Introduction
Jamie Chadwick is a British racing driver whose career has developed across GT racing, single-seaters, W Series, Indy NXT and endurance prototypes. Born in Bath on May 20, 1998, she began karting at the age of 12 after following her elder brother into motorsport. Her progress was rapid, and she soon moved from junior karting into professional car racing.
Her career includes several important milestones. She became the first female driver to win a British GT title in 2015, the first woman to win a British Formula 3 race in 2018, and the champion of all three completed W Series seasons in 2019, 2021 and 2022. Her move into endurance racing has added another chapter, with three ELMS LMP2 victories in 2025 and a reserve-driver role with Genesis Magma Racing in the 2026 FIA World Endurance Championship programme.
Quick Bio
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Jamie Laura Chadwick |
| Date of Birth | May 20, 1998 |
| Age | 28 |
| Birthplace | Bath, United Kingdom |
| Nationality | British |
| Profession | Professional Racing Driver |
| FIA Driver Grading | Silver |
| Famous For | W Series championships and motorsport milestones |
| Current Programme | European Le Mans Series |
| Current Team | IDEC Sport |
| Current Car | #18 ORECA 07 LMP2 |
| WEC Role | Official Reserve Driver, Genesis Magma Racing |
| Education | Cheltenham College |
| Racing Start | Karting at age 12 |
| 2015 Achievement | British GT4 Champion |
| W Series Titles | 2019, 2021, 2022 |
| 2024 Achievement | Indy NXT Road America winner |
| 2025 Achievement | Third in ELMS LMP2 |
Early Life and Family Background
Jamie Chadwick’s route into racing began through her family. She followed her elder brother into go-karting when she was 12, a relatively late starting age compared with many professional drivers. Despite that later beginning, she quickly achieved regular wins and podium finishes at junior club level.
Her early progress demonstrated that she could adapt quickly to competitive racing. In 2012, she won the Ginetta Junior Scholarship, which opened the way to car racing and the Ginetta Junior Series. This transition was an important foundation for her later move into senior GT and single-seater competition.
Education and Early Racing Development
Chadwick attended Cheltenham College while developing her racing career. In 2016, she continued to focus on her schooling and academic qualifications while also contesting selected British GT races. Her motorsport development therefore took place alongside her education rather than replacing it completely.
Her early racing experience expanded when she earned a Nürburgring Nordschleife race permit and competed in VLN endurance events. These experiences helped her build skills in longer races and different types of machinery before she concentrated increasingly on single-seaters.
Jamie Chadwick’s British GT Breakthrough
The 2015 season became a major turning point. Chadwick competed in the British GT4 Championship with Beechdean Aston Martin Racing, sharing an Aston Martin V8 Vantage with Ross Gunn. The pair won the GT4 championship.
That achievement placed Chadwick in the record books. At 16, she became the youngest driver and first female driver to win a British GT title. She also helped win the Silverstone 24 Hour Race that year, adding another significant endurance-racing achievement to her young career.
Career Timeline
2011 — Karting Begins
At 12, Chadwick entered karting after following her elder brother into motorsport. She quickly collected wins and podiums at junior club level.
2012–2014 — Ginetta Junior
She won the Ginetta Junior Scholarship and progressed into the Ginetta Junior Series, gaining her first major experience in competitive car racing.
2015 — British GT Champion
Chadwick won the British GT4 title and became the first female British GT champion. She also contributed to victory in the Silverstone 24 Hour Race.
2017 — British Formula 3
She entered the BRDC British Formula 3 Championship and finished eighth overall in her rookie campaign. She was the championship’s only female entrant that season.
2018 — Historic Formula 3 Victory
At Brands Hatch, Chadwick became the first female driver to win a British Formula 3 race.
2019 — W Series Champion
She won the MRF Asian F3 Winter Series and the inaugural W Series championship. She also won the GT4 class at the Nürburgring 24 Hours and joined Williams as a development driver.
2020 — Formula Regional
Chadwick competed in the Formula Regional European Championship with Prema Powerteam and finished ninth overall during a season affected by the COVID-19 disruption.
2021 — Second W Series Title
She successfully defended her W Series championship, including two victories at the Austin round. She also competed in Extreme E and drove the historic Williams FW08 at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.
2022 — Third W Series Title
Chadwick won the W Series championship for a third time, completing her hat-trick of titles in the series.
2023 — Indy NXT
She moved to the United States and joined Andretti for the Indy NXT championship. She completed every race and finished 12th overall, with several top-10 results and a best finish of sixth.
2024 — Road America Victory
Chadwick returned to Indy NXT and won at Road America. The victory was especially significant because she became the first woman in the series to claim a road-course pole position and win. She finished seventh in the championship.
2025 — European Le Mans Series
She moved into prototype endurance racing with IDEC Sport as part of the Genesis Magma Racing Trajectory Programme. Chadwick recorded three LMP2 class victories and four podiums and finished third in the ELMS LMP2 championship.
2026 — ELMS and WEC Reserve Role
For 2026, Chadwick returned to ELMS as the lead driver of the #18 IDEC Sport ORECA 07 alongside Laurents Hörr and Valerio Rinicella. She also became an Official Reserve Driver for Genesis Magma Racing’s FIA World Endurance Championship team.
