The W Series has officially announced that the last two race weekends in Austin and Mexico will be removed from the calendar. The women's racing series has run out of money. It is questionable whether there will be a restart in 2023.
The W Series was only launched in 2019 with a lot of media hype. The organizers wanted to promote young female drivers with their own formula championship, in which men were not allowed to take part. In the one-size-fits-all series, where slimmed-down Formula 3 racers are used, the women should have the opportunity to develop in peace and then prove themselves in other categories.
But after almost four years, the concept seems to have failed. The 2020 season had to be canceled completely due to Corona. The 2022 racing year is now coming to an early end. In the end, the organizers simply ran out of money. The series has been plagued by financing problems for a long time. The race weekend in Singapore is said to have only taken place because the local promoters had taken on the costs of transporting the cars.
The two remaining events in Austin and Mexico are now finally gone. The W Series should actually compete here as part of Formula 1. But the series lacks the financial means to hold the last races of the season. That's why the organizers announced late on Monday evening (October 10th) that racing would be suspended for this year. Apparently, due to the global economic crisis, promised income did not flow.
Will the W Series 2023 continue?
It is now also clear that Jamie Chadwick can celebrate the championship a little earlier than planned. But the title for the Briton would hardly have been in danger. Chadwick, who was crowned champion in 2019 and 2021, leads the drivers' standings by 50 points. Despite her outstanding record, the 24-year-old has not yet made the jump to another series. After a recent test with an Andretti Autosport Indy Lights car, her career in the junior IndyCar series could continue. However, the change would only be an additional sideways step on the way to a top championship.
The big question is whether the W Series can start again in 2023. The organizers are currently looking for new donors. Managing Director Catherine Bond Muir was optimistic that the championship still has a future: "Unfortunately, we can't make any concrete announcements yet, but we are currently having a lot of positive talks. We're doing everything we can to put our business on a financially sound footing in the long term and look forward looking forward to growth and success in the future."
