Jamie Chadwick completes maiden Williams Formula 1 test at Portimão

The 28-year-old Briton drove the FW47 used by Williams during the 2025 season in a Testing of Previous Cars (TPC) programme at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve on Monday.

Chadwick followed Susie Wolff, now managing director of the all-female F1 Academy series, who last drove a Williams Formula 1 car in 2015.

The three-times W Series champion said the experience had exceeded her expectations after completing a preparation programme involving simulator work, physical training and a seat fitting at Williams' Grove factory.

"It 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 Portimão, but it was everything I imagined and 10 times more," Chadwick said.

"I’m incredibly grateful to Atlassian Williams F1 Team for this opportunity. 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, and the experience I gained today will make a real difference both to my own racing and to what I can pass on to the drivers coming through.

"I’m so grateful and incredibly happy with how the day went. It’s an experience I’ll remember for a very long time - I’d go as far as saying it’s been the best day of my life so far."

Chadwick has been associated with Williams since 2019 and is now a team ambassador and F1 Academy adviser, mentoring young drivers.

She currently competes for IDEC Sport in the European Le Mans Series and is a reserve driver for Genesis Magma Racing in the FIA World Endurance Championship.

Her career has also included three W Series titles and a spell in Indy NXT with Andretti Autosport, where she became the first woman in 15 years to win a race in the series.

Williams said Chadwick provided technical feedback and gathered data during the Portimão test, which also gave the team an opportunity to collect information ahead of the Portuguese circuit's scheduled return to the Formula 1 calendar in 2027.

Team principal James Vowles said Chadwick had earned the opportunity through her performances across several categories.

"Jamie Chadwick is an inspiration for millions of women and girls who has broken records at every level, and she has thoroughly earned this F1 test opportunity with Atlassian Williams F1 Team," Vowles said.

"Jamie gathered important data for the team as F1 prepares to return to Portimão next year, and her feedback and performance were impressive as we knew they would be.

"This 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."

Chadwick joins a small group of women to have driven Formula 1 machinery. Maria Teresa de Filippis became the first woman to compete in a Formula 1 world championship race in 1958, while Lella Lombardi remains the only woman to score championship points.

Williams said footage documenting Chadwick's preparation and test would be shown across its channels and Sky F1 during this weekend's Azerbaijan Grand Prix.