W Series Supporting Eight F1 Grand Prix’s

The 2020 F1 Season is ending by December 19th, with the Constructors & Drivers Championship having both been acquired by Mercedes AMG-Petronas by November 15th. Three GPs remain for twenty drivers on the grid, with points mattering for the Mid-Field battle. Knowing that seasonal events are closing for this year, Formula One has begun announcing new partnerships for the 2021 campaign.

It was confirmed that the “W Series” will appear in eight races with Formula One over the next season. This series is exclusively meant for female drivers & meant to highlight the skillsets women can have inside an F1 cockpit. Seven-time world champion, Lewis Hamilton, praised Formula One for making this commitment towards female drivers & noted it’s another critical step towards a diverse landscape in F1.

Hamilton was questioned on the November 13th announcement that the W Series would arrive in Formula One, where the British superstar evoked that diversity isn’t exclusive to individuals of colour & extends towards other movements like feminism. Hamilton clarified that over several decades, Formula One had been dominated by men & that anything different would be a welcomed change for most competitors. None of the male drivers would’ve competed against female opponents for 10+ years, bringing new challenges to the grid. It should be clarified that Formula One hasn’t signed any female drivers for 2021.

First Females for Formula One

Details on the schedule for “W Series: Formula One” hasn’t been revealed. The upcoming season is supporting 23 Grand Prix’s, giving organizers with the W Series preferable selection. There’ll be tracks that these female athletes haven’t ever contended & others they’ve mastered. Schedules will likely account for both those attributes, creating diverse racing for broadcasted Grand Prix’s under the W Series. This announcement means supporters will witness their first-ever introduction of female races during an F1 weekend, which is a significant step forward for diversity.