After joining one of the most iconic teams on the Formula One grid, racing star Jamie Chadwick has set her sights on motorsports grandest stage.

The 21-year-old who hails from Tetbury has joined Williams Racing Driver Academy as a development driver where she will also attend three of this seasons Grand Prix's including the British at Silverstone in July.

Chadwick is arguably the most promising female driver in the country and joining Williams has brought her closer to the F1 grid, fulfilling her dream but she admits there's still a lot of work to be done and that motorsport isn't always quite so simple.

"It's every young drivers dream but I'm under no illusions of how tough it's going to be," said Chadwick.

"I want to be there on merit and not as a token gesture so I've got to work as hard as possible and hopefully if we can have success it will be possible.

"In an ideal world you've got it all panned out but motorsport never really works like that.

"You're always defined by different external factors. For me, I know Formula One is still quite far away, there's a lot of work to be done in-between the next few years but the focus now is working as hard as possible with Williams and the guys I've got around me there and we'll see where that leads us in the next few years."

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It's been an incredible few weeks for the promising young driver.

Chadwick won the inaugural W-Series race in Hockenheim, Germany at the start of the month before joining Williams in the same week she celebrated her 21st birthday.

She admits it's been a lot to take in but she can't wait to get stuck in and will be making the most of the opportunities that will be presented to her.

"It's so exciting, I think one of the sad things about Formula One is it's very difficult to get that kind of access these days so for me to be able to immerse myself fully, be there with the other drivers in the garage and watch the race from the closest point possible is something I'm really excited about," she said.

"It's been hectic and it's all started to catch up with me now.

"Im so excited about it, it's all a bit surreal but I think to finally have an association with a Formula One team, it's bringing me one step closer."

Joining Williams wasn't a hard decision for Chadwick given their history.

They tick a lot of boxes for her and the presence of Deputy team principal Claire Williams, one of the most prominent females in Formula One, had a big impact on her decision after the pair had met.

"I'd actually met Claire years ago and kept in contact with her over the years but it wasn't until just before Hockenheim when we started the conversation and Claire came along to the first race which we won," Chadwick revealed.

"So it was a positive weekend for me and a chance for me to further catch up and we sat down after Hockenheim and agreed what could be possible.

"She had a massive impact on it, I regained contact with her but she's one of the most significant women in motorsport at the moment so to be joining a team with her is really excitement. Williams fit the bill so well for me. They're a British team, a family team and something I'm really excited about joining.

"It doesn't take much to convince a young driver that Williams has a huge ground heritage in the sport.

"Some of the drivers that have been through their car. When I went to the factory and walked through the museum and they've got every model of car that's ever raced and it's by far the most breathtaking and I think that alone convinced me Williams is a great choice."

Chadwick hopes to be involved in testing at Williams in the near future but for now, she still has the W-Series to think about as well as her role with Williams but she is ready to embrace all that is put in front of her.

"The W-Series is an opportunity I've had this year which is huge, it gets me out there racing at a high level and so far it's been going well.

"There's still four races to go so fingers cross we can push on and see how far we can go with that.

"Nothing scheduled in terms of testing (at Williams), at the moment the main thing is simulator work and development around what I'm doing in terms of the W-Series and the racing I've got on at the moment but hopefully things like the tests aren't too far away and something I can push for in the near future."

Chadwick has become something of a role model for a lot of young female drivers given her excellent progress in the sport.

Claire Williams also said that she hopes Chadwick joining will help inspire young girls to take up motorsport.

With reaching and then making an impact in Formula One a genuine possibility, there already seems to be a lot of hopes being pinned onto Chadwick but she remains level headed and not feeling under too much pressure.

"I think I put a lot of pressure on myself, she said.

"I go out there to do my job and do what I feel is possible. It's nice to know people are looking up to what I'm doing but I'm trying to achieve what I can. The pressure this year going to the W-Series is a lot that I'm putting on myself but externally I don't feel it too much to be honest."