Reserve role for Chadwick in Le Mans hypercar

Britain's Jamie Chadwick has landed a reserve role in next year's top-level Genesis Le Mans hypercar programme.

Chadwick, 27, is close to being the first female driver to compete at the top level of sports car racing for several years.

"It's hugely special to be involved," said Chadwick. "It's another progression in my career and one I'm really proud of.

"Becoming a reserve driver in hypercar is one step closer to my ultimate goal."

Genesis, the luxury brand of Korean manufacturer Hyundai, are the 10th car company to compete in the World Endurance Championship's hypercar era - in which the famous 24 Hours of Le Mans is the blue riband event.

Chadwick won three races during this year's European Le Mans Series as part of a three-person team in lower level LMP2 category for IDEC Sport, a squad affiliated with the Genesis programme.

A three-time winner of the all-female W Series, Chadwick also won a race in America's Indy NXT in 2024 - a close equivalent to Formula 2.

Chadwick, from Bath, tested the new GMR-001 hypercar at Circuit Magny-Cours in France last month.

"My first laps were amazing. It's a really impressive car and so fast in a straight line," added Chadwick.

"There's a lot of different systems available to you as a driver, tools that you can use to make a difference.

"Obviously, so much is changing and evolving with every test that the team does, but it's just a super car to drive."

Chadwick's team-mates from her 2025 season for IDEC were France's Mathys Jaubert and Spain's Daniel Juncadella, and both have been selected to race in next year's hypercar alongside two more experienced drivers, Andre Lotterer and Pipo Derani.

Next year Genesis are set to compete with several car manufacturers attracted back to sports cars for its flexible design rules and as a cheaper alternative to Formula 1.

Ferrari won this year's championship at the Bahrain 8 Hours this month, in the number 51 car which includes Britain's Le Mans winner from 2023 James Calado.

Poland's former Formula 1 ace Robert Kubica won this year's Le Mans in June in the number 83 Ferrari 499P.

Although there are two further seats yet to be filled for the two-car WEC entry for 2026 it appears Chadwick was considered too inexperienced, despite being an FIA 'silver-rated' driver - the same as Jaubert.

However, Genesis are said to highly rate Chadwick and are pleased with her progress as part of the Genesis driver stable.

Chadwick, who tested a Jaguar Formula E car last month, has taken on several development driver roles at teams such as Williams in Formula 1 in recent years - positions often limited to driving older cars for marketing purposes and driving simulation work.

But a reserve role is one of the biggest signals yet that a major manufacturer is backing female racing talent on merit.

Very few female drivers have competed in the top level of motorsport's most popular disciplines in recent years - most recently Switzerland's Simona de Silvestro competed in 10 Formula E races in 2016.

Various female drivers have taken on races in America's IndyCar series on an ad hoc basis, with little success.

Britain's Amanda Stretton was the last female competitor in the top level to compete at Le Mans, in a one-off uncompetitive LMP1 entry in 2008.

The highest-placed finish for a female driver at Le Mans is fourth, for France's Odette Siko in 1932.

The last woman to compete in a Formula 1 race was Lella Lombardi at the 1976 Austrian Grand Prix.