W Series star Jamie Chadwick: F1 only wants you for the big cheque

W Series leader Jamie Chadwick has been discussing her dreams, but her frustrations, with Formula 1 as she looks to become the first women driver in the discipline for over 40 years.

Chadwick has been in superb form in the women's version of the sport and thanks to support from Williams has her eye on the title and, eventually, a position in an F1 car to call her own.

But in an interview with the Guardian she admitted that the financial aspect of F1 is something that irritates her, and often the ability of a driver to be heavily backed by a benefactor is often more important than their talent.

She said: "Motor sport is filled with false hope.

“You might get a phone call from an F1 team. I had one and quite often they have massive price tags on them. The reason they want you involved is because they want the big cheque.”

But Chadwick, who has won two and finished on the podium in another three of the five races so far this season and has a 13 point lead going into the finale, made no secret of the fact that her ultimate ambition is to reach the pinnacle of motorsport.

She added: “Being in amongst the team, you learn how they operate, how an F1 team works.

"It hits home to me that, if I do a good job and get to be where I need to be and there is an opportunity down the line, it makes that dream feel a lot more like reality.”

Should Chadwick confirm victory she will collect a cheque for $500,000.

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