Earlier this year, the Aston Martin F1 Driver Ambassador formalised a long-standing relationship by appointing David Brabham as her manager, linking herself to one of Australia’s most iconic racing families.
For Hawkins, the partnership isn’t just symbolic — it’s personal.
“He’s great,” she told Speedcafe.
“I think David’s one of the ones that has believed in me since a very young age.
“I’ve been going to David for bits of advice on and off for years. I’ve only really had need for a manager this year for the first time in a while just because I’m racing again. It’s quite high profile.
“Honestly, David seemed like the perfect fit. I know he believes in me. He’s very well respected throughout the paddock. He knows his shit essentially.
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“And he’s David Brabham. I’ve got a lot of respect for him.”
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The pair have maintained a friendship for close to 20 years, with Hawkins first crossing paths with Brabham on the European circuit when she was in her early teens, racing Brabham’s son Sam.
“I remember we were racing in Genk, and I met David. He said, ‘Oh, what happened in qualifying?’ and I told him my engine overheated. He asked, ‘Are you going to win?’ or something like that. And I went and actually won. From then on, he’s been a supporter of mine,” she recalled.
“He gives me a kick up the ass when I need it. He’s also a shoulder to cry on when I need that.
“He’s my manager but equally I see him, and Lisa [Brabham, David’s wife] as well, he’s more than just my manager.
“They’re friends as well. So they’re exactly what I need.”
Hawkins’ journey prior to pairing up with Brabham has been far from linear.
After climbing through UK karting and Formula 4, budget constraints forced her out of single-seaters. She moved into tin-tops, then stunt driving for Fast and Furious Live, before returning to competition in the W Series in 2019.
She joined Aston Martin as a Driver Ambassador in 2021, blending marketing, demo driving, and coaching young talent—a role that has grown with her, culminating in her appointment as Aston Martin’s Head of Racing in F1 Academy in 2024.
“It’s something I really wanted to do and something that I’m very passionate about, helping the younger generation be the best that they can be,” Hawkins said.
“They only get two years and if they don’t perform, the reality is it could be career over.
“I want to help whoever our driver is really succeed and thrive in the opportunity that they’ve got.”
She said she likes to ensure her mentorship style is hands-on but adaptable.
“I can be that shoulder to cry on if needed. I can also be the opposite end to that. I can kick them into shape if they need it.
“Each driver needs something different to be honest.”
Back behind the wheel herself, Hawkins tackled her rookie GT World Challenge Europe season in 2025 with Comtoyou Racing, sharing the #270 Aston Martin Vantage GT3 in the Bronze Cup.
Despite incidents beyond her control, she impressed with pace, awareness, and racecraft, culminating in a strong showing at Barcelona where she helped the team secure P12 in class.
“It’s been a very, very tough year,” she said.
“Mentally, probably more than anything, but there’s always next year and you have those years sometimes.
“You take the rough with the smooth. Otherwise, I’ve loved it.”
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Adding to her impressive resume, Hawkins became the first female to drive a F1 car in close to five years in 2023 when she tested an Aston Martin AMR21 at the Hungaroring in Budapest.
Since that test, which impressed many including 2016 F1 world champion Nico Rosberg, she has received other chances to drive F1 machinery.
Even as those opportunities presented themselves, she said she remains grounded.
“I don’t think I should be driving a Formula 1 car for the sake of driving a Formula 1 car,” she said.
“There needs to be a purpose to it, of course. And I wouldn’t want to be the token [driver].
“I drive it when there’s purpose to it. When there’s a demo or something needs testing. Correlation work even.”
Away from competition, Hawkins continues to explore diverse avenues, which included stunt work on the most recent James Bond film No Time To Die, something which she rated highly enough to be open to revisiting the opportunity if it ever presented itself again.
“Basically I just got to wait and see if my phone rings!,” she said. “That’s what happens.
“And if it doesn’t then no. If it does, then great. And if I can fit it in, then great.
“Honestly, chances are, I’m so busy with this now. Chances of being able to fit all that in is slim.
“But of course, I would love to if given the opportunity.”
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