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Written by Cydney Barge
Tim Silvey, Head of WTF1 and Formula 1 marketing and sponsorship expert recently opened up about his involvement in Jamie Chadwick’s single-seater career. Whilst speaking on the Sector 1 Motorsport x Formula Careers podcast, Silvey offered a glimpse into the crucial decisions that set Chadwick on the path to success.
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Chadwick, now one of the most recognisable female drivers in motorsport, has showcased her indisputable talent in W Series and more recently in Indy NXT. But her path to success wasn’t always clear.
Silvey, who managed Chadwick during her transition from sports cars to single-seaters, reflected on the critical decisions and challenges they faced when her future in motorsport was uncertain. “We took Jamie actually as a sports car racer,” he explained, “I remember the conversations with her and her dad and mum. We were sitting there going, ‘what do we do next?’”
At the time, the decision between continuing in sports cars or venturing into the more competitive and male-dominated world of single-seaters was a daunting one. “Do you stay in sports cars? Do we go for Le Mans, or do we take the plunge and put you in a single seater?” Silvey and his team, including Tom Gaymor, now a Sky Sports commentator, decided to take the risk. “We sat down with Jamie and said, ‘Why don't we give it a go? Let’s test in some F3s and see how we get on.’ And obviously she’s gone on to do pretty well out of it.” Silvey remarked proudly.
For Chadwick, transitioning to single-seaters required learning new skills and adapting to the challenges that came with leaving sports cars behind. “It was a bit of a shock at first,” Silvey admitted. “We didn’t know how she was gonna get on, and she had to learn to adapt to single-seaters after being in sports cars for so long.”
As Chadwick’s career began to take off, Silvey highlighted the financial hurdles that they faced along the way. “We were struggling around for budget and sponsors to try and fund her racing. You know, it was all hand-to-mouth,” he revealed. “We had no idea, really, that she would go on to do what she’s done. Although we did think at the time this feels like an important moment.”
Looking back on Chadwick’s success, Silvey expressed both admiration and pride. “She’s doing fantastically well, it’s great to see,” he said. Chadwick’s success not only marks a personal triumph, but also represents a broader shift in motorsport, where women continue to push boundaries in a traditionally male-dominated arena.
With her continued achievements, Chadwick’s story serves as inspiration for aspiring female drivers, and as Silvey hinted during the podcast, her journey is far from over.
Listen to the full interview with Tim Silvey here:
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