DAVE FURST: My name is Dave Furst from INDYCAR, the NTT INDYCAR Series, and INDY NXT by Firestone.
A very important announcement earlier today from Andretti Autosport as Jamie Chadwick was added to the team's list of drivers for the 2023 INDY NXT by Firestone season. Jamie, of course, a three-time W Series champion and someone who has tested a couple of times with Andretti Autosport. She will drive the No. 28 DHL Andretti Autosport Dallara in 2023 as Jamie becomes the first woman to drive full-time in the development series in some 13 years.
Joining us today to talk about the news, the newly named driver for Andretti Autosport, Ms. Jamie Chadwick. Jamie, thank you.
Also joining us, he's the CEO of DHL Express Americas, Mike Parra is here with us. Mike, thanks for hopping on.
Also with us, the chairman and CEO of Andretti Autosport, it's great to see Michael Andretti with us.
Michael, let's go ahead and start with you. You've been a staunch supporter of the development series for a long, long time. What does Jamie bring to the table? How does she add to your program beginning here in 2023?
MICHAEL ANDRETTI: I think the first thing she brings is talent. I think she's a proven winner. We're excited to give her a chance to move up to INDY NXT. She's shown great potential already in the testing. She's been right on pace. I'm expecting really good things out of Jamie this year.
So we're really excited. We're so happy to have DHL on board to help support Jamie and us, and they've been a great partner of ours and part of our family for many, many years. It was so exciting to be able to put this whole deal together, to have another yellow car out there.
DAVE FURST: And it's still the No. 28, which makes it easier on the shop too. So there you go.
Mike Parra, let's bring you in. You have been a partner to Andretti Autosport, as Michael alluded to, for a number of years now. What does it mean to expand with Jamie and her season in INDY NXT by Firestone?
MIKE PARRA: Thank you for that. By the way, Dave, this is going to be year 12 with Andretti Autosport. So it's a long, longstanding relationship with Michael and with Andretti Autosport.
Look, we're excited. We're excited to be part of Jamie's journey. We've been watching and following her for some time in the W Series. We were already in the process of discussing with her camp on how we could support next steps, and suddenly Michael and I are having a conversation, and he says, hey, we're looking at Jamie Chadwick.
This was a great opportunity for us to partner again with Michael and continue to support Jamie's journey, and we think this is going to be, not just great for the INDYCAR Series and Jamie Chadwick, but great for DHL, its customers, its employees, as well as for Andretti Autosport. And no one better to be partnered with here on this one than Michael in bringing Jamie into the Andretti family.
DAVE FURST: We've seen DHL's commitment to DEI initiatives as well and cause-driven partnerships, especially last May with your Deliver With Pride campaign and your support for Movember. No surprise that DHL is championing a partnership with Andretti and the first woman to drive full-time in this development series in some 13 years.
Why was the partnership with Jamie such a natural progression, I guess, in DHL's continued support for the development of women particularly in a male dominated environment of racing?
MIKE PARRA: Thank you for -- first of all, thank you for recognizing that. We appreciate the league, by the way, INDYCAR, the series, in partnering up with Michael and myself and the team at DHL and having the pride colors on our car. As you know, it was a very popular car on the track, and we had it for a month. As well, Romain stepped up on his side, and his camp said absolutely yes to it.
DEI is big for us. I think, if you don't know this and for those that are on, we've got a commitment as a company globally. We've got over 650,000 employees on a global perspective with the Deutsche Post DHL group, and we've got a commitment to have 30 percent of our senior roles all be women across the board.
But it's not just that, because women is a component of it, but just recognizing the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion is something that we're on a mission on from a company that's in 220 countries across the world. So one would say, well, you're already a diverse company.
When we saw this opportunity to onboard someone who's done extremely well in the W Series, and we have been following Jamie for some time, we said this is a great fit. A great fit with a great partner in Michael, a great fit with a great driver and pilot of what will be the 28 DHL again. So there will be two 28 DHLs in the series, which is great. And I think it's going to be great for the series and for competition at INDYCAR NXT.
So we're excited. You probably can hear it in my voice. We're looking forward to it.
