Top official for the women's open-wheel racing series hopes the Formula 1 support series can return in 2023.
- The W Series open-wheel racing series is closing up shop for 2022 due to financial concerns.
- The series, which competed as a support series to Formula 1, was scheduled to race three more times in 2022—at Circuit of the Americas at Austin, Texas on Oct. 22 and a doubleheader at Mexico City on Oct. 29-30.
- Series organizers are not giving up hope on a return in 2023.
The W Series is ceasing operations for 2022 with hopes of a return in 2023.
Officials of the W Series—the open-wheel series that featured a full field of women drivers and a support series to Formula 1—announced on its website that the series was closing up shop for 2022 due to financial concerns. The early end to the season means the series will not race, as scheduled, a single race Oct. 22 at Austin, Texas, or its planned October 29-30 doubleheader at Mexico City.
According to a post on the W Series website, “the required funding due to the business from a recent contracted investment was not received.”
Jamie Chadwick was the driver’s title all three seasons of the W Series.
Dan MullanGetty Images
The series featured drivers competing in Tatuus F3 T-318 race cars homologated to FIA F3 specifications. The series was a free-to-play series for the drivers invited to participate. The series provided similarly prepared cars.
The statement on the W Series website left open the possibility of a return for the series in 2023.
Catherine Bond Muir (Chief Executive Officer, W Series) said:
“It’s with both great sadness and frustration that we announce that our much-anticipated final three races of the 2022 season in Austin and Mexico City will not go ahead,” said W Series CEO Catherine Bond Muir. “As a start-up in only our third season of racing, we are always working hard to ensure regularity of funding as we continue to grow our business, but due to recent unforeseen circumstances outside of W Series’ control, we had not been in receipt of contracted funds due to us.
“Therefore, we have been forced to make the unfortunate decision not to complete our scheduled calendar this season. We would like to thank both Circuit of The Americas and Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez’s Grupo CIE for their support as promoters of our events in Austin and Mexico City respectively, and apologize to both them and our fans that we will not be able to go racing there this year.
“We have worked hard to raise the required funding to enable us to finish the season. Unfortunately, it was not possible to do this in the short time frame required following the failure of contracted funds to arrive and the global economic downturn. However, while we are all incredibly disappointed that this decision has had to be made in the short term, we remain positive about the future of W Series in the long term. It is well-documented that women’s sports receive far less funding than its male counterparts, and W Series is no exception. We are incredibly thankful for the help and support we have received in recent weeks following the news of the financial difficulties we’ve been facing, which has accelerated our fundraising process and given us great optimism as we look to 2023 and beyond.”
Shutting down the season know makes Jamie Chadwick is named champion for a third consecutive season. Chadwick recently tested in Indy Lights car for Andretti Autosport. Chadwick dominated the series virtually from start to finish, winning 11 times and reaching the podium 18 times in 20 career starts over seasons.
𝟯 𝗫 𝗪 𝗦𝗘𝗥𝗜𝗘𝗦 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗠𝗣𝗜𝗢𝗡 🏆Four pole positions, five wins, @JamieChadwick has had an awesome season.
Today we celebrate Jamie’s epic year, a well-deserved champ. 👏#WSeries pic.twitter.com/Geh7ieNj2x— W Series (@WSeriesRacing) October 11, 2022
The lone American racer in the W Series, Chloe Chambers, last month tested a Formula 3 car at Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours, France. The 18-year-old Jenner Racing driver finished 17th in the W Series Drivers’ Standings. She was Chadwick’s teammate this season.
A little peek behind the scenes of Chloe Chambers and Nerea Marti’s #F3 test 🤏👀
The duo spent Saturday getting a feel for the machinery on our second day at Magny-Cours 💪#F3Testing pic.twitter.com/UjfYBRnf7S— Formula 3 (@FIAFormula3) September 18, 2022
“While we aren’t in a position to make a formal announcement yet, there are many positive conversations ongoing and all parties share our passion for and belief in our mission to provide our incredible field of women drivers a platform to showcase their talents and to race in front of enthusiastic fans all around the world,” Muir said. “We are doing everything we can to ensure the long-term financial health of our business and we look forward to W Series’ continued growth and success.
“Having set up W Series in 2018, I am acutely accustomed to the relentless work that goes on to not only keep our business operational, but also acquire the fundraising and sponsorship to grow our business further, supporting our talented drivers and hard-working personnel who put their heart and soul into driving W Series and our mission forward. We are grateful for the continued support of our incredible and growing fanbase, and we hope to share positive news regarding the future of W Series in the coming weeks.”
Mike Pryson Mike Pryson covered auto racing for the Jackson (Mich.) Citizen Patriot and MLive Media Group from 1991 until joining Autoweek in 2011.
Keyword: Financial Woes Force W Series to End Season Early