W Series Success
The W Series period is one of the strongest sections of Chadwick’s career. She won the inaugural championship in 2019, returned to win again in 2021 and completed a third title in 2022. Genesis’ official career profile records two wins and five podiums in her 2019 championship campaign, four wins and seven podiums in 2021, and five wins and six podiums in 2022.
Winning three championships established a particularly strong record in the series. It also gave Chadwick international visibility and helped create opportunities in other categories, including her subsequent Indy NXT and endurance-racing programmes.
Indy NXT Career
Moving to the United States represented a major change. In 2023, Chadwick joined Andretti for Indy NXT, learning new circuits, a new team environment and a different racing culture. Her first season produced a 12th-place championship finish.
The following season brought a major improvement. Her Road America victory in 2024 was a landmark result, while her seventh-place championship finish showed progress across the season.
Endurance Racing and ELMS
Chadwick’s transition to prototype racing in 2025 expanded her experience beyond single-seater competition. She joined the Genesis Magma Racing Trajectory Programme with IDEC Sport and competed in the LMP2 category. The programme finished third in the championship after collecting three wins and four podiums.
This move also connected her career with Genesis Magma Racing’s longer-term Hypercar project. The 2026 programme combines her ELMS responsibilities with her reserve-driver duties within Genesis’ WEC operation.
2026 Racing Season
The 2026 ELMS season has provided another test for Chadwick and her teammates. The #18 IDEC Sport ORECA 07 finished fourth at Barcelona, followed by fourth-place results at Le Castellet and Imola.
At Spa-Francorchamps, the team finished third after a post-race penalty affecting another entry promoted the #18 car from fourth. Chadwick drove the opening stint of the race.
The Silverstone round was more difficult. The team finished 11th in LMP2 after two spins and a puncture, meaning it failed to score points for the first time during the 2026 ELMS season. Genesis reported that the team remained fourth in the championship with one round remaining.
Jamie Chadwick’s Racing Style and Public Impact
Chadwick’s career has been built around adaptability. She has raced GT cars, Formula 3 machinery, W Series cars, Indy NXT cars and LMP2 prototypes. Moving between these categories requires different approaches to vehicle handling, race strategy and endurance competition.
Her public impact also extends beyond her own results. The Jamie Chadwick Series was created to provide young girls with an opportunity to enter competitive karting. The initiative reflects her continuing interest in encouraging more female participation at grassroots level.
Positive and Challenging Sides of Her Career
The positive side of Chadwick’s career is clear in her record of championships, victories and historic milestones. Her three W Series titles, British GT championship and Indy NXT Road America victory form a strong competitive record across different stages of her career.
The challenging side has been the difficulty of progressing through multiple highly competitive categories. Her 12th-place Indy NXT result in 2023 and the difficult 2026 Silverstone ELMS weekend show that professional motorsport involves setbacks as well as victories. These results form part of the broader development of her career rather than a single uninterrupted path upward.
Current Career and Future Direction
In 2026, Chadwick remains part of the Genesis Magma Racing Trajectory Programme while competing in ELMS with IDEC Sport. Her reserve-driver position within the WEC programme places her inside Genesis’ developing Hypercar project.
Genesis has stated that the Trajectory Programme is designed to help drivers progress toward the WEC driving lineup. For Chadwick, the current programme therefore represents an important stage in her endurance-racing development.
Conclusion
Jamie Chadwick has built an unusual and varied career in international motorsport. From starting karting at 12 to winning British GT, becoming a three-time W Series champion, succeeding in Indy NXT and moving into LMP2 endurance racing, she has competed across several major forms of racing.
Her 2026 season continues that progression through IDEC Sport and Genesis Magma Racing. With ELMS competition and a WEC reserve role combined, Chadwick remains focused on prototype racing and the development of her career within the Genesis Hypercar programme.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Jamie Chadwick?
Jamie Chadwick is a British professional racing driver known for her success in British GT, W Series, Indy NXT and endurance racing.
When was Jamie Chadwick born?
Jamie Chadwick was born on May 20, 1998, in Bath, United Kingdom.
Where did Jamie Chadwick grow up?
She grew up in the Isle of Man and began karting after following her elder brother into motorsport.
When did Jamie Chadwick start racing?
She began karting at the age of 12 in 2011.
Who influenced Jamie Chadwick’s early racing career?
Her elder brother influenced her introduction to karting and helped lead her toward motorsport.
What is Jamie Chadwick famous for?
She is especially known for winning the W Series championship in 2019, 2021 and 2022.
What is Jamie Chadwick’s current racing programme?
In 2026, she competes in the European Le Mans Series with IDEC Sport and serves as a Genesis Magma Racing WEC reserve driver.
What was Jamie Chadwick’s major 2025 achievement?
She finished third in the ELMS LMP2 championship after recording three wins and four podiums.
Did Jamie Chadwick win an Indy NXT race?
Yes. She won at Road America in 2024 and became the first woman to claim a road-course pole and victory in the series.
What is Jamie Chadwick’s current WEC role?
She is an Official Reserve Driver for Genesis Magma Racing’s 2026 FIA World Endurance Championship programme.