I was telling Jamie prior to coming on, I had been speaking to Romain about Jamie coming on board confidentially and saying give me your thoughts. He's even more excited. So it's going to be great. It's going to be great for the sport. It's going to be great for Andretti, and it's going to be great for DHL, its customers, and our employees.
DAVE FURST: Keeping it all in the family, that's what it's all about too. Congratulations, Mike.
Finally, Jamie, congratulations to you as well. The deal is done, coming to the states to race in INDY NXT by Firestone. What does this opportunity with a successful team like Andretti Autosport, longtime partner DHL, it's all packaged together, what does it mean to you and your path as you continue in open wheel racing?
JAMIE CHADWICK: It means a huge amount. Yeah, it's one thing having the opportunity to now step up and progress into the championship like INDY NXT, but it's another to be doing it with a team like Andretti. I think everyone wants these opportunities, and very few people get them. So I'm very, very grateful. It wouldn't be possible without the likes of DHL. So I'm really excited by it.
I first came over to test with the team earlier in the year, and I had a really, really good feeling about T I was in the process of weighing up options. Do I stay in Europe? Where's the best move, I guess, for me beyond the W Series?
The feeling I got over in America, involved with the INDY NXT championship and the team in Andretti, it just felt like a really good natural fit. So I'm very excited. It's going to be definitely a good step up. There's a lot of hard work that's going to go into the next few months, but I'm excited for it and looking forward to what's to come.
DAVE FURST: Everyone is. If you don't mind, talk to us a little bit more, before we take questions here and open it up, a little bit more maybe in detail around the difference of the W Series and INDY NXT. Is it a real step up from what you've been doing so successfully the last, well, three championships out of four years? What kind of a step up is it for you?
JAMIE CHADWICK: It's for sure a good step up. I think the performance of the cars in general is definitely higher. I was surprised by how quick they were when I first tested. That said, they're really enjoyable to drive. So I think it's a different driving style required. The main thing is the slightly longer races.
We did a bit of street tracks in W Series, but here there are quite a few street tracks as well as ovals, which are going to be a new challenge for me.
Yeah, there's quite a few differences, but I think having followed the championship and followed as well INDYCAR over the last few years quite closely, it's something I'm really looking forward to and excited about more than anything else.
DAVE FURST: You're going to have to get used to the street tracks pretty early because it's the opener at St. Pete.
JAMIE CHADWICK: I think it starts quite top heavy, St. Pete and then Barber, two of probably the tougher tracks on the calendar, but still it's good to throw yourself into it. Yeah, I'm looking forward to that. ^.
DAVE FURST: I'm thinking of Detroit, the new street circuit in Detroit. You've got Nashville as well. So it's a fun schedule for sure. I think you're really going to enjoy 2023 in the States.
Let's go ahead and open it up for questions.
Q. Jamie, congratulations. I just wanted -- actually, if you could talk a little bit more about how your test went in September and what were the key differences between the INDY NXT car and also the W Series car?
JAMIE CHADWICK: The first test I did -- I think to be honest, to start from the beginning, firstly, from the moment I walked into Andretti, did the seat fit, I had a really good feeling with the team. There's a lot of environments you walk in and lots of different sort of first impressions you get, but the impression I got straight away, I felt very comfortable. I felt like everyone wanted to support me and give me the best opportunity so I was successful not just in the test, but now ultimately going forward.
So I felt really good straight away, and as soon as I got in the car, I really enjoyed it. Well, it is a car that you have to push to and beyond the limit to get the most out of, which in comparison to what I'm used to, particularly with the tire, you're generally just a bit under it. You don't want to slide on the tire. You don't want to overwork it.
Whereas this you kind of go to it and beyond, which is something that's a bit new to me. I felt I was leaning maybe more on my off road rally experience more than anything else. Still, other than it being a good general step up in performance, the car was really enjoyable to drive.
I think what I also really liked, and there's a big difference from W Series, is the amount of adjustability within setups from the engineering aspect. So the ability to work with the engineer and go through many different test items in the day as opposed to being quite restricted on those options, I found really interesting and something I'm really looking forward to learning more about.
