WSeries Race 2 at F1 Austrian Grand Prix confirmed depth of talent, scope and scale for growth over future course of the all female 8 Round Championship. Defending 2019 WSeries Champion Jamie Chadwick took top honours with rookie Irina Sidorkova and 2019 5th place Emma Kimilainen rounding out top 3 podiums.
With double header at Red Bull Ring providing the 18 driver line-up much awaited race time, Race 2 gave audience watching glimpse of the enormous strides the Series has made since debut year in 2019. Straight up from Practice, to Qualifying to Race day, lap times were close and so too were mix of experienced drivers with rookies on points table board.
Top 4 Qualifiers remained tight with Chadwick’s 1.28.473 to P4 of Bruna Tomaseli’s 1.28.865. Next tier clocked by Nerea Marti on 1.29.013 to P17 Miki Koyama on 1.29.773 left field competitive on grid and no margin for error.
As Chadwick grabbed pole, and proceeded to lead from start to finish, opportunity for rookie Irina Sidorkova to make her presence known opened floodgates on the meaning of the Series. At just 18 years of age, Sidorkova represents strategy on how WSeries aims to develop female talent in formula racing, not only within Championship Races but also aligning with the most competitive female drivers in the world.
Equally, the scope of enabling 18 drivers to race within recently announced Team structure of 2 drivers per Team provides marketing capabilities to extend viability and sustainability of Championship for future years. Attracting interest from industry entities not only provides visibility of Branding on WSeries race cars, but also establishes strategic partnerships whose premise lies in gaining global audience recognition.
To elevate talented female drivers to the world stage while at same time establishing strategies for growth and sustainability remains massive task with or without COVID pandemic. For certain, WSeries coup of gaining access to race within Formula One Championship ramps up profile to global audience, bringing racing to the eyes of many, who may not have watched all-female single-seater grid before.
And for the women- racing such a Championship extends their reach on achieving goals on the track- not once but 8 times over in a season. With double header at Red Bull Ring complete, Race 3 at Silverstone, July 16th opens yet another opportunity for all 18 women to deliver race performances matched like no other, anywhere else in the world.
Words: Sharon Cox.
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