Jamie Chadwick, the three-time W Sequence champion, has finally parlayed her success within the all-women sequence into an even bigger trip.
The British racer on Thursday was chosen the motive force for Andretti Autosport within the Indy NXT Sequence subsequent season. Indy NXT is the brand new title of the rebranded Indy Lights Sequence, the ultimate step on the ladder system earlier than IndyCar.
Chadwick will make her debut in an American racing sequence in March, driving the No. 28 for Andretti Autosport with sponsorship from DHL. The 24-year-old will turn into the primary feminine in 13 years to compete fulltime within the Indy NXT championship.
Chadwick joined the feminine free-to-enter W Sequence in its inaugural 2019 season, profitable two races and the primary of three consecutive championships. She has been a reserve driver for the Williams System One crew and can proceed in that position in 2023.
Regardless of her success, Chadwick hasn’t landed an even bigger trip in F3 or F2 and her break did not come till Michael Andretti contacted her and provided a check in an Indy NXT automotive.
The ultimate three races of this yr’s W Sequence schedule have been canceled when funding fell via, however Chadwick nonetheless believes the all-female sequence was the precise path for her.
“W Sequence has all the time been and can proceed to be a possibility to be racing for each feminine driver, so for my facet I checked out it whereas maybe I might have favored to step up perhaps earlier, on the similar time having the ability to have that likelihood to race, get that have, have that growth, seat time … I used to be continuously studying,” Chadwick instructed The Related Press.
“In that sense, I wasn’t annoyed in any respect. However on the flipside of it, now I’ve had that have testing in the US in Indy NXT and that is one thing I am actually enthusiastic about.”
Chadwick can also be anticipated to have an enhanced position as a growth driver subsequent season with Williams, which selected American driver Logan Sargeant to fill its open seat on subsequent yr’s F1 grid.
“Andretti Autosport is proud to be supporting Jamie alongside DHL,” mentioned Michael Andretti. “Jamie’s profitable profession speaks for itself, however Indy NXT provides Jamie the chance to proceed her growth in a brand new sort of racing.
“We have turned out 5 Indy NXT champions through the years and sit up for persevering with our position in growing new expertise.”
Andretti subsequent season will discipline two drivers it developed in Indy NXT in its IndyCar program: Kyle Kirkwood, the 2021 champion, will return to Andretti after one season in IndyCar driving for A.J. Foyt Racing, and Devlin DeFrancesco is again for a second season.
Chadwick might be teammates in Indy NXT with Hunter McElrea and Louis Foster. She turns into Andretti’s second fulltime feminine driver alongside Catie Munnings, who competes for Andretti United within the Excessive E Sequence.