Chadwick to defend W Series crown

Inaugural W Series Champion Jamie Chadwick has confirmed that she will return to the category to defend her title in 2021.

The all-female series debuted back in 2019 with Chadwick crowned the winner, and since then she has gone on to join the Williams team as a development driver.

Sadly the W Series was cancelled in 2020 due to the global pandemic, but in 2021 it will return with an eight-race calendar, while it will also join the programme of support races for the Formula 1 calendar at selected rounds.

And Chadwick will be back to defend her crown, while she recently signing with Veloce for the new electric off-road Extreme E series which starts in 2021.

Chadwick also competed for Prema in the 2020 Formula Regional European Championship, picking up a single podium finish with P3. She would finish the season with 80 points.

The W Series uses identical Formula 3 cars to ensure that the drivers are on a level playing field.

“People are most aware of me because of W Series and the last two years have been a life-changing whirlwind,” said Chadwick.

“Winning the inaugural W Series Championship in 2019 was the biggest stepping stone in my career, providing me with so many amazing opportunities.”

The United States and Mexican GPs have been confirmed as the Formula 1 rounds where the W Series will also be in action, while the remaining six W Series races will take place across European Formula 1 rounds.

“I am relishing the prospect of racing on some of the greatest circuits in the world,” Chadwick added, as quoted by the BBC.

“It just proves that W Series’ mission to provide greater opportunities for women in motorsport is working.

“FIA super-licence points will be on the line and, having already had a taste of the F1 world in my role as development driver for the Williams F1 team, I am determined to earn as many as possible and move a step closer to my dream of competing in Formula 1.”

Alice Powell, Sarah Moore, Abbie Eaton and Jessica Hawkins join Chadwick in what is a healthy British representation for the 2021 W Series season.

The full 2021 W Series calendar is as follows…

Le Castellet, France (French Grand Prix) – June 26

Spielberg, Austria (Austrian Grand Prix) – July 3

Silverstone, England (British Grand Prix) – July 17

Budapest, Hungary (Hungarian Grand Prix) – July 31

Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium (Belgian Grand Prix) – August 28

Zandvoort, Netherlands (Dutch Grand Prix) – September 4

Austin, USA (United States Grand Prix) – October 23

Mexico City, Mexico (Mexican Grand Prix) – October 30

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