In her debut ELMS season Jamie Chadwick has certainly sampled the highs and lows of endurance racing. The 27-year-old from Bath stood on the top step of the LMP2 podium in the opening round in Barcelona alongside her teammates Daniel Juncadella and Mathys Jaubert and then became the first female driver in ELMS history to stand on the top step of the podium when IDEC Sport took a home win for the French team at Le Castellet.
Then, after leading the race in the early stages in Imola,the no18 IDEC Sport went off into the barriers after heavy rain. Daniel Juncadella brought the car back to the pits to repair the heavily damaged front of the car and the team finished the race but outside of the points.
In Belgium last month the IDEC Sport Oreca finished second on the road but a post-race three minute stop and go penalty for carrying out a full pitstop after a Full Course Yellow had been declared dropped them down to 11th and out of the points for the second race in a row.
After winning at the home races for Daniel Juncadella and Mathys Jaubert, the team head to Silverstone still in third place in the championship standings and hoping that the home race luck holds for Jamie Chadwick and they can get their championship aspirations back on track.
Q: The season started well with two wins in Barcelona and Le Castellet. What did it mean to you to win those races with IDEC Sport?
Jamie Chadwick: “It meant a huge amount. A little bit unexpected to get those results so early on in the season, but it gave us a lot of confidence. I think as a team, everyone's been working really well together, so a nice early reward, even if it's been a little bit tougher since. I think it shows that when things fall into place, and we have clean races, what we can do in terms of the results.”
Q: You also became the first female driver to win in the ELMS overall and this season we’ve seen the Iron Dames crew and Richard Mille AF Corse driver Lilou Wadoux win in the LMGT3 category. How do you feel about the fact you personally have made ELMS history and how female drivers are demonstrating that they are competing on the same level as their male counterparts?
JC: “It means a huge amount. I think endurance racing is so well represented by female drivers. It's incredible to see the success of other female racers previous to this year, but this year especially, particularly in the ELMS. To stand on those podiums is special for me personally, but it's always very cool to see more women doing that, and it's great that endurance racing is at the forefront of it.”
Q: How are you getting on with your two teammates Daniel Juncadella and Mathys Jaubert and the rest of the crew at IDEC Sport?
JC: “Danny and Mathys are great. Obviously, Danny comes with a huge amount of experience and is an incredibly open book. He's very fast and provides a huge amount of insight to us, and is very good to work with as well. Mathys is, for his age, just incredibly mature, incredibly fast, makes no mistake ever, and without any ego for both of them. So, it's a pleasure to work with them both, and I'm very lucky to have them as teammates in my first year in the series.
Q: You are part of the Genesis Magma Project, can you tell us how that is going?
JC: “The Genesis Magma racing programme is going really well. I mean, it's incredible to see it come to fruition, with the hypercar finally begin testing and in reality and it's an amazing programme to be a part of. They're obviously incredibly supportive of the trajectory programme, and to have different people and personnel involved that are going to be involved with the hyper car project in our stuff now, it helps a lot. It's an incredible opportunity to be a part of.”
Q: The ELMS is making a welcome return to Silverstone for the first time since 2019. What does it mean to you as a British driver to be racing at Silverstone?
JC: “As a British driver, racing at Silverstone for me it’s the best; it's one of the best tracks we go to. I haven't been there for a few years, but I think it was the first track I ever raced at or ever drove at. It's got an incredible flow. Obviously, being British, it's that bit extra special and I think it's a great track for everyone. So, I'm excited to be going back. I think it's going to be great in the LMP2 car and, hopefully, the weather holds off.”
Q: Do you have a favourite corner or sequence?
JC: “I think, like everyone, the Maggots and Becketts sequence is really nice, but I also really like Brooklands and Luffield, which is just before the start finish straight that we'll be using, the last kind of sequence of corners. I think in the LMP2 car it'll be a really nice sequence of corners; it’s got a very nice flow to it.”
Q: Will traffic management be easier on the wide Silverstone track?
JC: “I think traffic might be a little bit easier, because obviously it's wider, but also it's a lot faster, so the closing speeds are going to be greater with the GT cars. Not sure if it's going to make it easier or harder, but I'm looking forward to that experience.”
Q: In such a competitive field, what would be considered a good result for you and the team at Silverstone?
JC: “I think we're aiming for the podium as always. We know if we do a clean weekend, that's kind of where we should be, but in the last two races, we haven't had the best success of putting everything together. So, I think just aiming for a clean weekend, no mistakes from anyone's side, and let’s see what we can do. But, obviously, to stand on the podium at my home race is going to be the ultimate goal.”
