Name: WATCH: The Williams Racing Academy drivers at our Season Launch
Uploaded: 2024-02-09T09:30:00.000Z
Description: See what Zak O'Sullivan, Franco Colapinto and Jamie Chadwick had to say ahead of the 2024 campaign.

See what Zak O'Sullivan, Franco Colapinto and Jamie Chadwick had to say ahead of the 2024 campaign. – and don't forget to pick up your season launch badge too:

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Atlassian Williams

Jamie’s interest in motorsport started on the karting track in 2010 where she achieved numerous wins and podiums at club level in the Junior series. She had a talent from a young age and went on to win the Ginetta Junior Scholarship in 2013.

In 2015, Jamie stepped up to the British GT Championship, driving an Aston Martin Racing V8 Vantage GT4 with Beechdean Motorsport. She secured the title in her first year and became the first female to win a British GT Championship. To mark this achievement, she was selected to be part of the Aston Martin Racing Driver Evolution Academy and invited by the British Racing Drivers’ Club to become a ‘Rising Star’.

In 2016, Jamie continued to drive in five rounds of the British GP Championship in Pro Am with ‘Bake Off’ TV celebrity Paul Hollywood, whilst completing her A-level studies at Cheltenham College. She also qualified for her Nordschleife Race Permit.

In 2017, she graduated into singles-seaters, competing in the British Formula 3 Championship. Jamie opened up her rookie season with a podium at Rockingham and finished ninth in the Championship.

In 2018, Jamie continued in British F3, this time with Douglas Motorsport, and became the first woman to win a race in the category as she claimed victory at Brands Hatch. Later that year Jamie entered the MRF Winter Series racing at three venues in Dubai, Bahrain and Madras, where she won the Title in January 2019.

In 2019, Jamie claimed the inaugural W Series title, and enjoyed further success driving in a class winning team at the Nürburgring 24 Hour Race in Germany. In addition to her racing, Jamie was a Development Driver for the Williams Racing Driver Academy throughout the year, undertaking work in the simulator at Grove.

In a heavily altered 2020, Jamie took part in Asian F3 during the winter months. In 2021, Jamie successfully defended her W Series title with four wins across the eight-race second series that had joined the Formula One calendar for the first time. In fact, Jamie featured on all but one podium across the campaign.

In addition to this, Jamie competed as Veloce Racing's female driver in the new electric off-road racing series, Extreme E – her high point being a P2 finish at the Ocean X-Prix in Senegal.

Jamie drove for Jenner Racing in the 2022 W Series season, where she claimed a third consecutive title, winning 5 races and securing 6 podiums.

In 2023, Jamie competed in INDY NXT with Andretti Autosport becoming the first women in 13 years to compete full time in the series. Chadwick scored 262 points across 14 races in her rookie campaign. She also continued as a Williams Racing Academy driver.

For 2024, Jamie has since become a Williams Racing Driver & F1 Academy Adviser and is competing in Indy NXT for a second season after extending her deal to race for Andretti Autosport.


More from Jamie Chadwick

Jamie Chadwick

Zak began karting at the age of nine. Two years later, in 2016, Zak claimed the rookie championship in British Super One and won the British GP Kartmasters Championship, before moving into European karting in 2017. A season in the CIK European OKJ Championship and the WSK European Championship resulted in 10th and 9th places respectively. The British driver demonstrated his progress the following season, bettering his 2017 effort to place 6th overall in the WSK European Championship.

In 2019, Zak made a successful debut in the Ginetta Junior Championship, claiming three wins to become Rookie Champion and placing second overall. The following year, Zak’s maiden season in single seaters saw him finish as vice-champion in the 2020 F4 British Championship. His impressive campaign saw him claim nine wins and 19 podiums, missing out on the title by only four points.

In 2021, Zak entered the GB3 Championship, and an extraordinary debut season saw him crowned Champion, having secured six wins and 13 podium finishes. With 18 top ten finishes to his name, Zak’s notable consistency throughout the season saw him win by an impressive margin of 164 points over his nearest championship rival.

In 2021, Zak was selected as a finalist for the renowned Aston Martin Autosport BRDC Young Driver of the Year Award (AMABA), which he was later crowned the winner of for 2021.

In 2022, Zak completed his first rookie season in the FIA F3 Championship with Carlin, impressing with several strong performances, including pole position and a podium in front of home crowds at the British GP. In the same year, Zak was announced as a Williams Racing Academy Driver, joining Williams ahead of the new season.

In 2023, Zak joined PREMA Racing for the 2023 FIA Formula 3 Championship. He had a stellar year, achieving 4 wins, 1 pole, and 5 podiums. Closing the season as runner-up, Zak secured the most race wins of any driver in the championship.

Zak graduated to FIA Formula 2 for the 2024 season, going on to win two feature races at Monaco and Spa. His season with ART Grand Prix ended prematurely following the Monza race weekend, however he will continue within the Williams Racing Driver Academy, further developing his skills and preparing for the next step in his motorsport career.

More from Zak O'Sullivan

Zak O’Sullivan

Franco Colapinto started karting at the age of nine. He won the Argentinian Championship in 2016 and again in 2018. In 2018 Franco begun his European single seat journey, entering the final round of the FIA Spanish F4 season, taking a win and a second place. Franco was scouted by Fernando Alonso's team FA Racing by Drivex, signing him up for the 2019 season.

In 2019, Franco achieved eleven victories, 13 podiums and 10 pole positions, being crowned the Spanish F4 champion. Following this, Franco started his 2020 season by securing his second single seater title after taking the rookie championship win in the 2020 Castrol Toyota Racing Series, adding another race win, a pole position and eight further podium finishes to his tally.

For the second leg of the 2020 season Franco Colapinto returned to Europe to compete in the Formula Renault Euro cup with MP Motorsport, taking two race wins and nine podiums to finish third in the championship as the highest ranked rookie

In 2021, Franco raced in Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine with MP Motorsport where he achieved two Grand Slams and a further victory and podium finish.

For the 2022 season, Franco moved up to FIA F3 with Van Amersfoort Racing chasing his childhood dream to reach the pinnacle of motor racing, Formula 1. The Argentinian immediately made his mark by taking pole position in his first ever FIA F3 Qualifying and went on to win 2 races and 5 podiums in his rookie year.

In January 2023, Franco joined the Williams Racing Driver Academy Programme and went on to compete in the FIA Formula 3 Championship. He had a successful sophomore season, securing two sprint race wins at Silverstone and Monza, and finished the season taking fourth place in the standings.

In October 2023, it was announced that Franco would be graduating to FIA Formula 2 in 2024 with MP Motorsport. Franco made his F2 debut with the team at the final round of the 2023 season in Abu Dhabi, performing well in preparation for the next stage in his career as part of the Williams Racing Driver Academy.

From the 2024 Italian Grand Prix until the remainder of the 2024 FIA Formula 1 World Championship season, Franco will race with Williams. He becomes the 49th Grand Prix driver for Williams Racing*, is the first Argentine driver in F1 for 23 years and the second Argentine to drive for the British outfit, following his countryman Carlos Reutemann.

2024 FIA Formula 2 Championship, MP Motorsport

2023 FIA Formula 3 Championship, MP Motorsport, 4th overall: 2 wins, 5 podiums

2022 FIA Formula 3 Championship, Van Amersfoort Racing

More from Franco Colapinto

Franco Colapinto

See what Zak O'Sullivan, Franco Colapinto and Jamie Chadwick had to say ahead of the 2024 campaign.

WATCH: Our Academy drivers at the Season Launch

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WATCH: Our Academy drivers at the Season Launch