Williams team principal Jost Capito calls for academy driver Jamie Chadwick to make the next step forward into Formula 3 and Formula 2.
Chadwick is a two time W-Series Champion having won the Title in 2019 and 2021 respectively. After the latest win, she announced that she had no intention of returning to the series.
She praised the series for providing her with a platform, but had to move elsewhere to make her F1 dreams come true. As a result, many people expected her to move into F3 or F2. However, last month the Brit announced that she would return to W-Series in 2022, driving for Jenner Racing.
This came as a surprise, mainly because Chadwick had nothing more to achieve in the W-Series. In a video posted on her Twitter account, the 23-year old cited funding as the main reason she couldn’t get into F3 or F2.
In spite of making yet another W-Series return, Chadwick insists that she hasn’t given up on her F1 dream.
“Obviously this year it’s not going to be F3 or F2,” she said. “But maybe next year it will. So yeah, keep supporting and fingers crossed we can bring that third title back.”
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Williams will support Jamie Chadwick in every possible way, says Jost Capito
Chadwick has been part of the Williams driver academy since 2019 and also acts as a reserve and development driver for the team.
Capito, who took over as team principal of Williams last year, hopes that Chadwick reaches F3 or F2 before it’s too late. The German boss revealed that his academy driver had other offers too, but chose to return to W-Series.
Alongside the other drivers who are part of Williams’ academy, Capito insists that they’ll support her as much as they can. However to make it to F1 someday, she has to make a step up in her career before it’s too late.
“It’s up to her how she develops her career. We support her path,” Capito said to Motorsport Total. “I think she had a few options and if she wants to continue racing in the W Series, that’s her choice.”
“If you still have Formula 1 as your goal, then you have to go through Formula 3 and Formula 2 at some point.”
Talking about the other drivers in his academy, Capito said, “They work together and of course we want to get them into a Formula 1 car as soon as possible. But we give them time. We don’t put too much pressure on them.”
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