u2019s Williams career had on her own ambitions. \u201cI remember being young and watching Susie Wolff step into a Williams F1 car and how much that inspired my own journey. I\u2019d love to be able to do the same for the next generation,\u201d she explained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The complete preparation process and test will be shown through content produced by Williams and Sky Sports F1 during the Azerbaijan GP weekend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Chadwick considered the Portim\u00e3o opportunity the most significant experience of her career. \u201cI\u2019m so grateful and incredibly happy with how the day went. It\u2019s an experience I\u2019ll remember for a very long time\u2014I\u2019d go as far as saying it\u2019s been the best day of my life so far,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why Williams used the 2025 FW47<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The test was conducted under F1\u2019s TPC regulations, which allow teams to operate eligible previous-generation cars outside official Grand Prix weekends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Chadwick drove the <strong>FW47 used during the 2025 season<\/strong>, when Williams claimed three podium results and secured its best Constructors\u2019 Championship finish since 2017.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Using a recent car allowed her to experience systems and performance levels considerably closer to contemporary Formula 1 than the historic FW08C she previously drove at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Portim\u00e3o also gave the session additional technical value. The circuit will host the Portuguese GP on June 18\u201320, 2027, as part of the <a href=\"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/f1\/f1-confirms-2027-calendar-with-24-races-and-record-10-sprint-weekends\/\">24-round F1 calendar confirmed for next season<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Team principal James Vowles said Chadwick\u2019s work contributed useful information before F1 returns to Portugal. \u201cJamie gathered important data for the team as F1 prepares to return to Portim\u00e3o next year, and her feedback and performance were impressive, as we knew they would be,\u201d Vowles said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Test adds another dimension to F1 Academy role<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Chadwick currently serves as a Williams ambassador and F1 Academy adviser, mentoring the team\u2019s young female drivers and helping them develop their racecraft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Williams believes experiencing a contemporary F1 car will allow her to provide more detailed guidance about the physical, technical and mental demands drivers face at the top of the single-seater ladder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Her latest student, Jade Jacquet, became the first female driver to win a French Formula 4 race last Sunday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Vowles argued that the test demonstrated a tangible route towards the highest level of motorsport. \u201cThis 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,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Chadwick\u2019s immediate racing career remains focused on endurance competition. She races for IDEC Sport in the European Le Mans Series and serves as Genesis Magma Racing\u2019s reserve driver ahead of the manufacturer\u2019s full FIA World Endurance Championship programme.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>GRANDE PR\u00caMIO<\/strong> follows every session of the Azerbaijan GP <a href=\"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/f1\/\">LIVE and in REAL TIME<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">F1 today: FAQ<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why is the 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix on Saturday?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The race takes place on Saturday, September 26, because Sunday is Azerbaijan\u2019s Remembrance Day. The entire programme was moved forward, with practice on Thursday and qualifying on Friday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What time does the 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix start?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Azerbaijan GP starts at <strong>12:00 UK, 07:00 ET and 15:00 local time<\/strong> on Saturday. It will run for 51 laps around the 6.003km Baku City Circuit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Can Kimi Antonelli win the 2026 F1 championship in Azerbaijan?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Yes. Antonelli arrives in Baku with an <strong>81-point lead over George Russell<\/strong>, making him mathematically capable of securing the championship. To become champion, he must leave Azerbaijan at least <strong>75 points ahead<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Which Williams F1 car did Jamie Chadwick drive?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Chadwick drove the FW47 used by Williams during the 2025 Formula 1 season.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The three-time W Series champion completed 32 laps in the FW47 at Portim\u00e3o, becoming only the second woman to test a Williams Formula 1 car News Summary Jamie Chadwick completed her first test in a modern Williams Formula 1 car at Portim\u00e3o, describing the experience as \u201cthe best day of my life so far\u201d. The [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1020315810,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"42wp_featured_image_caption":"Jamie Chadwick","42wp_featured_image_credits":"Williams","42wp_featured_video":"","42wp_featured_image_hidden":false,"42wp_authors_list":[{"id":7,"location":""}],"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[330,608,607,62],"42wp_author":[7],"class_list":["post-2735","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-f1","tag-f1-2027","tag-f1-academy","tag-jamie-chadwick","tag-williams","42wp_author-victor-martins"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2735","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2735"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2735\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2736,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2735\/revisions\/2736"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1020315810"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2735"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2735"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2735"},{"taxonomy":"42wp_author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/42wp_author?post=2735"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}