W Series 2020

New thread for the 2nd season starting here. Thanks to statman for info on some of the potential new faces.

 

here is some more info:

 

Abbie Eaton, UK

27 years old

* 2009: Production Touring Car Champion

* 2014: Mazda MX-5 Supercup Champion

* 2015: 5th in GT Cup UK - GTB

* 2016: 4th in British GT Championship GT4

* Currently in Super2 Touring Car Series in Australia

 

Abbie Munro, UK

17 years old

* Scottish Junior Rotax Kart Racing Driver and a multiple Scottish Karting Champion

* Will join British F4 Championship

 

Anna Inotsume, Japan

Difficult to find info, a lot of Japanese sites (of course )

* Currently in Asian Le Mans Series - LMP3

 

Ayla Agren, Norway

26 years old

* 2012: 4th in Skip Barber F2000 Summer Series

* 2013: 4th in F1600 Formula F Championship

* 2014: 1st in F1600 Formula F Championship

* 2015: 10th in USF2000 Championship

* 2016: 11th in USF2000 Championship

 

Belen Garcia, Spain

20 years old

* Formerly active in Spanish KZ2 Karting championship

* Currenlty in Spanish Formula 4 (first win in her second race)

 

Bruna Tomaselli, Brazil

21 years old

* 2013: 7th in Formula Junior Brazil

* 2015: 6th in Formula 4 South America

* 2016: 4th in Formula 4 South America

* 2018: 16th in USF2000 Championship

 

Chelsea Herbert, New Zealand

20 years old

* 2017: 4th in BNT NZ Touring Cars Class Two championship

* 2018: 3rd in BNT V8s Championship Series - Class 2

* 2019: 6th in BNT V8s Championship Series - Class 1

 

Courtney Crone, USA

18 years old

* Former motorcyle/buggy/dirt racer

* 2017: 3rd in Formula Car Challenge

* 2018: 1st in Formula Car Challenge - FormulaSPEED 2.0 class

 

Gabriela Jilkova, Czech Republic

24 years old

* Former Renault Clio Cup racer

* Currently in the 24H Championship

 

Hannah Grisham, USA

19 years old

* 2018: Finalist 2018 Mazda Road to 24

* Currenlty in Teen Mazda Challenge series (couple of wins)

 

Irina Sidorkova, Russia

16 years old

* 2017: 1st in Ice Circuit Racing Cup

* 2017: 2nd in TCR Russian Touring Car Championship Junior-National

* 2018: 1st in TCR Russian Touring Car Championship Junior-National

* Currently in Spanish Formula 4: (3 top 10s so far)

 

Katherine Legge, UK

Doesn't need an introduction

 

Michelle Gatting, Denmark

25 years old

* 2011: 3rd in Formula Ford Denmark Championship

* 2016: 8th in Danish Thundersport Championship

* 2017: 7th in Danish Thundersport Championship

* 2018: 3rd in OK Mobil 1 Danish Supertourisme Turbo

* Currently in European Le Mans Series - GTE (1 podium so far)

 

Nerea Marti, Spain

17 years old

* Currently in Spanish F4 (1 podium so far)

 

Happy to see a fellow Dane on this list. I've only seen Gatting's name mentioned, so I have no idea of her abilities, but with K-mag being my least-favourite F1 driver, here's hoping I can be a bit more proud of my nation in the W-series.

Dude.... you’ve got ‘TheChristina’ !!!
Not gonna find a better Dane for a while I’m sure.

Jp

True. Let's get Nielsen to Formula 1!

But she won't compete in W-series right? As far as I know she's lauded for her touring car abilities, not open-wheels. Yet I have often found that I know nothing, so this might all be wrong.

Abbie Eaton, eh? She sure knows how to drive around Old Lady's house into Substation, thats for sure!

She’s too tall for F1.
Jp

Yeah, that's always been my excuse too.

New thread for the 2nd season starting here. Thanks to statman for info on some of the potential new faces.

[...] Anna Inotsume, Japan. Difficult to find info [...]

More info : Anna Inotsume (猪爪 杏奈) had a podium finish for her debut-partial-season in F4 JAF 2019. ( http://www.f4k.co.jp...9_JAF_point.pdf )

And according to raceladys :

Anna Inotsume started her career in 2015 as part of a motorsport initiative for women conducted by Mazda Japan. She was chosen to compete in the Super Taikyu series in a Mazda Roadster as part of a women-only team, which she continued in 2018. In 2018 she debuted in the Asian Le Mans Series and joined the all-female R24 team for the Fuji race alongside Marie Iwaoka and Stephane Kox. They finished seventh in the LMP3 class.