Q. You're still a part of the Williams Racing Young Driver Academy. For yourself, what would be the end goal? I mean, is it reaching INDYCAR and having success there, or is it F1, or is it both?
JAMIE CHADWICK: To be honest, both, if I can say that. I'm not limiting or shutting any doors at all with this next step. Ultimately, I still see INDYCAR as a future goal for sure, and I also still see ultimately Formula One, if it's still possible, as an ultimate dream as well.
For my side, I want to have success at the next step outside of the W Series, which is the INDY NXT Championship. Beyond that, there are so many different things I want to achieve and ultimately do in the sport, whether that's in INDYCAR, Formula One, or even sports cars. There's a lot on the bucket list, I guess.
Q. Congratulations again. I just had one question for Michael. Just wanted to see where things were at with the bid to enter an 11th team into Formula One. Is it still moving forward? How has that whole process been for yourself and also for the team?
MICHAEL ANDRETTI: We're still moving forward, still working hard. I think we made pretty good progress the last couple months. We're not giving up.
Q. Congratulations, guys. Really good news. Jamie, I remember you tested USF2000 quite a few years ago down at, I think it was Homestead. What went into the decision or the decision-making in coming over and trying racing in the U.S.? You spent your entire career in Europe.
JAMIE CHADWICK: I think, to be honest, I spent my entire career in Europe because I'm British, not for any other reason, to be honest.
Obviously W Series has been a huge opportunity for me over the past three years, but now looking outside of W Series, I'm fairly focused on how can I develop the most, how can I make the next big step to give me the best opportunity to progress in the sport?
Looking at the opportunities in America with the seat time, the performance, everything, and the teams like something that INDY NXT offers, it seemed like a really obvious choice, somewhere to look. It wasn't until I actually drove the car that I felt even more strongly about that in terms of how much I'm able to develop learning in a car like that.
Then of course as well, the commercial opportunities available over in America are significant, especially with the likes of DHL coming in to support me.
So there's a few factors that go into it, but I've always seen racing in the States, and like you said, coming over a few years ago for the USF test, it's always been something that I've looked at and been interested in. It's just about when's the right time to make the opportunity work and make that move has been.
Q. Michael, maybe explain a little bit about the commercial opportunities with a driver like Jamie. Obviously DHL has stepped on board, but we talk about DEI, is it something that as a company you can see the commercial opportunities opening up a little more?
MICHAEL ANDRETTI: Yeah, for sure. We've supported this now for I don't know how long. We've had many, many women drivers -- I'd say probably five or six total. We gave a woman their first win, which was Danica Patrick at Motegi. So we have always supported it.
But in the end, I'm still looking for the best talent to drive our cars. Jamie is showing that. I think she can be a winner in the series, and if you're going to be a winner in the INDY NXT series, you're going to be able to go and win in the big cars.
So that's our goal with Jamie here is to do that. The commercial side then follows it, but we've still got to get the performance side out of it. It has to be a legitimate effort.
DAVE FURST: Mike Parra, do you want to chime in on that, the commercial side of INDY NXT series and INDYCAR in general?
MIKE PARRA: Everything we've done over the last 12 years with Andretti Autosport has yielded great commercial opportunities for us. We did this, to be honest with you, more on the opportunity to expand and support Jamie's journey.
So this we see as an upside for the future. So we're playing long ball on this versus short ball. The commercial side will come on its own. The thing here is supporting the journey and our commitment to the space and to the series. So that's the way it's been.
The day that stops, that's the day we stop. But for now we're excited about what the upside and opportunity is for the organization, our employees, and our customers.
DAVE FURST: Well put. Thanks for that.
Q. Jamie, congratulations on the news today. I wanted to follow up a little bit on one of Steve's questions there. You mentioned earlier or kind of referenced the decision-making process that you went to that ultimately landed you here with this opportunity with Andretti and INDY NXT for 2023. What other options did you have out there outside the W Series to continue in 2023 that ultimately landed you here?
JAMIE CHADWICK: It's a good question. Ultimately, I wanted to progress out of W Series into the next step, which in Europe would have been something like Formula 3, and then ultimately in America is INDY NXT. Really the opportunity I have here in INDY NXT is far greater than anything I was able to achieve over in Europe with Formula 3.
