Your complete guide to the 2021 W Series

This weekend sees the return of the W Series single-seater championship, with a race at the Red Bull Ring in Austria. 

With a mission to promote female racing drivers, the W Series hopes to see women competing in Formula 1 in the near future. 

We have all the information you need on the all-female W Series.

Just what is the W Series?

The W Series is the first all-female single-seater motorsport competition in the world. 

It was created in 2018 to promote the best women drivers in motorsport, with the ultimate aim of delivering the first female Formula 1 World Champion. 

An inaugural season, held in 2019, saw British driver Jamie Chadwick crowned as champion. 

After the 2020 season was postponed due to Coronavirus, expectations for this year’s W Series are higher than ever.

Does motorsport need an all-female championship in 2021?

The organisers of the W Series believe an all-female competition is needed to help fast-track the best women drivers to Formula 1. A gender-specific championship is seen as the most effective way of doing this. 

Whatever your opinion, what cannot be denied is that female drivers are underrepresented in top-level motorsport. For example, only five women have entered Formula 1 races, since the championship began in 1950. The last female to actually start a Grand Prix was Lella Lombardi – in 1976!

Although other series such as IndyCar and NASCAR have seen more recent, and regular, female entrants there is still a clear gender imbalance in motorsport. 

Competing in the W Series rewards top finishers with points towards gaining an FIA Super Licence. These points are required to race in Formula 1.

What impact did the 2019 W Series have?

The W Series has seen previous racers move further up the motorsport ladder.

After winning the 2019 W Series, Jamie Chadwick became a development driver for the Williams Racing F1 team. Along with competing in the 2021 W Series to defend her title, Chadwick is racing in the new Extreme E championship.

Jess Hawkins has also edged closer to Formula 1. She is now a driver ambassador for the Aston Martin F1 Team, supporting them on race weekends. Appearances in the British Touring Car Championship have been added to her CV, too.

Fellow British driver Esmee Hawkey bagged herself a championship title in 2020. Hawkey won the Pro-Am class in the prestigious Porsche Carrera Cup GB, and is driving a Lamborghini Huracan in the 2021 Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters.

Beitske Visser finished as runner up in the 2019 W Series. Since then, she has competed at the 2020 24 Hours of Le Mans, and is taking part in the 2021 World Endurance Championship.

What happened to the W Series in 2020?

Like many motorsport championships, the W Series was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Having consulted with various partners, the decision was taken to postpone real-world W Series racing to 2021.

Instead, the W Series switched attention to a virtual sim racing esports competition for 2020. Open only to female drivers, ten races were held throughout the summer. 

Broadcast through YouTube and BBC iPlayer, the 2020 W Series Esports League was won by Dutch driver, Beitske Visser.

How were the 2021 W Series drivers chosen?

The top twelve drivers from the 2019 W Series were automatically eligible to compete again the following season. 

For the rest of the grid, a three-day driver test was held at the Almeria race circuit. Close to 40 applicants were evaluated on lap times and data analysis, whittling this down to eight drivers to join the grid. 

With the 2020 W Series cancelled, the drivers who had qualified for it were invited to compete in the 2021 season.

Who are the British contenders in the 2021 W Series?

Although 12 nationalities are represented in the 2021 W Series, British drivers account for five of the coveted 18 seats. 

Inaugural W Series champion Jamie Chadwick returns to defend her title in 2021. She was the first female driver to win a British GT Championship, along with being the first woman to win a British Formula 3 race. 

Esmee Hawkey has progressed rapidly through the motorsport ranks. She has gone from the Ginetta Junior series, to winning the Porsche Carrera Cup GB Pro Am class, in just five years.

Alice Powell was the first female driver to win a Formula Renault race, and won the 2014 Asian Formula Renault Championship. Along with driving in the Jaguar I-Pace eTrophy, she has become an accomplished TV commentator.

Now a driver ambassador for the Aston Martin F1 Team, Jess Hawkins has an extensive motorsport CV behind her. From stunt work, to setting a Guinness World Record for driving the fastest lawnmower, she has done it all.

Yorkshire-based Sarah Moore has already competed in multiple championships. She became the first woman to win the Ginetta Junior Championship, and the Britcar Endurance Championship.

Abbie Eaton admitted to being “initially sceptical” about the W Series. However, the GT racer and test driver for Amazon’s The Grand Tour, has been attracted by the competitive level of racing. This year will also see her drive in the 2021 GT Cup Championship.

What cars do they use in the W Series?

All drivers use equal-spec Tatuus F3 T-318 single-seater racers. Built to FIA F3 rules, it features a 270 hp turbocharged 1.8-litre engine, and a six-speed sequential gearbox.

Slick tyres are used, with the cars also featuring adjustable aerodynamic wings and spoilers. Just like in Formula 1, a HALO safety device is fitted over the open cockpit.

Where do W Series races take place?

For 2021, the W Series has secured a prestigious spot supporting eight rounds of the Formula 1 World Championship.

This means drivers will be sharing a paddock with F1 stars, and competing on the same circuits as them throughout the year.  

A slight calendar change sees the Red Bull Ring host the first race of the season, with the championship concluding in Mexico City.

What is the format for a W Series weekend?

W Series race weekends will see drivers undertake a 30 minute practice session on Friday, followed by a qualifying session later that day.

The race itself takes place on Saturday afternoon, lasting for around 30 minutes. 

As in Formula 1, the top ten finishers will each score championship points.

How will teams work in the 2021 W Series?

In a last-minute update before this weekend’s first race, the organisers announced a new teams format for the 2021 season. 

Ahead of a move to a full teams-based championship in 2022, this year will see seven partner teams created. Two “home teams” will accommodate the remaining drivers.

Interest from existing motorsport teams, brands like Puma, and high net worth individuals will bring extra money into the championship.

The move to introducing teams is not intended to change how the cars are prepared and built. Instead, the biggest difference will come from the introduction of new liveries featuring third-party sponsorship.

An unofficial team championship will be trialed during 2021, and extended for future seasons if successful.

How can I watch the W Series on TV?

The W Series will be broadcast live on Channel 4 throughout 2021. After football, the 2019 W Series was the most-watched female sport in the UK.

For 2021, the W Series TV team has been expanded. Lee McKenzie, David Coulthard, and Ted Kravitz all return from the inaugural 2019 W Series.

They are joined by Anna Woolhouse as presenter, Amy Reynolds as a pitlane reporter, and Naomi Schiff as an analyst. Schiff previously competed in the inaugural W Series.

Alex Jacques, will be the lead commentator. This is an extension of his lead commentary role on Channel 4’s Formula 1 coverage. He will be joined by Billy Monger, who was a race pundit for the W Series Esports League in 2020.

How can I see more about the W Series?

To capture the drama of the inaugural W Series championship, the organisers commissioned an in-depth documentary to accompany it. 

Six episodes cover the 2019 season, from initial driver selection to the individual race weekends. 

For those in the UK, all episodes can be streamed now on Channel 4’s All 4 service.

W Series 2021 Calendar

Round	Venue	Date
1	Red Bull Ring, Austria	26 June
2	Red Bull Ring, Austria	3 July
3	Silverstone Circuit, United Kingdom	17 July
4	Hungaroring, Hungary	31 July
5	Spa Francorchamps, Belgium	28 August
6	Zandvoort, Netherlands	4 September
7	Circuit of the Americas, United States	23 October
8	Mexico City, Mexico	30 October