Jamie Chadwick becomes first woman to test drive Williams F1 car since 2015: 'Best day of my life'

Jamie Chadwick tested a Williams Formula 1 car this week, an experience she said helped her complete "a dream I've had since I was a little girl."

Three-time W Series champion Chadwick, 28, completed 32 laps in Williams' 2025 car at the Portimao circuit in Portugal under F1's Testing of Previous Cars (TPC) rule on Monday.

In doing so, Chadwick added her name to the list of women to test F1 machinery -- reigning F1 Academy champion Doriane Pin did so most recently, running a 2021 Mercedes at Silverstone in April.

Williams was also the team to last hand a woman a drive during an actual Formula 1 grand prix weekend, with Susie Wolff completing four practice sessions across the 2014 and 2015 seasons.

After news of the test was confirmed by Williams on Thursday, Chadwick posted to Instagram.

"A very special day," she wrote. "Driving a Formula 1 car for the first time is pretty hard to put into words. An incredible experience with Williams. Thank you to everyone who helped make it happen. A dream I've had since I was a little girl, finally ticked off the list."

Chadwick has been affiliated with Williams since joining the driver academy in 2019.

More recently, she has become the team's advisor for its participation in the all-female series F1 Academy, which was set up in the wake of W Series' end.

Chadwick said her experience will be valuable in what she can pass on to the next generation in that role.

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In the announcement, she added: "It was a phenomenal day and an incredible experience. Few things can prepare you for driving a Formula 1 car at speed around a track like Portimão, but it was everything I imagined and 10 times more. I'm incredibly grateful to Atlassian Williams F1 Team for this opportunity.

"I remember being young and watching Susie Wolff step into a Williams F1 car and how much that inspired my own journey. I'd love to be able to do the same for the next generation, and the experience I gained today will make a real difference both to my own racing and to what I can pass on to the drivers coming through.

"I'm so grateful and incredibly happy with how the day went. It's an experience I'll remember for a very long time -- I'd go as far as saying it's been the best day of my life so far."

A woman has not started a Formula 1 race since Lella Lombardi in 1976.

Williams boss James Vowles said Chadwick's career was more than deserving of the opportunity.

It also helped the team gather Portimao data ahead of its return to the calendar as the Portuguese Grand Prix next year.

"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," Vowles said.

"Jamie gathered important data for the team as F1 prepares to return to Portimao next year, and her feedback and performance were impressive as we knew they would be.

"This clearly shows there is a path for women to compete at the top level, and I look forward to seeing how Jamie uses this experience to advance her own driving and advise our young drivers on what it takes to drive an F1 car."

Chadwick has also had race wins in IndyCar's support series Indy NXT and the LMP2 class in the European Le Mans Series.