W Series goes into administration

LONDON: Motor racing's all-female W Series has gone into administration after cutting short its 2022 season due to financial difficulties, administrators Evelyn Partners said in a statement on Thursday (Jun 15).

The series launched in 2018 as a free-to-enter championship aimed at helping female drivers climb the motorsport ladder towards Formula One but no calendar was drawn up for 2023.

Formula One, which has not had a female driver since 1976, now has its own all-female F1 Academy series. The inaugural season features seven rounds with racers supporting the US Grand Prix in Austin, Texas, in October.

Britain's Jamie Chadwick, now racing for Andretti Autosport in the US Indy Nxt series, won all three W Series titles.

"The news will be upsetting for the Company’s employees and drivers together with the worldwide supporters of the championship," said joint administrator Kevin Ley.

"The Company had been unable to commit to the 2023 race season due to its liquidity position. The directors had been in discussions with various parties to provide additional funding together with a potential sale of the business.

"Unfortunately, these discussions did not progress."

The administrators sought expressions of interest in the business and assets and said the one remaining employee of the company had been made redundant.