W Series Adds Two Races To F1 Undercard
The W Series will feature on the Formula 1 support-race bill for the first time, delivering two new races alongside F1 in 2020.
The all-female single seater motorsport series will stage races at the USA and Mexico F1 Grand Prixs, with W Series races taking place on the Saturdays of both meetings.
Across the final two weekends in the W Series calendar, the newly-announced events will be the culmination to the series’ second year. The 2020 season will take drivers to eight races across Europe and the Americas.
Catherine Bond Muir, CEO, W Series, also confirmed that the first six races will once again take place alongside DTM German Touring Car Masters races.
“We at W Series are absolutely delighted that, in only our second season, our championship has been welcomed by Formula 1, and we’re utterly thrilled that the final two races of the 2020 W Series season will therefore take place as part of the Formula 1 platform,” she said.
“Interest in and enthusiasm for W Series was enormous in our first season, 2019, among media and fans alike, and the addition of two all-new W Series races on the Formula 1 platform will inevitably increase that enthusiasm and interest. Commercially, too, following the successful recent announcement of W Series’ new multi-year sponsor-partnership with ROKiT Phones, the fact that W Series will be even bigger and even better in 2020 than it was in 2019 will make the return on investment for our future sponsor-partners better and bigger, too.
“A lot of work has gone into stitching the W Series / Formula 1 deal together, but above all I want to thank W Series’drivers, the brave and talented young women who captured the imagination of the sporting world last summer. Mark my words: they’ll do so again this year, from May to October, all over the world.”
In 2019, Bond Muir told the Sport Industry Breakfast Club that she expects the W Series to be profitable in year three. Ahead of the first season, the series signed up suppliers such as Tatuus and ATS Motorsport, who provided cars and hardware, while first Major Partner ROKiT Phones has already come on board ahead of season two.
Forming the final two rounds of the W Series season, the USA race will take place at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, on 24th October, with the Mexico City coming one week later, ensuring a championship-deciding double header ends the series’ second year.
Ross Brawn, Managing Director, Motorsport, Formula 1, said: “We are delighted to welcome W Series to two such spectacular events of the 2020 FIA Formula 1 World Championship such as those in Austin and Mexico City.
“In just one year, W Series has contributed significantly to increasing interest in the topic of diversity and inclusion in motorsport.
“We are convinced that our sport must offer equal opportunities for men and women to compete together – it is no coincidence that improving the diversity of the F1 grid by supporting and promoting driver talent from under-represented backgrounds is one of our strategic objectives.
“The ability for the great crowds who traditionally attend the Austin and Mexico City Grands Prix to see these talented female drivers up close will definitely further raise the awareness of the importance of inclusion and diversity in motorsport.”
In 2019, British driver Jamie Chadwick won the inaugural W Series season. She will compete again in the 2020 season, when the series will be added to the list of championships awarding FIA Super Licence points.
