Racing driver Jamie Chadwick has expanded her own grassroots motorsport initiative after revealing a 1,900 per cent increase in female participation in karting last year.

In 2024, Chadwick formed The Jamie Chadwick Series in a bid to increase female representation in motorsport.

Initially, participants had to be at least 12 years old to compete in the the all-female karting championship but that has now been expanded so girls as young as eight can take part.

“We started the series last year to bridge the gap for grassroots-level karting. In conjunction with Daytona, we had a huge amount of success,” Chadwick told Sky Sports News.

“I’m kind of overwhelmed by the amount of uptake and interest. What last year was about was setting the foundations. But the categories were from the ages of 12.

“The next step was trying to tackle that real young age, which is now eight-year-olds, which is what we have introduced for this year, which I’m super excited about. It’s exactly what I feel like we want to be achieving with the series.”

Chadwick: Bright future for women in motorsport

“When I started the sport, I could list the number of female drivers on my hand,” explained Chadwick.

“We had over 450 young girls come through our series, through the race schools, and through the different championships.

“Then there was a 1,900 per cent increase in female participation in karting, which is incredible. Numbers I wouldn’t have expected in our first year, which is why I’m so excited that we can continue to grow.”

Further up the motorsport ladder, meanwhile, the all-female F1 Academy will enter its third season in 2025 and the second as part of the F1 race weekend support bill.

The series, won by Britain’s Abbi Pulling in 2024, aims to provide a platform for female drivers to establish a career in motorsport, while also acting as inspiration for future generations of aspiring young racers.

“I think it’s a sport that’s changing dramatically,” said Chadwick, who will be competing in the European Le Mans Series this year, plus the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans.

“Even the time that I’ve been in the sport, it has changed a huge amount, but at the same time, I think there are still barriers that we face. One of them is how male dominated it still is, and it shouldn’t be.

“So if you’re a young girl looking at sport, you don’t necessarily see role models, you don’t necessarily see people like you that are competing in it, or even involved in the first place.

“I think that’s changing a lot, and it’s changing a rapid rate, but at the same time, just showcasing what opportunities are available to them is the first starting point.

“The sport is progressing in such a rapid way. We’re seeing so many initiatives now, particularly around F4 level, with F1 Academy and all the F1 teams being a part of that, in developing and investing in female talent. We really are seeing the start of what is going to be a bright future for women in the sport.”

Chadwick: My dream to reach F1 is getting away

Chadwick has been one of the leading female drivers in motorsport over the last five years, winning W Series three times, before making the jump to Indy NXT, which is the equivalent of F2 for IndyCar.

The 26-year-old became the first woman to win an Indy NXT race on a road course with victory at Road America last year and tested an IndyCar in September for Andretti.

Her priority will be the European Le Mans Series this year and Chadwick admits her chances of racing in F1 are diminishing.

“My dream has always been to get to F1. I think that dream is now getting away from me a little bit, the more I progress through my career,” said Chadwick.

“But I still have a fantastic relationship with Williams (as a development driver), so at some point I’d love to have the opportunity to get in the car.

“But I think also what we forget is there’s only 20 seats in F1, so it’s tough for anyone. I think, if you compare that to any other sport, in such a small percentage, then you look at the numbers of women, and even where I fall into that, I feel like there should be less focus on getting one woman into F1 and more focus on just increasing in the numbers of participation.”

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