A new experience for Jamie Chadwick as she heads to British F3 in 2017

Jamie Chadwick (Photo by Marc Waller)

Jamie Chadwick (Photo by Marc Waller)2015 British GT4 champion Jamie Chadwick will switch from GT action to compete in single-seaters competition this season after being confirmed as the first BRDC British Formula 3 driver signing for reigning champions Double R Racing.

Jamie, who is still just 18 years old, has already made a big impression in her short career so far. After Winning the Ginetta Junior Scholarship at just 14-years-of-age, Jamie then went on to win the 2015 British GT4 Championship title in her maiden season in GTs, sharing the car with Ross Gunn, in the Beechdean Aston Martin Racing V8 Vantage.

She made headlines at the time as the youngest ever driver, aged 17 to win a title in British GT at that point, Jamie also entered the record books as the first female competitor to win a championship in the UK’s top endurance racing category with the closest previous being Zoe Wenham who was runner up in 2012.

Last season, Jamie finished her A-levels while also competing in selected rounds of British GT – initially with Generation AMR and then with Beechdean where she co-drove in the Pro-Am category in GT4 with BBC ‘Great British Bake Off’ judge and celebrity baker Paul Hollywood. She also qualified for her Nurburgring-Nordschleife Race Permit, contesting three VLN rounds with Aston Martin.

Jamie’s achievements have been acknowledged by the British Racing Drivers’ Club (BRDC) which named her a ‘Rising Star’ and she is now preparing for the transition to single-seaters in Britain’s premier ‘open wheel’ formula.

“I’m absolutely delighted to be racing with Double R in British F3 this year”, she said, “Whilst there were options to pursue the GT route, there is no doubt about the value of a top level single-seater series to further develop my technical ability and credentials as a racing driver.

“It will be a fascinating learning curve and we have set out a two-year programme for me to establish myself and make my mark in the series. I’m also hoping to compete in a few GT events this year, but my main focus will be Formula 3. It’s a fantastic opportunity and I’d especially like to thank Tom Gaymor, Anthony Hieatt and everyone else who has assisted me with this decision.”

Jamie, who enjoyed an initial test in the British F3 car last year, was immediately impressed with the speed and grip and now embarks on a new chapter in her burgeoning career with 2016 BRDC British F3 champions Double R.

She has been associated with the Beachdean Aston Martin team for most of her senior racing career(Photo by Marc Waller) Jamie flew in the limited rounds she did in 2016 (Photo by Marc Waller) She was champion with Ross Gunn in British GT4 in 2015 (Photo by Marc Waller) A current spec British F3 car (Photo by Marc Waller)

 

 

 

The Team principal Anthony ‘Boyo’ Hieatt said: “We’re all absolutely elated to have signed a deal with Jamie for British F3 this year, she’s a fantastic talent, an extremely quick and professional driver, and has a very mature head on her young shoulders.

“Jamie’s achievements in British GT speak volumes and while the F3 car is an entirely different animal to the Aston Martin GT cars she has been racing the past couple of years, she’s adapted to the driving style very impressively. Last season was spectacular for Double R, winning the championship with Matheus Leist, and we’re hoping to make 2017 just as memorable.”

Jamie’s first “public” appearance as a Double R driver will come during the pre-season BRDC British F3 Media Day at Snetterton on Tuesday, 28th March. The opening three rounds of the 24 race season will then take place over Easter weekend, 15th/16th/17th April, at Oulton Park in Cheshire. The full calendar is as follows

2017 BRDC British F3 Championship Calendar
Rds 1/2/3 Oulton Park International, Cheshire – 15-17 April
Rds 4/5/6 Rockingham ISSC, Northamptonshire – 29/30 April
Rds 7/8/9 Snetterton 300, Norfolk – 27/28 May
Rds 10/11/12 Silverstone GP, Northamptonshire – 10/11 June
Rds 13/14/15 Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium – 7/8 July
Rds 16/17/18 Brands Hatch GP, Kent – 5/6 August
Rds 19/20/21 Snetterton 300, Norfolk – 26/27 August *
Rds 22/23/24 Donington Park GP, Leicestershire – 23/24 September
*All events co-headline with British GT, except the August meeting at Snetterton By Marc Waller

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