Sky Sports pundit names female driver as candidate for F1 seat

Sky Sports F1 pundit Danica Patrick has named Jamie Chadwick as an obvious candidate to take a Formula One seat in the future.

Speaking to the Sky F1 Podcast, the former IndyCar and NASCAR driver suggested that both Chadwick and Hailie Deegan could be capable of competitiveness in Formula One.

“We were talking about Jamie Chadwick last night and she’s doing some racing over in the states,” Patrick said. “I think she’s linked up with Andretti. Obviously, she seems like she’s a pretty good candidate to have an opportunity.

“There’s Hailie Deegan who does NASCAR off-road kind of stuff. She’s been driving for a really long time. I think of how long she’s been around and then I’m like wow she’s only, I’m not sure exactly, maybe 20 or 21. I’m like wow she is pretty young.”

Chadwick, the Williams Academy driver, currently drives in Indy NXT with Andretti Sport after previously winning three consecutive W Series titles.

Patrick also gave her controversial opinion about how women should progress into motorsports saying they should come up like 'normal'.

Patrick: You have to practice with the best

“I think as someone who was obviously a girl, you’ve just got to come up like normal and I do have a little bit of, not criticism, but an opinion about female series is that its fine it can give opportunity to some who might not get a chance otherwise to show what they can do, but at the end of the day you’re going to have to race against guys."

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In 2023, the F1 Academy was established in partnership with Formula One under the leadership of managing director Susie Wolff, who notably became the last women to participate in Formula One during an FP1 session back in 2014.

The F1 Academy is an all-female single seater racing championship which aims to promote young female talent within motorsports.

However, Patrick believes there should be no shortcuts to advance into the highest stages of motorsport, comparing her theory to golf.

“When you watch golf, you watch that a lot of times, a golfer that's maybe not ranked as high will rise to the occasion with whoever he's golfing with, and I think that tends to happen in all sports," she explained.

"That's why you see some of the best wanting to practice and be with the best, because then they get better. If you bench yourself off something that's not the best, then it's going to affect your effort level, your mental goal, what you envision yourself doing. So, you really have to put yourself in the toughest situations and you might as well do it early because it's only going to get harder."

Patrick does want to see women get opportunities in motorsports but believes there should be relevant tests to ensure the best talent.

"I just think that, giving proper tests, to be able to see if a female driver is fast enough, is a great way to know if there should be a next step forward," she said.

"I think the more times that you put yourself in a position to show what you can do, the better off you are, and it's better to be in the car than not. So, I think just more cars, more track time and more opportunities to show what you can do is just always a good thing."

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