While there wasn’t a Formula 1 race this weekend following the Miami Grand Prix, there was still a lot going on in the world of motorsport.
The Monaco Historique took place on the streets of Monte Carlo with McLaren CEO Zak Brown and Adrian Newey involved in that event.
However, Damon Hill took to social media to praise a current Williams driver in a much more modern race.
The Indianapolis 500 takes place in a couple of weeks, but the category below IndyCar – IndyNxt – raced at the circuit this weekend.
Fans of Formula 2 and Formula 3 might recognise a couple of names in the series this year, including Caio Collet and Josh Mason.
However, Hill was seriously impressed with Williams development driver Jamie Chadwick, who secured her first podium in IndyNxt this weekend.
Racing for Andretti Global, the 25-year-old showed her credentials once again in her 18 start in the competition.
Damon Hill impressed with Williams development driver Jamie Chadwick in IndyNxt
IndyNxt is to IndyCar what Formula 2 is to Formula 1 in America, allowing young drivers to try and work their way up to the top step of the sport.
Chadwick had a very successful working her way up from the Ginetta Junior Championship all the way to becoming a development driver for the Williams Formula 1 team.
She won the British GT Championship in 2015 before getting her big break in the W Series in 2019.
Chadwick won that series three years on the bounce in 2019, 2021 and 2022 while impressing in the F3 Asian Championship.
At the start of 2023, Chadwick joined the IndyNxt series alongside her duties with Williams and Hill has been left seriously impressed with her performance in Indianapolis to achieve her first podium.
The aim for Chadwick has to be to do enough in IndyNxt this season to try and earn a place on the IndyCar grid going forward.
READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Williams Racing from team principal to Mercedes relationship
Jamie Chadwick produces career-best finish in IndyNxt
Posting on Instagram after the race, Chadwick said: “Yessss!! First @indynxt podium. So so happy! Thank you @andrettiindy Let’s go again tomorrow.”
Current Williams F1 star Alex Albon replied and said: “Well done Jamie!”
Meanwhile on X, formerly Twitter, Damon Hill reacted to her first podium and said: “Wow! Amazing.”
Williams have a key decision to make with F1 drivers this season
Despite Hill and Albon both being impressed with Chadwick this weekend, it’s unlikely that she’ll be stepping up to race for the Williams Formula 1 team any time soon.
However, a space may open up sooner rather than later for a new driver given the uncertainty surrounding Logan Sargeant.
The American driver has had to respond to rumours that he could be replaced by Mercedes junior driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli.
His performances haven’t been good enough this season and he’s only scored a single point in his F1 career.
Chadwick will have to earn a seat on the IndyCar grid and begin to impress at that level before she would be in consideration for an F1 seat.
While that seems a long way off at this time, earning her first podium in IndyNxt is still an impressive achievement.
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