Williams Team Principal hails Chadwick as inspiration for women after driving F1 car

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/chadwick-jamie/Y5vcCocC/"]Chadwick[/a], 28, a three-time champion in the W-series for women, completed 32 laps of the Portimao circuit in a Williams FW47, last year's F1 entry, to impress Vowles with her performance on what she said was "the best day of my life".[/p][p][b]"She is an inspiration for millions of women and girls, who has broken records at every level," [/b]said Vowles.[/p][p]"And she has thoroughly earned this test opportunity. She gathered important data for the team as we prepare to return to Portimao next year.[/p][p][b]"Her feedback and her performance were impressive as we knew they would be and this shows there is a path for women to compete at the top level."[/b][/p][p]Her test run made her the second female driver this year to drive an F1 car following Frenchwoman Doriane Pin with Mercedes.[/p][p]She follows Susie Wolff, who is managing director of the all-female F1 Academy series and wife of Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff, in being the second to drive a Williams as she did in 2015.[/p][p][b]"It was a phenomenal day and an incredible experience," [/b]said Chadwick, who has also won races in Indy NXT and the European Le Mans series.[/p][p][b]"Few things can prepare you for driving an F1 car at speed around a track like Portimao, but it was everything I imagined and 10 times more.[/b][/p][embed guid="907d5ee6-57a9-4b75-a80d-c82d1bc731e1" url="https://x.com/autosport/status/2103118658210074648" social-type="twitter" /][p]"I think I did just the right amount because my neck had had enough. My head was tipping forwards under braking and I found it was tough."[/p][p]Williams, who started racing karts when she was 11, became the second woman to join the Williams driver academy in 2019.[/p][p][b]"I'm incredibly grateful to Williams," [/b]she said.[/p][p]"I remember being young and watching Susie Wolff step into a Williams F1 car and how much that inspired my own journey.[/p][p][b]"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.[/b][/p][p]"I'm so grateful and incredibly happy with how the day went. It's an experience I'll remember for a very long time.[/p][p][b]"I'd go as far as saying it's been the best day of my life so far."[/b][/p]