 

Saw Abbie Eaton in a couple of races in Australia and it was quite something. She literally couldn't get around the course driving all alone without spinning off.

https://uk.reuters.c...t-idUKKBN1WB1ZW

"Jamie Chadwick, winner of the inaugural all-female W Series, has moved closer to a Formula One test after being named as one of four finalists for Britain's BRDC Young Driver of the Year award."

Edited by PayasYouRace, 26 September 2019 - 17:12.
Please don't quote entire articles without citations. Edited to a link and a single quote.

 

https://uk.reuters.c...t-idUKKBN1WB1ZW

 

"Jamie Chadwick, winner of the inaugural all-female W Series, has moved closer to a Formula One test after being named as one of four finalists for Britain's BRDC Young Driver of the Year award."

 

Jump start ?

 

The eventual winner of the award, co-sponsored by the Red Bull F1 team’s title sponsors Aston Martin...

 

Chadwick, 21, is already an Aston Martin junior driver and has competed in endurance races for the British sportscar manufacturer.

.

Chadwick is going to have another go at the Formula Ford Walter Hayes Festival. Oh to be at Silverstone in November. Given the usual torrential rain, I just hope she doesn't shrink.

First 18 in the 2020 W Series Field confirmed 
https://wseries.com/...or-2020-season/
 
Jamie Chadwick 
Beitske Visser 
Alice Powell 
Marta Garcia 
Emma Kimilainen
Fabienne Wohlwend 
Miki Koyama 
Sarah Moore 
Vicky Piria 
Tasmin Pepper 
Jessica Hawkins 
Sabre Cook 
New Entrants
Ayla Agren
Abbie Eaton
Belen Garcia 
Nerea Marti 
Irina Sidorkova
Bruna Tomaselli
 

I think they really need to revise the selection process in the future. I just don't get why all top 12 has a guaranteed seat, it should be the top 5 at maximum. They basically took away the chance from two of the youngest drivers from this year to make further progress and replace them with the likes of Abbie Eaton, who I tought already has a well estabilished career? This series could be more than just a marketing platform for women drivers we all know already.

Edited by balage06, 21 October 2019 - 07:23.

the names selected are the names I thought would've been selected. Some great talent, really looking forward to Belen Garcia and Sidorkova,

I think they really need to revise the selection process in the future. I just don't get why all top 12 has a guaranteed seat, it should be the top 5 at maximum. They basically took away the chance from two of the youngest drivers from this year to make furter progress and replace them with the likes of Abbie Eaton, who I tought already has a well estabilished career? This series could be more than just a marketing platform for women drivers we all know already.

I mean they've also selected Nerea Marti and Irina Sidorkova who are 17 and 16. So it's not like they've been replaced by entirely older, established drivers. 

Anyway, as far as I am aware, the drivers from last year weren't kicked out and were allowed to reapply. It might just be that the new applicants, including some of the youngest yet, were deemed to be better than the now outgoing drivers. 

The exact ins and outs of the process are quite unclear though. 

Edited by Ben1445, 21 October 2019 - 07:27.

I'm surprised that not one of the girls who raced last year and finished outside the top 12 made the cut this time around, I'd be interested to know if the bar was set higher for them to get back in compared to some of the newbies.

Also why only have 18 drivers again?

Surely 20 would be better, one they proved they can do it last year and also any racing car series in the teens with racing numbers always makes me think it's struggling (although I realise this isn't the case here) 

Edit:

Ignore me on the 20 drivers thing, just read the article and it explains they plan to select two more drivers 

Edited by Jellyfishcake, 21 October 2019 - 07:33.

I mean they've also selected Nerea Marti and Irina Sidorkova who are 17 and 16. So it's not like they've been replaced by entirely older, established drivers. 

But you missed my point, what if they don't make the cut next year either? Previous experience will be even more of an advantage as years go by.

But you missed my point, what if they don't make the cut next year either? Previous experience will be even more of an advantage as years go by.

Yes but if those who didn’t make it from this year reapplied and they were squared up against two younger talents who got picked then what difference does it make?

Except that wasn't the case, don't know where you got that.

https://wseries.com/...selection-test/

Except that wasn't the case, don't know where you got that.
https://wseries.com/...selection-test/

Edited by Ben1445, 21 October 2019 - 08:08.

Chadwick is going to have another go at the Formula Ford Walter Hayes Festival. Oh to be at Silverstone in November. Given the usual torrential rain, I just hope she doesn't shrink.

WHT is usually a staple of my motorsport year. I've been there in a t-shirt, i've been there in a ski-suit. You just never know what the weather will bring. 

Unfortunatley, my sister has decided that, despite my nephew being around for 11 months already. THAT Sunday is the one he'll be involuntarily introduced to God. *spits* 

^ You'll have to go to the Festival instead - God willing.

