Why Aston took a James Bond stunt driver under its wing

Jessica Hawkins, who drives in the W-series and is an ambassador for the Aston Martin F1 Team, has managed to use her skills at the wheel to earn her place in some of Hollywood’s greatest stunts.

And is she proud of it? Absolutely.

“Who wouldn’t want to have worked on a Bond move?” She smiles. “It was an amazing experience. One that I will carry with me forever. “

Despite the huge praise on the big screen, racing is Hawkins’ number one passion, which is why her appointment to Aston Martin this year was such a momentous moment for her.

Because although it’s an off-track role and driving opportunities in the F1 car remain a dream for the time being, what she takes on as part of the team is proving to be enormously valuable.

Her media exposure means she’s often embedded in Aston Martin on the weekends when she isn’t battling her W-series rivals. And all the knowledge she acquires is priceless to her.

But better still, in a sport known for a closed-shop mentality where teams are often extremely cautious about disclosing everything, she has found nothing but openness and friendliness since her first race weekend in Baku.

She’s sat in engineering meetings, asked questions to the team, and hiked the tracks with the drivers to see up close how everything works in F1.

“I knew I was going to be part of the team, but I was absolutely blown away by how welcome everyone was and how I felt part of the team,” she explains.

“Within a few hours of my first race in Baku, I felt like part of the family, which is really nice and heartwarming. I feel like I can ask questions and not be made to feel annoying or anything.

“I have been taken under their wing and they will help me as best they can.

“And being part of a team is something I’ve missed in my career, so it’s a level for me to work in such a great team. And what a place to learn. “

Jessica Hawkins

Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images

Hawkins has shown her determination to succeed over the course of her career, despite never having rich financiers willing to take her to the next step.

As a multiple kart champion, including in the British Open Honda Cadet class in 2008, she began her single-seater career in 2014 with a one-time outing in Formula Ford at Silverstone. 2015 followed half a season in MSA Formula (F4) without sponsors, hardly a chance to build on these early steps.

In 2016, she started in the VW Racing Cup, before moving to the Mini Challenge in 2017 to bring home six class wins and second place in the professional league championship.

However, after doing so well, she felt that if her career didn’t stall, she needed to step up. But without a budget to back it up, there weren’t any real options.

Then came one of those Sliding Doors moments that caused her life to take a different path – but one that has now paid off well.

After Hawkins received an ad for a stunt driver, he applied and won a role on the live show Fast and Furious.

“I found it impossible to budget, so the opportunity came up to audition live for Fast and Furious – and I got the job,” she says.

“Even though I really wanted it back then, it wasn’t racing and it was a difficult decision I had to make: Do I do that or do I keep this dream of racing?

“Unfortunately, I didn’t have the resources to race so I chose this job. And while it didn’t seem like the best decision back then, I can’t tell you how much fun I had.

“It was probably one of the best experiences I’ve ever had, and I’ll have a hard time topping it. Those year and a half were really incredible. I added a few more skills to my résumé and that turned into a couple of movies. “

Jessica Hawkins

Photo by: Carl Bingham / Motorsport Images

One of these films happens to be the new James Bond epic “No Time to Die” …

The good time she had as a stunt driver was compounded when the creation of the all-female W-Series for 2019 gave her exactly the racing opportunity that hadn’t existed before.

And although a lack of single-seaters and testing experience meant she always had to face a steep climb in terms of early results, progress was clear to see throughout the season.

“I owe so much to the W Series because I really wouldn’t be racing without it,” she explains.

“I stopped racing because of the budget before the W Series, and yet they gave me a second chance. I know that I’m one of the most inexperienced in the field, actually the most inexperienced, but I’ve worked and I’m working hard to make up for my lack of experience. “

The W-Series has done a lot to change attitudes and give career opportunities to drivers who used to only have to watch from the sidelines.

That second chance provided Hawkins with the showcase for the role of Aston Martin and all the benefits that now come from it.

Hawkins hopes her current role at Aston Martin can expand in the future – the first step, obviously, is to spend some time in the team’s simulator.

And while her current life is far from making James Bond films, she is fully aware that being involved in the racing side is much more of her real life.

“I started this journey with racing, and racing is my core.”

Jessica Hawkins, Driver Ambassador, Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One Team

Photo by: Glenn Dunbar / Motorsport Images