Britain's Jamie Chadwick says she wants to be "fighting at the front" when she makes her debut in the Indy NXT series this year in the United States.

Chadwick has also begun her fifth year as an academy driver with Williams.

She says the move to America does not mean she is giving up on racing in Europe and her dream of Formula 1.

"I've got to take the opportunities I can and the doors that open, and this to me seems like an amazing opportunity," Chadwick told BBC Points West.

"I don't want to close the door on Europe at all, if I have success and the opportunity does come around then I'd love to race in F3 [Formula 3] or F2 but at the moment I need to develop, I need to progress, I need to have seat time and my best chance of that is in the States."

The switch to the USA will mark a significant change for the three-time W Series champion when racing begins on 5 March.

Indy NXT features 14 races, including two on traditional American oval circuits, which means a faster and technically different style of racing to that in Europe.

"It's going to be a tough year, it's my first year, there's a lot of new things for me but at the same time I want to have that chance to be competitive and to be fighting at the front," Chadwick said.

Chadwick will also be the first woman to compete full-time in the series in 13 years, but pointed to the likes of Danica Patrick - the only woman to win an IndyCar Series race - Pippa Mann and Simona de Silvestro, who have all progressed their careers racing in the USA.

"I think if I look at what women have achieved in the sport in America it's significant," Chadwick added.

"There are a lot of women that have progressed in the sport over there so I see a very clear opportunity and I'm looking forward to that."

The Tetbury driver was speaking at the launch of Williams' 2023 F1 car and said each year she spends with the team is making her more hungry to sit inside one.

"Every year I feel like I'm getting more and more immersed within the team, being able to develop even more and I think to have that relationship with the team - to ultimately one day get inside the cockpit is obviously the goal," Chadwick added.

Despite crediting the W Series - a women-only championship that Chadwick won in 2019, 2021 and 2022 - with "making" her career, the series was brought to a premature end last autumn because of financial issues.

Still, Chadwick believes the positive impact the competition has had on women's racing will leave a lasting effect.

"It's been a huge opportunity for me but also I think for women in the sport - 'see it, you can be it' mentality," she said.

"It's given a load of visibility to women in the sport and from my side I'm sad that's not had the opportunity to continue, but at the same time I think the interest for women to be in motorsport in all roles has increased, so I personally hope that whatever it is that comes of it there are still more opportunities."