A quick history on the W Series

It's a sad day not just in the world of women's motorsports but also in the world of women's sports as well as news broke out that the W Series, a single-seater racing championship for women, has entered administration, less than a year after the third season prematurely ended due to financial difficulties.

As its recently bereaved drivers and supporters expressed sadness about the fall of what is known to be a unique motorsport series where female drivers got their big break, it's time to have a quick history on the W Series.

W Series

Launched in October 2018, the W Series is a single-seater racing championship for women made to tackle the challenges of having a female driver tackling upper-class racing disciples, including Formula 1. 

Participants in the W Series are driving the Tatuus F3 T-318, a race car homologated to current Formula 3 specifications. It runs on a 4-cylinder Autotecnica Motori turbo engine producing 270hp of power while mated to a six-speed Sadev gearbox. It features double wishbone pushrod suspension, Koni two-way adjustable dampers, Marelli ECU, and Brembo brakes.

The inaugural season kicked off in 2019 as part of the DTM's support bill and it spans six venues with the first race set at the Hockenheimring, followed by Zolder, Misano, Norisring, Assen, and concludes with a season finale at Brands Hatch. Jamie Chadwick was crowned as the W Series' first champion.

In 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic prompted the world to stay indoors, the W Series shifts into e-sports with the W Series Esports League in collaboration with Logitech G, Beyond Entertainment, and iRacing. 18 female drivers who qualified to race in the on-track W Series in 2020, as well as special guests, took part in the e-sports initiative that spans ten virtual racetracks. Beitske Visser is named the winner of the 2020 W Series Esports League.

As the COVID situation improves, the W Series returns on track for its second season in 2021, while adhering to COVID health protocols. For the first time, the W Series became a support series in the Formula 1 2021 season and it adds COTA, which served as its two-part season finale. It also features new team suits made by sportswear maker PUMA. Of all the seven venues in the 2021 season from Europe to the United States, Jamie Chadwick was crowned for the second time.

In the 2022 season, which was presumably the last season before it went into administration a year later, the W Series continued its partnership with Formula 1 and what was originally meant to be an 8-venue season got shortened to six venues with the Japan race got replaced with the Singapore race while the COTA race and the Mexico race were removed, prematurely ended the 2022 season with Jamie Chadwick became a three-time W Series champion.

From its public launch in 2018, the inaugural season in 2019, the esports league in 2020, and its partnership with Formula 1, the female-only W Series racing championship became a stepping stone for female drivers looking to rise above their motorsport ranks.

Although the W Series faced its bitter demise, it served as an inspiration for women in motorsports and the people involved in the W Series should give credit for giving female drivers their big break. 

Its spiritual successor, the F1 Academy, will follow in the W Series' footsteps in nurturing young female drivers in their hopes to achieve professional status.

Thank you, W Series.