All hope is lost for aspiring Women F1 drivers as W Series becomes a big failure

The W series has become a failure mainly due to the lack of investment .

All hope is lost for aspiring Women F1 drivers as W Series becomes a big failure

Jamie Chadwick, Image via Twitter

The W series is an open-wheel racing championship exclusively for women. Debuted in 2019 with a six-race schedule and twenty drivers. It aimed to promote female participation and help them progress to the highest levels of motorsports, particularly, Formula One. Members of the F1 community, like Adrian Newey and David Coulthard, backed the series. The 2021 season of the event featured eight races, but things took a turn after that.

The most popular racing class for women is now fading away. The 2022 season was canceled mid-way due to financial issues. Though they hoped to bring it back for the 2023 season, there are no signs of revival. The sponsors and funding are highly significant in motorsports, but there is a lack of investment in women drivers to some extent. The female drivers are very interested in racing, but the main constraint is the budget, it is unlikely that the W series will be able to take place this year.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwScxeCFCMA

Formula One aspires to be diverse. It is the pinnacle of motorsports and is not exclusive to men. Women are allowed to participate in the sport. There are no rules forbidding women from doing so. As the years have gone by, the FIA and the F1 teams are interested in diversity now more than ever. They want to give women equal opportunities.

Most of the Formula One team try to involve women in the sport. During Alpine’s 2023 car launch, the team presented their gender diversity program, Race(H)er. The aim is to increase women’s participation and include a female driver. The team wants to break the typical stereotypes and allow women to race. Sophia Floersch, currently competing in Formula 3, and Abbi Pulling, who drives in F1 Academy, were added to this training. 

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Hamad and Pulling with Alpine, Image Via Republic World

Williams has Jamie Chadwick on their team, she is a well-known name for women in Formula One. She is regarded as one of the best female talents in F1. Chadwick is the development driver for Williams in Formula One. She actively races in Indy NXT. Chadwick can easily be spotted in the Williams garage during the Grand Prix. Aston Martin is known for its diversity, they announced the possibility of Jessica Hawkins, a British racing driver, taking a seat in the simulator. She might test in a Formula One car, but nothing is set in stone yet. Aurelia Nobels, the F4 driver, was included in the Ferrari academy. Alfa Romeo added Lena Buhler to their program, she will drive in the F1 Academy next season. 

Nothing needs to be said about Mercedes regarding women, as Sir Lewis Hamilton is heavily involved in diversity, it is his core. The team has been welcoming female participation for quite some time. However, the sport has not seen a female Formula One driver in so long. There have been 5 female drivers in the sport throughout the years, but they did not sustain.

Women in racing are not as popular as men. The Formula One organization has given a fair chance for women through their F1 Academy. It is an all-women racing series. There are five teams and fifteen cars in total. The aim is to focus on women drivers and help them reach the premier class series eventually. With Formula One’s help, there might be a chance for women.

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