The FIA-sanctioned W Series has created plenty of waves since its debut back in 2019.
The brainchild of CEO Catherine Bond Muir, an avid motorsport and Formula 1 enthusiast, the W Series was created to not only nurture and build the profiles of the best female drivers in the world, but inspire the next generation of females to take on motorsport.
W Series also hopes to discover the next female driver to compete in Formula 1, the top echelon of motorsport.
It has been 30 years since Italian driver Giovanna Amati attempted to qualify for a Grand Prix. In fact, the first and only female driver to secure a championship point was in 1975, when the late Lella Lombardi finished sixth in the crash-shortened Spanish Grand Prix. Lombardi scored half a point that day, in large part due to the race not completing the required 60% distance.
Following on from a successful second season that saw it support Formula 1 for the first time last year, the W Series is back on the bill with a double header at the inaugural Miami Grand Prix this weekend.
The opening two rounds are part of a 10-round season that will see 20 drivers across 10 teams compete against each other in 30-minute races.
In addition to Silverstone, Hungaroring and the Circuit of the Americas, this season will also take the drivers to four new venues: the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Circuit Paul Ricard, Suzuka Circuit and Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.
Of the 20 drivers ready to take part in the third season of the W Series, the biggest representation comes from Great Britain, who have six drivers lining up.
Spain have three drivers, the Netherlands have two, the USA, Brazil, Philippines, Czech Republic and Japan all have one, and they’re all trying to chase down two-time defending champion, Jamie Chadwick.
The 23-year-old from Bath will be hoping for a hat-trick of series wins in 2022. She won the inaugural season with Hitech GP in 2019, before joining Veloce Racing and retaining her title in 2021. Now, under the wing of F1 team Williams Racing as a development driver, she will form part of the high-profile Jenner Racing outfit, led by Caitlyn Jenner.
SBS On Demand is your home for all things W Series once again in 2022, with expanded coverage across every round of qualifying and racing, including a half-hour highlights show on SBS.
It all gets underway this weekend and SBS On Demand will have all the action from the qualifying, Round 1 and Round 2 races available for catch-up.