A 16 and 17 year old in next year's field!

So none of the non-automatic qualifiers managed to get themselves a second attempt. It seems to me that you really don't want to jump in to this series too soon - there's absolutely no room for a learning year where you aren't top half of the field.

Edited by Ben1445, 21 October 2019 - 09:47.

If there are two more spots up for grabs I'd like personally to see Esmee Hawkey and Megan Gilkes get a second shot. 

Edited by messy, 21 October 2019 - 09:49.

If the W series is serious about creating the next female F1 driver they should ban champions from returning to the series just like Formula 2 does for example and therefore force them into moving up the ladder. Chadwick staying devalues the championship even further in my opinion, it's basically admitting the champion is not good enough to move up into FIA F3 or F2. 

The champion wins $500.000 to fund her career. The cost of a season of old Euro F3 was between €600.000 and €800.000 and the new FIA F3 is supposed to be a bit cheaper. I'm quite sure Chadwick could've been able to find sponsors to fill the void and get herself a decent F3 seat somewhere. 

It's a shame because now we still don't know the real level of this championship.

If the W series is serious about creating the next female F1 driver they should ban champions from returning to the series just like Formula 2 does for example and therefore force them into moving up the ladder. Chadwick staying devalues the championship even further in my opinion, it's basically admitting the champion is not good enough to move up into FIA F3 or F2.

The champion wins $500.000 to fund her career. The cost of a season of old Euro F3 was between €600.000 and €800.000 and the new FIA F3 is supposed to be a bit cheaper. I'm quite sure Chadwick could've been able to find sponsors to fill the void and get herself a decent F3 seat somewhere.

It's a shame because now we still don't know the real level of this championship.

Uh, if you check the F3 thread people are quoting Prema at 1.2m so it's not cheaper at all. 

This has aged well

https://twitter.com/...988598265712641

If the W series is serious about creating the next female F1 driver 

As discussed a lot last season, this is not strictly the goal. 

W Series seems much more concerned with longer term organic growth of female participation in racing to raise the chances of one making it to F1 than it is with 'creating' the next female F1 driver from the existing talent pool. 

Also quick reminder that Super-license points are being awarded for the 2020 edition when they were not in 2019. I think that is a big influence on the championship leaders coming back rather than moving elsewhere.

Jump start ?

Yup, also have to remember that Coulthard is the President of the BRDC so I'd be shocked if the protege from his other pet project didn't take the prize for that especially with Billy Monger not in the running.

If the W series is serious about creating the next female F1 driver they should ban champions from returning to the series just like Formula 2 does for example and therefore force them into moving up the ladder. Chadwick staying devalues the championship even further in my opinion, it's basically admitting the champion is not good enough to move up into FIA F3 or F2. 

 

The champion wins $500.000 to fund her career. The cost of a season of old Euro F3 was between €600.000 and €800.000 and the new FIA F3 is supposed to be a bit cheaper. I'm quite sure Chadwick could've been able to find sponsors to fill the void and get herself a decent F3 seat somewhere. 

 

It's a shame because now we still don't know the real level of this championship.

The fact that she can't find a seat in F3 would indicate that for some reason W-Series isn't actually fulfilling it's purpose. Maybe the prize pool needs to be bigger.

If the W series is serious about creating the next female F1 driver they should ban champions from returning to the series just like Formula 2 does for example and therefore force them into moving up the ladder. Chadwick staying devalues the championship even further in my opinion, it's basically admitting the champion is not good enough to move up into FIA F3 or F2.

Eh. This is a nice idea but difficult in practice. Treating W Series as a bonafide feeder series is unnecessary IMO. I know we don't want to go down the route of almost every other sport in segregating drivers, but I think we need to make concessions early on. The series should be allowed to stand-alone as the go-to Formula for women.

I'm really happy to see a 16-17 year old on the grid. Hopefully that becomes the norm.

As an aside, I want to see much more testing for the series. The drivers are just thrown in to the deep end every weekend. Barely any time to develop over a season.

And I really wish they'd make the cars just a tiny bit faster.
 

Edited by TomNokoe, 21 October 2019 - 13:37.

Yup, also have to remember that Coulthard is the President of the BRDC so I'd be shocked if the protege from his other pet project didn't take the prize for that especially with Billy Monger not in the running.

 

He's also close to the main investor in W Series so there are probably several different angles for him. 

That's a shame. Maybe they could get her to guest if they have another non champinship race.

The fact that she can't find a seat in F3 would indicate that for some reason W-Series isn't actually fulfilling it's purpose. Maybe the prize pool needs to be bigger.

It's still only October, isn't it too early to say she definitely isn't making it in to F3 next year? Alternatively, she might have decided trying to bank another decent prize haul from W Series and using the combined amount for a top drive is better than going with whatever she might be able to get with her 2019 winnings.

