When Jamie Chadwick first sat behind the wheel of a Formula One car, the moment highlighted both the promise of progress and the historical stagnation of women in one of motorsports' most famous categories.
Chadwick, the two-time champion of the all-female W Series circuit, is a development driver for Williams Racing's Formula One team. In August 2021, the 23-year-old Chadwick drove the single-seater former Formula One driver Keke Rosberg used during the 1982 season. That was already six years after Italy's Lella Lombardi featured as Formula One's last female driver.
"It's really special [to get my debut] even if it's not in a modern car; it's very special for any young driver," said Chadwick shortly before taking the track for her drive last summer.