Jamie Chadwick Completes Historic Williams F1 Test at Portugal’s Portimão

Briton Jamie Chadwick, a three-time W Series champion, completed 32 laps in Williams’s 2025 FW47 at the Portimão circuit earlier this week. The run, conducted under the sport’s Testing of Previous Cars (TPC) rule, makes Chadwick only the second woman to test-drive a Williams Formula One car, following Susie Wolff’s 2015 appearance.

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Female participation at the pinnacle of motorsport remains rare; Lella Lombardi was the last woman to start a Grand Prix in 1976. Recent milestones include Doriane Pin’s 2025 Mercedes test and Chadwick’s own 2024 achievement as the first woman to lap the 24 Hours of Le Mans Hypercar class. These events have been highlighted as evidence of a growing pathway for women in the sport.

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The 28-year-old driver, also an adviser to the F1 Academy, used the session to gather data for Williams ahead of the Portuguese Grand Prix’s return to the calendar next year. In addition to the 32 laps, Chadwick’s feedback was noted as “impressive” by the team, contributing valuable setup information for the circuit’s high-speed corners.

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Williams issued a statement confirming the test and emphasizing its dual purpose of driver development and data collection.

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• “It’s an experience I’ll remember for a very long time,” — Briton Jamie Chadwick, series champion

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• “Jamie Chadwick is an inspiration for millions of women and girls who has broken records at every level,” — April. Williams, at Portugal’s Portimao circuit earlier this week, the team

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• “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,” — James Vowles, williams team principal

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