New all-female series ready to hit the track in Germany

LONDON: Eighteen women racers will line up on the starting grid at Germany’s Hockenheim circuit today for the debut of W Series, the first all-female championship that could ultimately help break Formula One’s male monopoly.

Many more men have walked on the moon than women competing in Formula One, with Italian Lella Lombardi the last to start a grand prix in 1976 and only female to score – albeit half a point.

W Series, which can count on the expertise of a strong contingent of ex-McLaren Formula One employees including ex-racer David Coulthard, hopes to provide a platform for women to progress.

“We believe we have the best female drivers in the world driving W Series and we are going to put the world’s spotlight on them,” said chief executive Catherine BondMuir of the six-race series.

“Hopefully, we can make stars of our drivers and they therefore can attract more sponsorship so they can go on into international Formula Three, Formula Two and who knows, into Formula One.”

More than 100 women, ranging in age from 17 to 33, applied last year to compete in the series, which provides identical 1.8 litre Formula Three cars and has a US$1.5mil (RM6.2mil) prize fund.

The series winner will collect US$500,000 (RM2.1mil), with prize money down to 18th place. Races last half an hour plus one lap.

There is no cost to those selected, who were whittled down to 54, then 28 and finally 18 with two reserves after trials in Austria and Spain. A total of 13 nationalities are represented.

“Formula One is...very, very tough to reach and it is always going to be my dream, it is my dream and it will remain my dream,” Belgian-born South African Naomi Schiff told Reuters at a recent media day.

“If that is really realistic at this point, I don’t know. Hopefully the W Series will help us to move forward and closer to those goals and make that possible for younger women in the future.” — Reuters