You always want to put yourself in the best position with the best team and the best environment, and to be in that environment with the likes of Andretti and INDY NXT, I think it was definitely a huge opportunity that gave me a big, big chance now for the future, whereas unfortunately I didn't quite have that come together in Europe.
But at the same time, it's something I'm really excited about. I think looking at the championship and everything that we've got coming ahead of us next year, I think it's definitely the right move.
Q. I know you mentioned that both INDYCAR and Formula One would be future goals and hopes of yours as you try to carve out your career moving forward, and I know you've spent, as you mentioned, the bulk of your career in Europe with your eyes set on Formula One. What do you feel like it's going to take, because I know those opportunities are so few and far between and only come so often. What do you feel like it ultimately will take for you to get a shot if you continue to pursue that and feel like that is your ultimate goal?
JAMIE CHADWICK: I think there's two sides of it. I think, as Michael touched on, performance is everything. If I'm having success, if I'm winning in INDY NXT, then I feel like I deserve the opportunity to progress. And vice versa, I think to have the opportunity to perform is also key.
So, yeah, to have this chance now to be with a top team in a top environment, to perform is key, but ultimately, in my opinion, it does boil down to performance. If I can perform, then hopefully that gives me the chance to be racing in the likes of INDYCAR, and we'll see about Formula One. Yeah, it gives me that chance.
Q. One final question. I know you're the first full-time female driver in INDY NXT for, I think the mark is 13 years. It's also been quite some time since we've had a full-time female driver in INDYCAR, somewhere around the same amount of time. What would that mean to you to kind of take on that mantel and be the first full-time female driver in open-wheel racing we've seen in quite some time?
JAMIE CHADWICK: From my side, it doesn't really change it. I think I just focus on doing the best job I can. With the opportunity I have, I think we're really capable of doing that. So, yeah, just really focused on doing the best I can.
I think that, although 13 years maybe sounds like a lot, in comparison to a lot of stuff I raced in, it's actually quite a small amount of time. I think what it does show is there is a proven pathway for women over in America.
In INDYCAR, for example, Andretti have seen the likes of Danica win races. So I see it as a positive thing as well that women are capable of being successful in the likes of INDYCAR and INDY Lights. With that, I want to use that as an encouraging thing and do the best myself.
Q. I have a twofold question here. Jamie, you've spent some time in Extreme E, and after some of those rugged courses, do you think that this could actually be a piece of cake? Is this going to be a little bit easier?
JAMIE CHADWICK: I wouldn't say a piece of cake. I was surprised that the limit the drivers in INDY Lights and even INDYCAR, they drive at. There's a lot more tire preservation, particularly in race runs. Although in qualifying you push really hard, in the race runs in anything I've driven, you're very much below the limit to protect the tire.
Whereas over here with the nature of the tracks and the driving style, it's possibly a bit more towards the likes of Extreme E, but yeah, I wouldn't say to that limit. I would say the challenge of Extreme E is very, very different, but something I've learned a lot from. I think having that ability to jump in anything is something that I've always wanted to have.
So, yeah, for as long as I can, I'd like to be able to try and drive as many different types of cars in as many different types of environments as possible.
Q. Michael, you've been involved in Extreme E for a while as well. Is there anything from that series that could translate over to INDY NXT or even INDYCAR as far as materials or just any technical things that could translate over?
MICHAEL ANDRETTI: Not really. It's a race car, so the basics are the same, but other than that, there's really not a lot to learn from that. It's called Extreme E for a reason because it's very extreme. It's a different type of racing than anything else we race in. There's not really much to take from it technically.
Q. Jamie, congratulations with your deal. Very, very cool. I've been following your testing over the last few months with a lot of interest. I've also seen that you've rapidly improved your pace. What are your personal targets for 2023? At what point do you say, yes, this has been a good season?
JAMIE CHADWICK: I think it's really hard to be quite so, yeah, black and white with targets. It's difficult to say, if I finish in the top five, I'm happy, and then that's it. That's as black and white as it is. Any reality is I want to be in a position where I can be a front-runner. Every weekend I want to be in a position where I'm disappointed if I'm not in the front row or if I'm not competitive.
