Aston Martin is giving Jessica Hawkins her first full F1 test

Jessica Hawkins thus became the first woman to test a current or quasi-current Grand Prix car since Tatiana Calderon and a brief outing in a Sauber C37 during a filming day in Mexico in 2018. The Colombian also drove a 2013 C32 for the Swiss team later that year and then in 2019.

Hawkins, a former W Series driver, has already piloted old F1 cars during demonstrations and has been waiting for her chance to drive with Aston Martin, after spending a lot of time in the team’s simulator at Silverstone.

The 2021 car has been regularly used this year by Felipe Drugovich as part of his development program, and the Brazilian was also present in Hungary.

Blood, sweat, and tears

The test was delayed due to heavy rain, but Jessica Hawkins was finally able to complete three runs, as the track dried up towards the end. At the end of the test, she was grateful and proud of her experience in single-seaters and wants to inspire young female drivers.

(I) I would like to warmly thank all the members of the Aston Martin F1 team for having faith in me, believing in me, and giving me this opportunity. It took a lot of blood, sweat, and tears to get here. When I first heard that it was a possibility, I had a hard time believing it. I had to keep the secret for months, which wasn’t easy! It was truly worth it and allowed me to acquire valuable knowledge. Nothing compares to the acceleration and braking of an F1 car, and after examining the data, I am really proud of my performance. Driving the AMR21 is a dream come true for me, a dream I was ready to fulfill a long time ago. I will continue to do more and, in doing so, I want to inspire other women and let them know that they should pursue their dreams, whatever they may be. » the young woman confided.

« Jessica approached this opportunity with a lot of maturity »

Mike Krack, Director of the Aston Martin team, praised her performance. « We were very impressed with Jessica’s preparation for the test. She worked incredibly hard with our team, which made the decision to offer her a test in the AMR21 much easier. Jessica approached this opportunity with a lot of maturity. She quickly adapted and found a good rhythm. This is a very important moment in Jessica’s journey within the Aston Martin team, and I am happy that we were able to allow her to take a new step in her development by testing a modern F1 car. »

The hope of being able to see her do more tests is a possibility. Robert Sattler, director of the F1 Evolution program at Aston Martin, does not dismiss the idea. « Overall, Jessica executed an excellent testing program with a very professional attitude, and we hope to see her back in the car soon. »