W Series

[Derwent]

Is there a thread for Formula W

[BertMk2]

There was for last season - this seems like as good a place as any for this seasons discussion

I didn't catch any of the first round but I did notice that this season some of the cars are being run by different teams rather than all being controlled centrally. Presumably that means that drivers are staying in the same chassis this season - previously they swapped cars for each event.

With W Series now being on the F1 support bill do you think we'll see more W Series drivers being given roles in F1 teams? Jess Hawkins now has a role with Aston Martin, is Jamie Chadwick still with Williams? Will other teams pick up W Series drivers? It could make sense - that way teams have extra interest for sponsors over the course of the weekend in terms of on track action and can make use of the W Series driver during the F1 sessions for hosting sponsors and explaining the ins and outs of F1 to them. Will we see a Red Bull liveried W Series car at some point for example?

[Aysedasi]

My lad had a weekend off from sportscars to help with a W Series car at the RB Ring last weekend. I'm not sure who was pedalling but I think he said she finished third after starting ninth. He was very enthusiastic about the experience and was asked if he would come back again....

[kipper]

Originally Posted by BertMk2

I did notice that this season some of the cars are being run by different teams rather than all being controlled centrally. Presumably that means that drivers are staying in the same chassis this season - previously they swapped cars for each event.

The team element is a bit contrived. All the cars are still tun centrally, however, some sponsors get a couple of cars branded and race under the sponsors name. As such they're not really teams in the conventional sense.

[chunterer]

Originally Posted by Aysedasi

My lad had a weekend off from sportscars to help with a W Series car at the RB Ring last weekend. I'm not sure who was pedalling but I think he said she finished third after starting ninth. He was very enthusiastic about the experience and was asked if he would come back again....

Sounds cool? He's getting some varied experience then?

[Aysedasi]

Yep, GTs, protos, single seaters.....

[bella]

Originally Posted by BertMk2

TWith W Series now being on the F1 support bill do you think we'll see more W Series drivers being given roles in F1 teams? Jess Hawkins now has a role with Aston Martin, is Jamie Chadwick still with Williams? Will other teams pick up W Series drivers? It could make sense - that way teams have extra interest for sponsors over the course of the weekend in terms of on track action and can make use of the W Series driver during the F1 sessions for hosting sponsors and explaining the ins and outs of F1 to them. Will we see a Red Bull liveried W Series car at some point for example?

in my mind, it's a short term marketing exercise. and i'm kind of surprised every f1 team hasn't seen the merit of having a female driver on their books. they don't have to be beating all the boys hands down. that's not what participation and representation is about.

that said, looking at the group photo, it's still a total sausage fest on the off-track side. it still feels uncomfortable to be forcing gender segregation. f1 is doing a much better job of sharing women's stories as part of the workforce, but i guess w series isn't about the entire female experience in the sport.

[Derwent]

I can't understand the business model as to how it is funded, as the organisation provide the cars and back up and there are no main sponsors I can see. I do find it a bit sexist that the interview pre race are invariably done with the girls wearing their tight fitting Nomex under suits. In other series drivers have their race suits pulled up so their sponsorship logos can be seen. The top girls like Jamie Chadwick would hold their own against the guys.

[peebee2]

Originally Posted by kipper

The team element is a bit contrived. All the cars are still tun centrally, however, some sponsors get a couple of cars branded and race under the sponsors name. As such they're not really teams in the conventional sense.

Are there any actual sponsors? Or just silly made up names?

[peebee2]

Originally Posted by Derwent

The top girls like Jamie Chadwick would hold their own against the guys.

Based on 2020 (and earlier), she is miles off.

[bella]

the business model isn't really something they discuss beyond saying they have it covered. as long as driver expenses are being covered and people are getting paid on time, i'm happy with that explanation.

but the entire concept is outdated by about a decade, fifteen years in terms of its place in trying to break down the good old motorsport patriarchy. and even though the concept is outdated, the vast majority of technical staff are male which is really interesting in terms of clashes of progress.

to me, beth paretta's indycar project is far, FAR more significant in its effect on female participation in the sport. it's not simply using us as marketing tools. she's operating within a male space, competing against men, in the same context, and she has an almost entirely female staff doing so. she doesn't use a silly little twee marketing concept to talk about it either.

to contrast that with f1, you couldn't run a f1 car purely with female staff, even if you drew people from all the teams. you couldn't do it in gt, you couldn't do it in endurance although both are getting closer than f1 from what i see.

so why are we obsessed with getting women into driving when the real investment needs to be literally from year dot - the moment society teaches little girls that it's icky to play in the dirt is the moment we've lost the game.

[chillibowl]

the bigger prize may be increasing the size of the viewing audience?

because this race came on right after F1 and i had kept the TV on, my eight year old niece accidently saw it and went from thinking motorsports was stupid to watching the full session and the post race podium celebration.

i doubt very much this changed her future life goals or anything but she did ask me if we can go karting after.

at the least motorsports may have earned a new fan that they otherwise would not have.

maybe its how/when it gets broadcast here but smart move placing it after the F1 session. having F1 coverage as your lead in is a better way to get eyeballs on it. dont understand why F2 didnt do this.

[tux]

It did, W Series has the time slot on the weekend that F2 uses for one of its 3 races a weekend.

[NaBUru38]

Hungaroring is this Saturday.

[Aysedasi]

Yep, my lad is there again (as he was at Silverstone).

[schanche]

Have to say have enjoyed it so far good racing and great series keep it coming

[NaBUru38]

Standings after Zandvoort:

1. GBR Alice Powell, 109
1. GBR Jamie Chadwick, 109
3. FIN Emma Kimiläinen, 75
4. ESP Nerea Mart?*, 53
5. SUI Fabienne Wohlwend, 40
6. GBR Sarah Moore, 38



Next round is planned for October 23 at Austin.

[NaBUru38]

Final standings after Austin:

1. GBR Jamie Chadwick, 159
2. GBR Alice Powell, 132
3. FIN Emma Kimiläinen, 108
4. ESP Nerea Mart?*, 64
5. GBR Sarah Moore, 56
6. SUI Fabienne Wohlwend, 40
7. GBR Abbi Pulling, 40 (missed half the races)
8. NED Beitske Visser, 38

[NaBUru38]

Former IMSA driver Caitlyn Jenner became a W Series team owner.

[NaBUru38]

A driver selection test was held in Arizona. Included was Uruguayan driver Maite Cáceres, sister of one-time Champ Car driver Juan Ignacio Cáceres and daughter of Punta del Este Grand Prix promoter Fernando Cáceres.

[andrewc]

Not sure how the team owner thing works. Unless they're changing it, the cars were centrally prepared, so the teams are different to normal racing teams, unless they assign the same staff to the teams.

The drivers are selected by W-Series themselves.

Caitlyn Jenner gets her name on a couple of cars and presumably a free pass to other events, so not quite sure what his/her actual involvement will be.

[bella]

just seems to be a franchise symbolic thing, afaik they're still centrally staffed and prepared.

[Tourer]

W Series CEO defends likely return of double champion Jamie Chadwick.

Don't know how we'd check out the series from here in Oz but wasn't one of the main aims to provide a platform for the women racing in it to spring into other categories? Jamie Chadwick has a test/development role with Williams but if a double champion can't get into anything else, is the series' set up the right way?

[peebee2]

The problem is that she simply isn’t anywhere near good enough, as has been proven time and again now.

Also, I think Williams ended that association.

[NaBUru38]

This is pointless.


They should have given the champion a full scholarship in FIA F3.