All you need to know about W Series
WHO WILL BE RACING?
THE top 18 to 20 women drivers drawn from across the world. The drivers will enter free of charge and be selected on merit after testing in the car, on simulators and through physical trials. The assessment will be led by multiple F1 race winner David Coulthard and Red Bull’s legendary designer Adrian Newey.
HOW WILL IT WORK?
STARTING in May, the series will feature six 30-minute races at European circuits, including in Britain, and expand to America, Asia and Australia in coming seasons. The champion will receive £380,000 in the first year, with increased prize money as more sponsors hopefully come on board.
WHAT CARS WILL THEY DRIVE?
SINGLE-SEATERS provided by W Series and all mechanically identical. They will be powered by 1.8-litre, turbocharged engines. As with other top formulas, the cars will have adjustable aerodynamics and slick tyres. They will also be fitted with F1-style halo safety devices.
WILL WE BE ABLE TO WATCH ON TV?
ALMOST certainly. Organisers are finalising TV deals, having attracted broadcast interest from around the world. Sky have expressed an interest in the UK, but no contract has been agreed yet.
WILL THE RACES BE HELD DURING F1 WEEKENDS?
THEY will be staged on F1 circuits mostly, but not during grand prix weekends, at least not in 2019. Liberty Media, F1’s owners, will monitor the series before considering whether to add it to their roster.
ARE WOMEN NOT ALLOWED IN F1 NOW?
YES, they are. It’s just that only two women have raced in 68 years of the world championship. And it may be getting harder for them to break in. Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has estimated that it costs £8million to get from karting to F1 — a lot of money for anyone, but perhaps harder to raise for women given the lack of visible female talent in Formula One.
HOW CAN THE W SERIES CHANGE THAT?
BEING free to enter, the W Series grid will be filled on merit rather than according to the level of an individual’s backing. And, with women’s sports now attracting unprecedented coverage, sponsors would potentially be attracted to the new platform, easing the financial burden. Given they will be driving identical cars, it will also be easy to see who deserves to graduate up the existing motor-racing pyramid, which has F1 at the top.