Because for some team owners, success in this sport is deeply personal. And Jenner Racing, the team that currently employs two-time W Series champ and current championship frontrunner Jamie Chadwick, is no exception. The team is owned by Caitlyn Jenner, an Olympic gold medalist, former racing driver for the Ford Motor Company, and reality TV icon. Although a megastar like Jenner may seem like a surprising participant in W Series, she’s a natural fit, in light of her life-long passion for motorsports and her bold and very, very public coming out as transgender in 2015.  

When Jenner announced her intention to enter a team in the W Series for the 2022 season, she noted both her lifelong dedication to the sport as well as being an avid collector whose passion for cars began in Tarrytown, NY where, as a 15-year-old, her Dad taught her drive in (Dad’s) Austin-Healy Sprite.  Today Jenner owns an Austin-Healy Sprite (same model) with “Dad” imprinted on the rear driver side.  

And as team principal, Jenner isn’t simply a wealthy benefactor – she’s also overseeing the day-to-day operations of the team, which includes selecting a driver line-up. Choosing a proven winner like Chadwick (who is also a development driver for Williams) was a no-brainer, but rookie teammate Chloe Chambers has proven to be more of a gamble. The 18-year-old American driver, who has been competing in motorsports before she had a driver’s license, is currently 15th in the W Series standings with just one point scored at Round 2 in Miami.

Chadwick, on the other hand, continues to prove why she’s the most talented female racing driver of her generation. The 24-year-old Brit was flying at Silverstone this past weekend, qualifying on pole and finishing the race 19 seconds ahead of second place finisher Emma Kimilainen. The decisive win, which thrilled Chadwick’s home crowd, only added fuel to the speculation that she might be moving up to Formula 3, 2, or (eventually) 1. But for now, Chadwick seems perfectly content to serve as Jenner Racing’s not-so-secret weapon, even if she admits that F1 is her “ultimate goal.”  

Jenner herself seems to understand the importance of securing the right talent, recruiting Chadwick back when the driver did not yet plan to return to W Series at all. Jenner is planning to help Chadwick secure a seat in Formula 2, although that means that the team would lose their star driver, which could spell trouble for Jenner, whose respected place in sports has been threatened recently by her controversial comments regarding trans athletes. Even so, it’s safe to assume that Jenner Racing has a back-up plan, given all that they’ve achieved so far this year. 

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