W Series Champion Jamie Chadwick Joins Andretti Autosport In Indy NXT Series By Firestone

One of the biggest female racing names in Europe is coming to America to join Andretti Autosport in the Indy NXT
XT
Series by Firestone. It’s three-time W Series champion Jamie Chadwick, who will become the first female in 13 years to compete fulltime in the Indy NXT Championship.

Chadwick joined the female “free-to-enter” championship W Series in its inaugural season in 2019. That season, she scored two race victories and three podium finishes en route to the 2019 W Series Championship.

She also won the W Series Championship in 2021 and 2022. She was named a Formula 1 Reserve Driver for Williams Racing and will remain part of the Williams Racing Academy in 2023 in an enhanced role.

“I’m hugely excited to be joining Andretti Autosport for the 2023 Indy NXT season with DHL,” Chadwick said. “My aim is always to challenge myself and continue my progression as a driver and this represents not only a big step up but also a big step toward my goal of competing in the highest categories of single-seater racing. Andretti Autosport’s standing in the sport is second to none and I hope to bring more success to such a prestigious team. I can’t wait to get started.”

Andretti Autosport CEO and Chairman Michael Andretti believes Chadwick has the talent to eventual elevate to the NTT IndyCar Series.

“Andretti Autosport is proud to be supporting Jamie alongside DHL for the 2023 Indy NXT season,” Andretti said. “Jamie’s successful career speaks for itself, but Indy NXT gives Jamie the opportunity to continue her development in a new type of racing. DHL is a long-standing team partner; we are happy to welcome them to the Indy NXT series and excited to welcome Jamie to the team.

“We’ve turned out five Indy NXT champions over the years and look forward to continuing our role in developing new talent.”

Chadwick will drive a car sponsored by DHL, the world’s leading express and logistics company. DHL has been involved with Andretti Autosport in the NTT IndyCar Series since 2010 with drivers Ryan Hunter-Reay from 2010-2021 and Romain Grosjean in 2022.

“DHL are proud to partner with Jamie as she takes the next progressive step in her motorsports career,” said Mike Parra, CEO, DHL Express, Americas. “As the most international company in the world, DHL has a strong focus on Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging. Jamie is a fantastic example of inclusion and women empowerment within motorsports.

“As the ‘Number 1 Great Place to Work’ for a second year, we want to further reinforce our position with regards to diversity and inclusion and feel that the partnership with Jamie is a great platform do this through the values we both share.

“We’re excited to be part of Jamie’s journey. We’ve been watching and following her for some time in the W Series. We were already in the process of discussing with her camp on how we could support next steps, and suddenly Michael and I are having a conversation, and he says, hey, we’re looking at Jamie Chadwick.

“This was a great opportunity for us to partner again with Michael and continue to support Jamie’s journey, and we think this is going to be, not just great for the IndyCar Series and Jamie Chadwick, but great for DHL, its customers, its employees, as well as for Andretti Autosport. And no one better to be partnered with here on this one than Michael in bringing Jamie into the Andretti family.”

Chadwick’s first race with Andretti Autosport will be on the Streets of St. Petersburg, Florida, for the 2023 Indy NXT season opener March 3-5, 2023. She joins Andretti Autosport Indy NXT teammates Hunter McElrea (No. 27 Dallara) and Louis Foster (No. 26 Dallara) and becomes Andretti’s second full-time female driver alongside Catie Munnings who competes for Andretti United Extreme E.

“I think the first thing she brings is talent,” Andretti said. “I think she is a proven winner. We’re excited to give her a chance to move up to Indy NXT. She has shown great potential already in the testing. She’s been right on pace. I’m expecting good things out of Jamie this year.

“We’re excited. We’re so happy to have DHL on board to help support Jamie and us, and they’ve been a great partner of ours and part of our family for many, many years. It was so exciting to be able to put this whole deal together, to have another yellow car out there.”

As a three-time W Series Champion, Chadwick began to look at her next logical step in racing. Although Formula One is considered the pinnacle of international motorsports, the opportunities to crack into that series are very slim.

She began to look at IndyCar and what it has to offer international drivers and decided to leave Europe for the United States.

“It’s one thing having the opportunity to now step up and progress into the championship like Indy NXT, but it’s another to be doing it with a team like Andretti,” she said. “I think everyone wants these opportunities, and very few people get them. I’m very, very grateful. It wouldn’t be possible without the likes of DHL. I’m really excited by it.

“I first came over to test with the team earlier in the year, and I had a really, good feeling about it. I was in the process of weighing up options. Do I stay in Europe? Where’s the best move, I guess, for me beyond the W Series?

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“The feeling I got over in America, involved with the Indy NXT championship and the team in Andretti, it just felt like a good natural fit. I’m very excited. It’s going to be a good step up. There’s a lot of hard work that’s going to go into the next few months, but I’m excited for it and looking forward to what’s to come.”

As a driver who grew up watching the greats of Formula One, Chadwick is still a part of the Williams Racing Young Driver Academy.

When asked if she wants to one day rise to Formula One or choose a career in IndyCar, Chadwick’s answer was telling.

“To be honest, both, if I can say that,” Chadwick said. “I’m not limiting or shutting any doors at all with this next step.

“Ultimately, I still see IndyCar as a future goal for sure, and I also still see ultimately Formula One, if it’s still possible, as an ultimate dream as well.

“For my side, I want to have success at the next step outside of the W Series, which is the Indy NXT Championship. Beyond that, there are so many different things I want to achieve and ultimately do in the sport, whether that’s in IndyCar, Formula One, or even sports cars.

“There’s a lot on the bucket list.”

The 24-year-old Chadwick grew up on the Isle of Man and was educated at Cheltenham College in Gloucestershire, a county in Southwest England.

She has also competed in the Race of Champions, alongside former Formula One star David Coulthard of Scotland and has raced in Extreme E.

DHL and Andretti Autosport could cash in on some tremendous commercial opportunities with Chadwick if she develops into a racing star.

“Yeah, for sure,” Andretti admitted. “We’ve supported this now for I don’t know how long. We’ve had many, many women drivers — I’d say probably five or six total. We gave a woman their first win, which was Danica Patrick at Motegi. So, we have always supported it.

“But in the end, I’m still looking for the best talent to drive our cars. Jamie is showing that. I think she can be a winner in the series, and if you’re going to be a winner in the Indy NXT series, you’re going to be able to go and win in the big cars.

“That’s our goal with Jamie here is to do that. The commercial side then follows it, but we’ve still got to get the performance side out of it. It has to be a legitimate effort.”

Chadwick understands that her success has to be authentic and legitimate to become the next face of women in motorsports.

“As Michael touched on, performance is everything,” she said. “If I’m having success, if I’m winning in Indy NXT, then I feel like I deserve the opportunity to progress. And vice versa, I think to have the opportunity to perform is also key.

“To have this chance now to be with a top team in a top environment, to perform is key, but ultimately, in my opinion, it does boil down to performance.

“If I can perform, then hopefully that gives me the chance to be racing in the likes of IndyCar, and we’ll see about Formula One.

“It gives me that chance.”