The all-female racing championship W Series has curtailed its third season after financial difficulties.
The race set to take place at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin on Oct. 21st and the two races scheduled for the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico City starting on Oct. 28th will no longer take place, the series confirmed in a statement released Wednesday Oct. 10th:
"The required funding due to the business from a recent contracted investment was not received, forcing the remaining races of the 2022 calendar into doubt... The decision has been made to focus on the longer-term fundraising process to enable the longevity and financial health of W Series into 2023 and beyond, and enable cost cutting by cancelling the remaining races in Mexico City."
W Series announces that the final three races of the 2022 season in Austin and Mexico City, will not go ahead.
The decision has been made to focus on the longer-term fundraising process, to enable the series’ longevity into 2023 and beyond.
Full update below.— W Series (@WSeriesRacing) October 10, 2022
The early end to the season secures a third win for Jamie Chadwick, champion every year since the series began (excepting the series' 2020 hiatus due to the pandemic). Chadwick's win was barely in doubt; she ended the series with a comfortable 50 point lead in the championship standings.
W Series appears committed to further seasons, emphasizing that the current decision, though made "with both great sadness and frustration", is being made to ensure long-term financial health; the statement also mentions "the overwhelming support since the news of the series' financial difficulties was announced...the future of W Series promises to be better." Ironically, the cancellation of the final races may bring enough attention to the series to attract new investors; CEO Catherine Bond Muir noted last week before the cancellation was confirmed that "People have come out of the woodwork...unquestionably while this isn't a happy or great experience it's actually helped us a lot."
She also hinted at new investment in the statement, saying "While we aren't in a position to make a formal announcement yet... We hope to share positive news regarding the future of W Series in the coming weeks."
This is really sad for motorsports and sports in general. W series is a step forward into giving space to talented women. I hope they can manage to come back in 2023 https://t.co/IUTTf2dMZI
— Carolina (@Carolina__f1) October 10, 2022
One financial challenge for W Series is that, as part of its mission to remove barriers women face in motorsport, it is a free-to-enter championship where all participants use mechanically identical cars. Ability is the only selection factor — but this means drivers aren't required to bring in sponsorship as in comparable races. It's unclear if this contributed to the series' current crisis; the statement mentions only an investor pulling out as well as "the global economic downturn."
Muir has connected the series' challenges to the inequality women face in sport as a whole, noting "It is well-documented that women's sports receive far less funding than its male counterparts, and W series is no exception." Last week she spoke in stronger terms, saying "We've struggled from the word go. You know the stories about women's sport — the female rugby go in economy while the men go in first class... I think it's not just a motor sport issue, it's a female in sport issue."
On social media fans have expressed disappointment and hopes that the series will return.
This sucks 😐 W Series has produced some excellent racing and pushed the archaic boundaries that exist within the top tiers of the sport. I've been a fan from the first race weekend as the series is a beacon of progressive representation for many issues. 🤞it returns 😢 https://t.co/gyGVC2Z4fM
— honourary spooky girl 🎃 (@RoanDarcyFryer) October 10, 2022
