The W Series, a ground-breaking racing series for women that launched in October 2018 to change the racing industry stereotypes and provide opportunity for women in racing has announced its second season of drivers.
After extensive three-day, on-track test sessions at Almeria (southern Spain) last month, and reviewing rigorous lap-time assessment and data-analysis, the W Series has selected six new drivers to race in 2020. They will join the top 12 returning drivers who automatically qualified for the 2020 W Series championship as a result of having finished inside the top 12 in the 2019 W Series championship season.
The 18 confirmed drivers for the 2020 W Series championship
| DRIVER | Country | Age | Pts Position |
| Jamie Chadwick | UK | 21 | 1st |
| Beitske Visser | Netherlands | 24 | 2nd |
| Alice Powell | UK | 26 | 3rd |
| Marta Garcia | Spain | 19 | 4th |
| Emma Kimilainen | Finland | 30 | 5th |
| Fabienne Wohlwend | Lichetenstein | 21 | 6th |
| Miki Koyama | Japan | 21 | 7th |
| Sarah Moore | UK | 25 | 8th |
| Vicky Piria | Italy | 25 | 9th |
| Tasmin Pepper | South Africa | 29 | 10th |
| Jessica Hawkins | UK | 24 | 11th |
| Sabre Cook | USA | 24 | 12th |
| Ayala Agren | Norway | 25 | New |
| Abbie Eaton | UK | 27 | New |
| Belen Garcia | Spain | 20 | New |
| Nerea Marti | Spain | 17 | New |
| Irina Sidorkova | Russia | 16 | New |
| Bruna Tomaselli | BRasil | 21 | New |
Two more 2020 W Series championship drivers will be announced at a later date, bringing the total to 20. Over 40 new drivers applied for consideration in the series.
It’s an impressive list, including the top 12 from our 2019 season, and six new drivers, who all performed well at Almeria. The result is a varied and international group, comprising 18 drivers from 12 countries, ranging in age from the super-experienced Finn, Emma Kimilainen, 30, to the very promising young Russian, Irina Sidorkova, 16.
Catherine Bond Muir (Chief Executive Officer, W Series)
Our commiserations go to those whom we haven’t selected, but sadly their disappointment is simply an example of the jeopardy inherent in any athlete’s life at the higher levels of competitive sport. The more you can win, the more you can lose.
I was generally impressed by the 14 drivers whom we tested and appraised at Almeria [southern Spain] last month, and making our selection was correspondingly difficult. But we’ve crunched all the data to the best of our ability, and I’m therefore confident that the 18 drivers whom we’ve selected so far represent an excellent line-up. But we’ve left two spaces available, to allow us a little more time to select the final two drivers who, together with the 18 drivers we’ve already selected, will make up the 20 drivers who’ll contest the 2020 W Series championship.
Dave Ryan (Racing Director, W Series)
More information on the W Series
Visit their website: http://www.wseries.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wseriesracing/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wseriesracing/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/w-series/