Jamie Chadwick made history on 2026 24 Hours of Le Mans Test Day as she became the first woman to drive a Hypercar at the Circuit des 24 Heures du Mans.
The British driver completed five laps in the No. 17 Genesis Magma Racing GMR-001-Hypercar as part of her reserve driver duties with the team. Although she will not race in this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans, her outing marked a significant moment for female representation in endurance racing’s top category.
Chadwick already knew La Sarthe from competition, having contested the 2025 24 Hours of Le Mans in LMP2 with IDEC Sport alongside Mathys Jaubert and André Lotterer. However, her first Hypercar laps at the venue placed her in a new part of Le Mans history.
Chadwick takes first Hypercar laps at La Sarthe
Chadwick joined Genesis Magma Racing’s Hypercar programme after building one of the strongest CVs among female drivers in modern motorsport. She won three W Series titles between 2019 and 2022 and later moved into sportscar racing, where she has continued to develop towards top-level endurance competition.
As Genesis Magma Racing’s reserve driver, Chadwick received the opportunity to drive the GMR-001-Hypercar on Le Mans Test Day. Reuters reported that she became the first woman to lap the Circuit de la Sarthe in a Hypercar during the Le Mans event, as she continued preparing in case the team needed her during race week.
The run also strengthened her long-term ambitions. Genesis had already named Chadwick as its official reserve driver for the 2026 FIA WEC season after she tested the GMR-001 at Magny-Cours, where the team described her first experience in the car as an important step in her development.
Hypercar gives Chadwick a new challenge
Hypercar represents a major step from LMP2. The cars produce more speed, more complexity and more intensity, while drivers must manage traffic, energy deployment and rapidly changing grip levels.
At Le Mans, those demands become even sharper. The Mulsanne Straight magnifies straight-line performance, while sectors such as Indianapolis, Arnage and the Porsche Curves require commitment and precision. Meanwhile, Hypercar drivers must constantly judge traffic from slower classes while fighting rivals in one of the most competitive fields in endurance racing.
Chadwick described the experience as a major moment in her career and framed it as an encouraging sign for women aiming to reach the top category.
“It was incredible. I think it’s only a question of time before we see many women on the Hypercar grid at Le Mans. I hope so. It’s a step in the right direction anyway,” she declared in a recent interview.
A step forward for women in the top class
Chadwick’s Test Day appearance carried significance beyond the lap count. Women have played a role at Le Mans since Marguerite Mareuse and Odette Siko contested the race in 1930, while Siko later finished fourth overall in 1932.
Since then, several female drivers have left their mark on the event. Christine Beckers, Yvette Fontaine and Marie Laurent won their class in 1974, while more recent names such as Doriane Pin, Lilou Wadoux, Rahel Frey, Michelle Gatting and Sarah Bovy have helped maintain female representation in the modern endurance racing era.
However, access to the top class has remained rare. Wadoux became the first woman to drive a Hypercar-class FIA WEC challenger when she tested Toyota’s GR010 Hybrid in 2022, while Chadwick has now taken that step onto the Le Mans circuit itself with Genesis Magma Racing.
Chadwick follows her own endurance path
Chadwick’s Le Mans Hypercar run also fits into a wider career shift. After success in W Series and single-seaters, she has increasingly focused on endurance racing as a long-term route.
She made her Le Mans debut in 2025 with IDEC Sport in LMP2, gaining valuable experience in multi-class racing and 24-hour execution. Genesis then continued to develop its wider driver structure, with Chadwick forming part of its pathway towards the manufacturer’s FIA WEC Hypercar programme.
Her five laps in the No. 17 GMR-001-Hypercar therefore represented more than a symbolic outing. They gave her direct experience of the machinery she aims to race in the future and placed her closer to a potential full-time Hypercar opportunity.
Chadwick targets future Hypercar seat
Chadwick’s Le Mans Test Day appearance showed how quickly the top of endurance racing continues to evolve. The Hypercar category now attracts major manufacturers, world-class drivers and increasing depth, making every opportunity valuable.
For Chadwick, the outing proved that a future Hypercar race seat sits within reach. She has already won titles, adapted to endurance racing and gained Le Mans experience. Now, she has taken another step by driving a Hypercar at the circuit that defines the discipline.
Her run with Genesis Magma Racing may have lasted only five laps, but its significance stretches far beyond Test Day. It marked a historic first at Le Mans and strengthened the case for seeing women compete regularly in endurance racing’s top class.
See the full schedule for the 2026 edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and you can get live updates on race day from our blog.