Whether I'm winning every race or not, I think is going to be a challenge, given the amount of things that are new. But at the same time, I want to be disappointed if I'm not competitive. So, yeah, I want to hopefully be challenging for the podium, top fives, and we'll see.
Like I said, there's a lot of new things. Particularly the ovals are going to be a new experience. But the places I have been before and experienced that, I'm hoping to be competitive.
Q. And of course, the name of Danica Patrick came up before, had a lot of success, especially with Andretti Autosport. Is she in any way sort of an inspiration for you?
JAMIE CHADWICK: Definitely. And not just Danica, there's so many women. Even Simona last year, for example, that had opportunities and success out in the States that I look at. Without it sounding too cliche, it does make a difference. When I look at that, I see that's been done before. It's not like I'm trying to achieve something that's never been done before.
So it does change my perception on things and make it a little bit easier in that sense. Of course, yeah, the fact that Danica did it with Andretti helps a little bit as well knowing the team have experience with the likes of some of the best female racing drivers in the world. It's very cool to see, and hopefully I can as well make that same progression.
Q. On that note, Michael and Mike, compared to other INDY Lights or INDY NXT announcements, this one is quite big. We got the involvement with DHL, so the link to the INDYCAR program. Is there anything you can say about whether this is going to be a multi-year program between the partners involved?
MICHAEL ANDRETTI: We have to wait and see. We'll see how Jamie progresses. If things go well and she feels like there's still more to learn, maybe there's another year in it for her. We'll have to see how she goes.
If she's winning a bunch of races, then obviously she's going to be ready for INDYCAR. I think that's something we'll have to sit back and see what happens.
Q. Anything to add, Mike?
MIKE PARRA: No, completely aligned. You heard from the boss. We follow his lead. If not, we wouldn't have a 12-year partnership.
We're excited. This is our first time dabbling in the INDYCAR Lights, INDY NXT series, so this is another step in our commitment to INDYCAR Series, but it's also a testament to the relationship with Michael Andretti Autosport. So we're excited and blessed with what Jamie's going to be able to do, and we're along for the ride.
Q. This is for Jamie and Michael. There's been a long lineage of history and tradition among British drivers in INDYCAR, the Indianapolis 500, and now you're going to be part of that. How important is that to you? And how important is INDYCAR and the Indianapolis 500 over in Britain?
JAMIE CHADWICK: So I actually -- Indy 500, I think motorsport fans in the UK -- I mean, motorsport generally in the UK is pretty big, so anything we can follow and support, we get behind. So I've always followed the Indy 500.
I actually went to my first 500 in 2019, and that changed it completely for me. Even though I watched it on the TV and followed it closely, to actually go and witness it in first person was something that I never expected to find as amazing as I did. I think the level, everything about it, the amount of spectators, it's incredible.
So for me, the 500 is one of the best sporting events in the world, and to have maybe the opportunity to look at that as a future goal is something I'm really excited by. Yeah, very proud to be with a team like Andretti in that sense.
MICHAEL ANDRETTI: I think obviously UK racing is huge. So there's been a lot of great racing drivers that come out of UK, and we've been lucky enough to have some drive for us, and we're very happy to have Jamie here. Hopefully we can Americanize her a little bit before the end of the year.
No, I think it's going to be really great.
Q. One last one for Jamie. When you were a kid, was Dan Wheldon a driver you paid attention to? What did Dan Wheldon's career mean to racers, young kids over in England?
JAMIE CHADWICK: Definitely. Dan, Dario, there's quite a few drivers that came over from the UK. They all went a similar pathway to what I've gone through, won the likes of the BRDC Autosport Award, big things that are a staple in the UK, and they've gone over to America and had a huge amount of success.
So definitely something we've all followed and even more in recent times, a lot of British drivers having success in the States. So, yeah, it's been something I follow closely, legacies that I've kind of wanted to follow myself. It's just cool to have that opportunity now.
DAVE FURST: Michael, if you're going to Americanize Jamie, what's the first thing you do?
