MIAMI — Caitlyn Jenner believes two-time W Series champion Jamie Chadwick has what it takes to make it in Formula 1.
In fact, the reality star-turned-women’s racing team owner persuaded the British driver, 23, to compete in the support category for a third year with the promise of helping her find a seat in the feeder series, Formula 2.
If successful, she would become only the second woman to compete in the series, after Tatiana Calderón secured a seat in 2020.
“Jamie wasn’t even going to do the W Series again but I got a hold of her and said ‘I’d really like you to come back. Between Sophia [Hutchins] as CEO and myself we can meet a lot of people,'” she told The Post exclusively ahead of the inaugural Miami Grand Prix.
Her team’s first race is set for this Saturday, followed by an additional nine races across eight Grand Prix weekends this year.
Although Jenner, 72, understands the significant hurdles they’re up against — Chadwick failed to receive the necessary funding to enter F2 or F3 in 2022 — she’s determined to see a woman enter F1 via the W Series.
“I told Jamie: ‘I want to do everything I can to meet with the right people in Formula 1, and build relationships to help raise the money to get you up into Formula 2.’
“That’s our mission for the year,” she explained.
Although nearly 1000 drivers have taken part in Formula 1 races over the past seven decades, only two have been women: Maria Teresa de Filippis in 1958 and Lella Lombardi in both 1975 and 1976.
“We deserve a woman in Formula 1,” Jenner said. “They’re good enough, but it takes so much more than being good: money, politics, everything about it.”
The historically Europe-centric F1 series has experienced an explosion in growth in the United States market over the past few years, with viewership up 54 percent in 2021.
Jenner believes the all-female W Series will be the next category to capture the American imagination.
“I think where Formula 1 is going is phenomenal, I think they’re really smart. And the W series is an extension of Formula 1,” she said.
“I think it’s a good thing for them to show that they support women in racing, and it’s good for the crowds … probably half the people [at the track in Miami] are women.”