WSeries Round 2 takes place this weekend as support category for Formula One Barcelona Grand Prix with defending Champion 2x Jamie Chadwick standing top of the points table ahead of Spanish driver Nerea Marti and WSeries Vice Champion in 2019, Beitske Visser. With double race victory at WSeries Opening Round at F1 Miami Grand Prix 2 weeks previous, Chadwick has banked valuable 50 points already, with Nerea and Beitske standing on 23 and 21 respectively.
Having made debut appearance in 2021 WSeries Round 3 at Silverstone and now competing in her first full season, Abi Pulling achieved solid results in Opening Races at Miami, finishing P5 and P6 for P4 Overall. Standing on 18 points tied in Championship, British driver Jessica Hawkins, fellow compatriot Alice Powell and Spanish F4 Women Champion Belen Garcia complete top 7 standings heading into Race 3 this weekend.
With Race 1 and 2 at F1 Miami GP run under different circumstances, with Red Flags and Safety Cars affecting results for number of drivers, fair to say racing at the familiar Circuit de Barcelona- Catalunya will be tighter. Not only do all 18 female drivers have the knowledge of completing WSeries test at the track earlier this year, but also there will be switch of cars- with Toyota Gazoo Racing NZ providing 18 cars for Barcelona GP and Suzuka GP in October.
Under the collaborative initiative between WSeries and TGRNZ, drivers will make slight adaptation from the Series Tatuus FT-60 cars powered by Alfa Romeo 1.75L engine to the F1 homologated TRS FT-60 car with Toyota’s 2.0L engine. As explained by Toyota Gazoo Racing NZ Motorsport Manager Nicolas Caillol, the slight difference will be more torque at lower RPM than the Autotecnica engine.
From perspective of racing, all drivers will be seeking to maximize performance on track- with Practice and Qualifying taking place on Friday May 20 followed by Race 3 on Saturday mid-afternoon. For certain anticipation is building as drivers standing mid-table strive to gain upwards momentum with the likes of Finnish driver Emma Kimilainen making amends for unfortunate incidents at Miami, along with Brazilian Bruna Tomaselli, Brit Sarah Moore, 12th placed Marta Garcia determined to pull off consistent performance in temperatures which are set to peak at 30 degrees.
Newly selected drivers for the season have work cut out to break top 10, not impossible as achieved by Abi Pulling who pulled off 2nd podium at 2021 WSeries Race 2 at Austin, Texas. American Chloe Chambers nudged her standings to P13 Overall, with Philippine driver Bianca Bustamante on P11 and Dutch driver Emely de Haus rounding out points table in 14th place.
All up, plenty on the table, plenty to take on board and plenty of action to come when WSeries – Toyota Gazoo Racing NZ cars with drivers hit the track tomorrow.
Header Photo: WSeries Opening Round One at Formula One Miami Grand Prix Image: WSeries
Words: Sharon Cox.
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