Aston Martin’s Jessica Hawkins becomes the first woman in half a decade to test a modern F1 machinery

Jessica Hawkins has been with Aston Martin since 2021.

Aston Martin’s Jessica Hawkins becomes the first woman in half a decade to test a modern F1 machinery

Jessica Hawkins (Via IMAGO)

Jessica Hawkins of Aston Martin has made Formula One a milestone at Budapest. She became the first female driver in five years to test a modern-day F1 car. She drove the AMR21 on Thursday in the Hungaroring alongside the team’s reserve driver and former F2 champion, Felipe Drugovich. Hawkins has been preparing herself for the unique opportunity in the simulator since 2022.

The most recent female driver to test a Formula 1 car before Jessica Hawkins was Jamie Chadwick. She was part of a testing session for the Williams F1 Team at a demo event in 2021, making her the last female driver to participate in Formula 1 testing before Hawkins. But the last female driver to test an F1 car in an official event was Colombia’s Tatiana Calderon. She drove in the 2018 Mexico GP at Trcack.

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Acknowledged this opportunity, Hawkins expressed her disbelief with the chance she got and aimed to inspire other women to pursue their interest in the sport. She said, as reported by RACER, “I want to say a big thank you to everyone at AMF1 Team for having the trust in me, believing in me, and for giving me this opportunity.”

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“Nothing will compare to the acceleration and braking of a Formula 1 car and, having looked at the data, I’m really proud of my performance. Getting to drive the AMR21 has been a dream come true for me and one I’ve been ready to fulfill for a long time,” Hawkins added.

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Aston Martin applauded Jessica Hawkins for her performance

Aston Martin’s Evolution Program Director, Robert Sattler, stated the challenges faced by Hawkins due to the heavy rainfall on the track, which resulted in Hawkins completing a total of 26 laps, and applauded her precise insights. He also hinted at the possible opportunity for her in the future.

Jessica Hawikins (via: BBC)
Jessica Hawkins (via BBC)

“Jessica excelled in her first F1 test….Her feedback was precise and correlated with our data….Overall, Jessica executed an excellent test program with a very professional attitude and we hope to see her in the car again soon,” said Robert Sattler.

Team Principal Mike Krack acknowledged Jessica’s approach to the opportunity and praised her maturity. He also noted that she quickly adapted to the speed and found a comfortable rhythm. He also revealed that Hawkin’s impressive approach convinced Aston Martin to pursue a testing opportunity for her.

“We were really impressed by Jessica’s preparation for the test. She worked incredibly hard with our simulator team and that made it an easy decision to put her in the AMR21,” said Mike Krack.

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