Aston Martin’s Jessica Hawkins announces huge career move outside of F1

The Aston Martin Formula 1 team has announced that Jessica Hawkins, who is the Head of F1 Academy and Driver Ambassador for the team, is set to debut in the GT World Challenge Europe this year.

Backed by Arm as an official ambassador and sponsored by Valvoline Global, Hawkins will continue with her work to increase opportunities for women in motorsport alongside her exciting debut.

The British driver has already enjoyed a successful career with her appearances in the W Series, the British Touring Car Championship, and the British GT Championship. Hawkins is also a stunt driver, featuring in James Bond: No Time To Die.

Hawkins continues to be a role model for aspiring female drivers. On top of her work with the F1 Academy, she became the first woman in over five years to drive a modern F1 car with the Silverstone-based team in 2024.

Commenting on her upcoming move, Hawkins explained:

"I'm thrilled to be making my debut in GT World Challenge Europe with Comtoyou Racing this year. Having previous experience with the Aston Martin Vantage GT3 from my time in British GT and working with an established team like Comtoyou I hope will help going into my first season.

"I'd like to thank Arm and Valvoline for their support in helping me to progress to GTWC, it's an excellent next step in my racing career and will allow me the opportunity to work towards my ultimate dream of competing at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. I'm looking forward to the challenge and can't wait to get racing at some new and familiar circuits."

Jessica Hawkins, Head of F1 Academy and Driver Ambassador at Aston Martin F1 Team

Photo by: Simon Galloway / Motorsport Images

Adam Carter, head of endurance motorsport at Aston Martin, also commented:

"We are thrilled that Jessica will be progressing to racing in GT World Challenge Europe this year, thanks to support from Arm and Valvoline. This is part of a long-term vision to give Jessica the platform and experience to put herself in a position where one day, she could fulfil her dream of racing at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

"We are all looking forward for Jessica to hit the track for the first time in April, back in the GT3 Vantage."

Dipt Vachani, senior vice president and general manager, automotive line of business at Arm, stated:

"At Arm we want to inspire and empower the next generation of STEM professionals and racing drivers alike to find their voice, and working with a trailblazer for women in motorsport like Jessica is helping to foster new pathways for future talent.

"We look forward to seeing how Jessica and Comtoyou Racing fare throughout the season and look forward to partnering together to continue this important work."