MICHAEL ANDRETTI: I guess we've got to take her to, what, St. Elmo's?
JAMIE CHADWICK: I've been.
MICHAEL ANDRETTI: You've been? Okay.
JAMIE CHADWICK: The prawn cocktail is a bit spicy for me.
MICHAEL ANDRETTI: You've got to be able to handle that.
JAMIE CHADWICK: Yeah, that was the problem, but the steak was good.
DAVE FURST: I was thinking Mug and Bun.
MICHAEL ANDRETTI: That's a good one.
DAVE FURST: It's a drive-up tenderloin, hot dog, and hamburger place in Indianapolis, Jamie. Be prepared. Maybe some Pepto Bismol for your stomach before you go.
Q. Question for Jamie obviously. What have you made of the physicality of the cars? Because I know you were quite surprised about how you found it after the first test. How has it been since then in the following tests? And have you also got sort of one eye still on testing other cars this year as well, like Formula 2, for example, or is it very much let's focus on this season and then see what happens after that?
JAMIE CHADWICK: So the first part of your question, I think the physicality is definitely tough. I think the thing that's the toughest part or the biggest step up is the duration of the races. I definitely feel capable for one lap, but now looking at 45 minutes to an hour is going to be the challenge. But it's something I definitely feel is achievable with training.
I've driven the car enough to know what I need to do, and that's where the winter's going to be busy, but still something that I feel capable of doing. It will change a little bit with the tire change maybe with Firestone, but it felt like the actual weight of the steering was quite a lot lighter than I've been used to.
It's just the fact it's quite busy, you're fighting the car a lot. So general cardiovascular things like that is higher. So I've been working on that over this winter and will continue to work. So hopefully that's something that isn't an issue come the first race.
And also actually worth noting, Andretti as a team have been super good in terms of trying to help me with that, with steering wheel grips, things like that they've supported a lot because my hands are smaller and everything, so that's been great.
Then the second part of that question with the testing, I'm not too sure at the moment. At the moment I really want to focus fully on doing the best job I can in INDY Lights. This season, as busy as it is anyway with testing as well, it won't allow a huge amount of time outside of that. So my full focus is on that at the moment, and we'll see if other opportunities come about, we'll evaluate those when they do.
Q. Jamie, Michael, everybody, congratulations. My question would be for Jamie, is there a particular place that you're really looking forward to? There are some really iconic venues this series heads to. Is there anything outside of the car that you're looking forward to kind of getting to spend most of the year here in the U.S.?
JAMIE CHADWICK: So first part of that, I would say races I'm looking forward to, possibly Nashville, to be honest. Having followed that -- I followed the series as a race, it looks quite cool. It's hard to pass, but the actual track looks quite cool.
Then in terms of just year-wise, the 500. Ever since 2019, it's been a race that I've wanted to go back to. Although we don't have a support race to it anymore, I think just to be at that event and experience it in a bit of a different way, knowing a bit more than I do now, yeah, I'm really looking forward to it.
Q. For Michael quickly, people have brought up your desire to get the F1 program rolling. What's it mean for someone like Jamie who's been around that culture as part of your team now? I would imagine she's an asset more than just in the driver's seat?
MICHAEL ANDRETTI: I don't know. I didn't even think about it. We haven't talked about that side of it. We have a lot of experience in that side of it as well, but obviously having Jamie a part of things is good. I'm not sure it's going to have much influence on the Formula One project.
Q. You talk about how this is going to be a very important step for your development as a driver, but you're a multiple champion in W Series and other different series as well. You're also going to be 24 years old at the start of the season, which is still a lot younger than many of us here, but there are also drivers who are race-winning drivers in the INDYCAR Series and F1 who are younger than you. I was curious, could you explain a bit more about how you're looking to improve your race craft abilities as a driver and how racing in this series will make you a better driver at this time next year than you are now?
JAMIE CHADWICK: I think it's one of my biggest frustrations in motorsport as a sport, that it feels like you have to be everywhere yesterday. It feels like maybe the effects, I don't know. The younger you are, the better you are. Whereas I look at it very differently.
