POLE POSITION FOR COTTINGHAM AS VOICE OF W SERIES

THE bosses of motor racing’s all-female W Series are thrilled to have landed a terrestrial TV deal and the lead commentator will be a woman for the first time in motorsport — the largely unknown Claire Cottingham (left). She will share the commentary box with David Coulthard, the 13-time Formula One race winner and chairman of the new series’ advisory board, starting in Hockenheim on Saturday. Whisper Films, owned by Coulthard and BT Sport’s Jake Humphrey, are producing the coverage, which will be shown on Channel 4. The programmes will be presented by Lee McKenzie, with Sky’s Ted Kravitz also adding gravitas in the pit lane. Credit, at least, to W Series for managing what F1 no longer does — regular, live, free-to-air exposure.