IndyCar: Jamie Chadwick embraces 'legend' role for new competition

Jamie Chadwick might not consider herself a "legend", despite being the only driver to win a W Series championship – by winning all three – during the all-female single-seater championship's brief three-year run in 2019, 2021, and 2022.

But the 26-year-old British driver, who recently became the first female driver to win an Indy NXT (formerly Indy Lights) race in nearly a decade and a half, jumped at the opportunity to take part in Mobil 1's new collaboration with Xbox, featuring the all-new “Legends vs. Leaderboard Rival Events” as part of their expanded partnership with Forza Motorsport.

In this competition, gamers and fans around the globe are set to have the opportunity to compete against professional motorsports drivers, including Chadwick, three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and Indy Racing League champion Tony Stewart, and others who have not yet been announced.

“I definitely would not put myself as a 'legend', so yeah, I was a bit overwhelmed when Mobil 1 reached out and it kind of became this opportunity, and for me, it was a bit of a no-brainer," Chadwick told Beyond the Flag.

"I love what they're doing and the whole concept of the program and how it all shapes up, and to be amongst some of the other – some of the actual – 'legends' is really cool. It was very exciting to be asked to be involved.”

Legends vs Leaderboard Rival Events set to get underway

Stewart is set to be the first driver featured in the event, beginning today, followed by Chadwick. Fans can compete against the rising motorsport star from Thursday, August 29 to Wednesday, September 11 by seeing how their lap times stack up at Maple Valley, a United States-themed, Mobil 1-branded, in-game track.

Chadwick didn't do much virtual racing growing up, but like most drivers over the last five years, she has seen an increase in her involvement in on-screen action.

“A little bit," she said. "I've done not so much growing up, but then obviously during the pandemic, all of us got quite heavily into it, so yeah, more so then, and then we use simulators and racing games, a lot just from a training point of view."

She also understands the value that virtual racing has to motorsport as a whole, given the accessibility it provides to so many fans around the world.

"I'm really not necessarily good at it," she admitted, "but I'm interested in it because I think it's a great way to get more people involved in our sport – and another access point with transferable skills across both the virtual world and reality.”

She hasn't played much Forza and has no experience on the Maple Valley track, so like the many fans who are looking forward to the opportunity to compete against her, she is effectively starting from scratch.

“Not loads on Forza, to be honest, so yeah, first time driving this track, this car, and things like that, so it's a lot of fun," she said. "The platform, I'm definitely going to use again, because I love the tracks and the circuits that they have, and the range of different cars that you can use, so yeah, definitely not the last time.”

Chadwick spoke about her gaming setup as she prepares to take on this challenge.

“For this, I use the wheel, but I have actually used the controller a little bit as well, more just for fun, because it's a bit of a different skillset entirely when you don't have the wheel and the pedals," she explained. "But for this, I did use the wheel and pedals.”

There are not currently any collaborations planned involving Chadwick, Stewart, and the other TBD drivers who are slated to participate in this event, but Chadwick would love for that to change, especially as more of those drivers are publicly revealed.

“I would love that," she admitted. "That's, yeah, I need to put a nudge on Mobil 1 to make that happen because that would be awesome!"

Chadwick can't say yet who the other "legends" will be, but she believes that the fans will be excited to find out.

"They've not been announced yet, but some of the other legends coming in really are incredible, heroes of mine, and heroes in the sport, so yeah, it's going to be awesome, I'm sure, once they get announced.”

She also spoke about the new content series set to be released on Mobil 1 Racing's social media channels, hosted by Sky Sports F1 television presenter Natalie Pinkham, centered around not only this initiative but Chadwick's racing career as a whole.

“Yes, so that was fun," she stated. "That was more so talking a little bit more about I guess my career, my journey, and I'm sure for the others as well, touching on their sort of ways into the sport and difficulties, all these kinds of things, so yeah, that was also a really nice enjoyable part of it.

"I think people are going to potentially enjoy going head-to-head with me on the leaderboard more than listening to me talk, but still, it's nice to have both elements!”