I started in the sport quite late. I was 12 years old. I only did club carting, and actually I spent three years now in the W Series, which relatively is maybe Formula 4, Formula 3 level, or below Formula 3 level anyway. So I still see it as I've still got a lot that I need to learn and develop in motorsport before I'm capable of anything like INDYCAR.
So despite my age in comparison to maybe my peers, I think I need to be fully focused on what I need to do to be as best prepared regardless of my age. I think, when I'm ready for the next step, I'm ready.
In any other sport, you don't -- or a lot of people don't look at ages. For example, in -- I always use rugby as an example. Our England rugby captain made his debut when I was 27, and it's never an issue because performance is performance and when you're ready, you're ready. That's how I feel regardless of age.
Yeah, I just need to use the INDY NXT Championship as the best development platform as possible, learn as much as possible, and when I'm ready for the likes of INDYCAR, I'm ready, and I can make that step.
Q. Michael, how's the development of the headquarters coming along, and how will that improve all of your various racing programs?
MICHAEL ANDRETTI: We actually have the groundbreaking next week for the new facility, so we're really excited about that. It's going to be awesome. Yeah, can't wait to get everything going here.
Q. Jamie, first of all, congratulations to achieving this amazing opportunity for you. But I want to ask you about the new category that Formula One has put on the table, its F1 Academy. What is your opinion about this new category and if you think that it will help younger women to arrive into Formula One or arrive in places like you are in today, in the INDY NXT?
JAMIE CHADWICK: Honestly, I think anything anyone can do to help women in the sport is good, any opportunity. There are a lot more now, and I think that is going to make a big difference down the line.
I think the sad thing is, the level that it is in Formula 4, getting 15 seats filled is going to be difficult because there are that few women in the sport.
Ultimately, we need to focus on how we can increase participation, particularly at grass roots level. How we do that, there's a range of different things we can do, but it's a good step. Combined with the likes of W Series, I think it is going to help get more young girls involved in the sport.
Q. And another one for Michael. How important is this deal with Jamie for your Formula One project? It's because Jamie has involved with Williams younger program, and maybe in the near future, Jamie's going to be a Formula One driver thanks to Andretti?
MICHAEL ANDRETTI: Hey, you never know. It could be very possible. We are going to be looking for the best talent that we can put in our car, and if Jamie continues to do what she's doing and starts winning races over here and things like that, yeah, we would definitely look at it. So you never know. Who knows what the future holds?
Yeah, hopefully we get a chance to have a seat in Formula One to offer Jamie.
DAVE FURST: One step at a time, Michael. One step at a time.
Q. Question to Michael. This season the INDYCAR Lights was run by INDYCAR, and there was a lot of changes particularly with the prize funds and the calendar. Now we've got a name change as well. How has that commercially made an impact? You're still advertising the same package to potential sponsors, but it's got a new name, new branding, and what's the kind of communication you've had from INDYCAR with what they want to do with this series and what they want from teams under the INDY NXT branding to kind of differentiate it from the series past?
MICHAEL ANDRETTI: I think finally INDYCAR is seeing how important INDY NXT is to their future. It took me a little bit of coaxing with Roger to get him behind it. Since he started to look into it and see the interest and see what it's all about, I think he's really gotten behind it big time. I think he does now get it and sees how important it is for the future growth of INDYCAR to have a good support series like INDY NXT.
So I think things are really bright for INDY NXT now for the future because I think Roger is definitely the light went off in his head that he sees that he needs to get behind this and support it.
DAVE FURST: With that, we will leave it there on a huge, huge day for our friends at DHL. Mike Parra, thank you so much for joining us.
MIKE PARRA: Thank you.
DAVE FURST: Michael, congratulations.
MICHAEL ANDRETTI: Thank you. We're excited.
DAVE FURST: It's going to be an exciting 2023 for sure. Obviously, Jamie Chadwick, driver No. 28 DHL Andretti Autosport Dallara in the 2023 INDY NXT by Firestone season. Can't wait to see you at the first test in a couple months and certainly on the streets in St. Pete, Jamie.
JAMIE CHADWICK: Thanks very much.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports