Above: ROLEX TESTIMONEE JAMIE CHADWICK FOLLOWING HER WIN AT THE 4 HOURS OF BARCELONA, BECOMING THE FIRST FEMALE TO WIN AN LMP2 RACE. (Photo: ELMS)
Jamie Chadwick, a member of the Genesis Magma Racing driver programme, has just completed her first season in endurance racing and, alongside teammates Mathys Jaubert and Daniel Juncadella, finished third in the European Le Mans Series behind the wheel of the #18 IDEC Sport Oreca LMP2 entry. In a highly competitive year, the title fight came down to the final round at the Autodromo do Algarve, Portimão, where the crew of the #18 IDEC Sport entry finished third, behind title-winners VDS Panis Racing and runners-up Inter Europol Competition.
The season with IDEC Sport is in preparation for Genesis Magma Racing’s GMR-001 Hypercar entry into the FIA World Endurance Championship in 2026 and IMSA competition in 2027-the pinnacle of contemporary prototype racing. To give Genesis Magma Racing the best possible opportunity to compete for sportscar racing’s highest honours such as outright victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Rolex 24 at Daytona, the Korean manufacturer partnered with IDEC Sport to enter two Gibson-powered Oreca 07s in the 2025 European Le Mans Series.
Chadwick, who has been a Rolex Testimonee since 2022, entered the 2025 season with considerable experience of competing at the highest levels. After beginning her racing career in the 2013 Ginetta Junior Championship, she went on to win the GT4 class of the 2015 British GT Championship, sharing the driving duties in the #407 Beechdean-AMR Aston Martin with teammate Ross Gunn.
Caption: ROLEX TESTIMONEE JAMIE CHADWICK DRIVING THE #18 IDEC SPORT DURING THE 2025 24 HOURS OF LE MANS
Chadwick took the W Series title in 2019, 2021 and 2022 and became a development driver for Williams Formula 1 Team in 2020. Ventures into North America with the Indy NXT championship put the 27-year-old pilot firmly on the radar of endurance racing teams and, with Genesis Magma Racing’s announcement in December 2024 of its Hypercar programme, the manufacturer also revealed Chadwick as a member of its endurance driver squad.
The original LMP2 driver line-up of Jamie Chadwick, Logan Sargeant and Mathys Jaubert was amended before the opening round with the withdrawal of Sargeant, the US pilot quickly replaced by hugely experienced sportscar ace Daniel Juncadella.
The trio opened their 2025 season with wins in Barcelona and Le Castellet before bad luck saw 11th-place finishes at Imola and Spa-Francorchamps. A win in front of her home crowd at Silverstone was followed by the hard-fought podium finish in Portugal.
The season with IDEC Sport also offered the Rolex Testimonee the opportunity to race at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The world’s greatest motor race, and the toughest test of driver and machine, saw the #18 IDEC Sport’s race finish prematurely when a wheel came off early in the contest. Despite the disappointment, Chadwick had an encouraging debut, demonstrating good pace alongside teammates Mathys Jaubert and three-time Le Mans winner André Lotterer.
Caption: ROLEX TESTIMONEE JAMIE CHADWICK DRIVING THE #18 IDEC SPORT DURING THE 2025 24 HOURS OF LE MANS
So what has Jamie Chadwick learned in her first season of prototype racing?
“My biggest takeaway from this season is how incredibly competitive endurance racing is,” she said. “I came into endurance racing thinking it’s about managing the car and fighting to the end but in reality, it feels like a series of sprint races strung together. The intensity is high from start to finish which makes it both physically and mentally demanding and both pose their difficulties.”
Despite the challenges, Le Mans provided valuable experience for Chadwick as she prepares for a future as a Hypercar driver.
“The 24 Hours of Le Mans tests everything – humans, machines and the team,” said Jamie Chadwick. “It’s physically and mentally exhausting and every single person must be at their absolute best to perform. It’s also one of the most competitive races in the world.
“Racing at Circuit de la Sarthe as a Rolex Testimonee was also very special. The brand’s heritage in motor sport is unique and its partnership with iconic races such as the 24 Hours of Le Mans are founded on the quest for excellence.”
With the 2025 season concluded, Jamie Chadwick is now focused on the future and the development of her endurance racing ambitions with Genesis Magma Racing.
“This year has absolutely changed my perception of success. The team element of endurance racing has shown me that, as a driver, you’re just one small part of a much bigger picture. It’s a true team effort – every person must perform at their absolute best for a result to come together. That makes success even more rewarding because there are so many variables in endurance racing.”
The 2026 FIA World Endurance Championship gets underway with the Qatar 1812 km on March the 28th.