Edited by MrAerodynamicist, 21 October 2019 - 16:33.

It's still only October, isn't it too early to say she definitely isn't making it in to F3 next year?

Post-season tests are underway and the Macau GP is coming in three weeks, which has been sort of a traditional starting point for upcoming drivers. If someone misses both of those, it's certainly not a good sign, at least in terms of a proper preparation.

I just looked up those 6 new drivers and I can say I'm not too impressed by their CV's. If those are 6 best they could get that's pretty disappointing.

Ayla Agren - it seems she has some talent as she was F1600 champion and USF2000 midfielder for 3 years in a row, but still, USF2000 is lowest ladder of 'Road To Indy' and she didn't show much progress in those 3 years, her results in third year were still the same like in her rookie year, she is without a podium in those 3 years, also at 26, she's a bit too old for a bigger things, and she didn't race anithing for 2,3 years now... Still, a good adition to the grid. Should be in top 10... 

Abbie Eaton - basically never drove a single-seater car before, she's racing some club level GT's and is doing alright there, very hard to judge, but with no single-seater experience at 28 years of age, I don't expect much from her...

Bruna Tomaselli - similar to Ayla, she is now in her third year of USF2000, but actually showing progress. Last year she finished 16th, this year 8th, which is alright. She also had some good results in South American F4. She is 22 years old.  Should be the best out of those 6 new drivers imo.

Garcia, Marti, Sidorkova - all 3 are in their rookie year of single-seaters and all 3 racing in spanish f4, they are at the bottom of the table, and spanish f4 is not even close on quality to italian or german f4, so not really impressive... Garcia seems to be a bit more talented than other two...

“The drivers who finish in the first 12 places in the final 2019 W Series points standings will automatically be invited to enter the 2020 W Series. Drivers who finish below the first 12 places will be permitted to apply to enter the driver selection programme for the 2020 W Series.”

(https://wseries.com/...tails-revealed/)

There’s a difference between the selection programme and a selection test within that programme.

Then let me put it this way: A little more transparency would be great regarding the selection process. The 'below-12th-place-finishers' could indeed re-apply, but if they weren't invited to the test, how did they compare them to the new applicants? I only read a shady comment, something like "the return of [the mentioned drivers] depends on how the newcomers will perform in the test", which can be interpreted in several ways.

Edited by balage06, 21 October 2019 - 16:41.

the names selected are the names I thought would've been selected. Some great talent, really looking forward to Belen Garcia and Sidorkova,

Why do you consider Sidorkova a 'great talent'? Am i missing something? She is last in Spanish F4, while her team-mate is championship leader. Can't get much more underwhelming than that...

I just looked up those 6 new drivers and I can say I'm not too impressed by their CV's. If those are 6 best they could get that's pretty disappointing.

 

Ayla Agren - it seems she has some talent as she was F1600 champion and USF2000 midfielder for 3 years in a row, but still, USF2000 is lowest ladder of 'Road To Indy' and she didn't show much progress in those 3 years, her results in third year were still the same like in her rookie year, she is without a podium in those 3 years, also at 26, she's a bit too old for a bigger things, and she didn't race anithing for 2,3 years now... Still, a good adition to the grid. Should be in top 10... 

 

Abbie Eaton - basically never drove a single-seater car before, she's racing some club level GT's and is doing alright there, very hard to judge, but with no single-seater experience at 28 years of age, I don't expect much from her...

 

Bruna Tomaselli - similar to Ayla, she is now in her third year of USF2000, but actually showing progress. Last year she finished 16th, this year 8th, which is alright. She also had some good results in South American F4. She is 22 years old.  Should be the best out of those 6 new drivers imo.

 

Garcia, Marti, Sidorkova - all 3 are in their rookie year of single-seaters and all 3 racing in spanish f4, they are at the bottom of the table, and spanish f4 is not even close on quality to italian or german f4, so not really impressive... Garcia seems to be a bit more talented than other two...

now this is what they call scorebord journalism. "She's a rookie and she's at the bottom". No kidding? Btw, the CV's are in the openings post in this topic, not sure what your narration adds...

Why do you consider Sidorkova a 'great talent'? Am i missing something? She is last in Spanish F4, while her team-mate is championship leader. Can't get much more underwhelming than that...

You mean: her teammate, who already did a couple of races last year in Spanish F4, and has also done races in FR Eurocup and Euroformula Open is doing better than someone who came from TCR? Shocking!

Do I think her teammate is better? Yes. So what?

Edited by statman, 21 October 2019 - 17:00.

Anyone know when they will be annoucing when they will be racing next  year? What annoys me is none of the top 12 have a better offer