Following a successful American debut in 2021 at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA), the W Series - an all-female racing league - will host two events in the United States in 2022.
The two US races are part of an eight-race schedule for the series. All W Series races in 2022 will be held in conjunction with Formula 1 events.
The series, designed to give female drivers international exposure in equally prepared cars, kicks off the 2022 season on May 6-8, as part of the inaugural Miami Grand Prix at the brand-new Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.
The COTA event with be next-to-last race on the calendar, Oct. 21-23, with the season finale held in Mexico City one week later.
In 2021, Jamie Chadwick and Alice Powell entered the final weekend tied in points. Chadwick took the title after winning the final two races.
“W Series’ expansion continues with the announcement of our 2022 race calendar which will see us visit more circuits and countries in a single season than ever before,” said Catherine Bond Muir, CEO of the W Series, in a release. “Last year, we began a landmark partnership with Formula 1 and our talented grid of female racing drivers proved that they belong on motor racing’s greatest stage. Their skill and determination captivated audiences around the world, culminating in a thrilling season-ending double header in Austin, Texas, USA, where a record crowd of 400,000 people attended the race weekend and saw Jamie Chadwick successfully defend her W Series title.
“I am delighted that we will be returning to the Circuit of the Americas, Silverstone and Hungary in 2022, and excited to take W Series to Miami, Spain, France, Mexico and Japan for the first time – the latter representing another landmark achievement for W Series as we make our debut in Asia.
“We have always stated our intention to make the series a truly global movement and this calendar is the next step towards achieving that.”
The two US races represent a heightened interest in the American market for both the W Series and F1. The W Series has already announced plans to host a testing session that will be conducted Jan. 31 through Feb. 4 at Inde Motorsports Ranch near Tucson, Arizona that features three American racers, Madison Aust, 16, Chloe Chambers, 17, and Lindsay Brewer, 24, among the 14 invited.
Three of the 2022 races represent a return to a track that hosted an event in 2021, giving the drivers an opportunity to build upon their set of notes. The other five will be new venues, including the first appearance in Asia at the Suzuka Circuit as part of the Japanese Grand Prix weekend in October.
2022 W Series Schedule
May 6-8: Miami, USA
May 20-22: Barcelona, Spain
July 1-3: Silverstone, United Kingdom
July 22-24: Le Castellet, France
July 29-31: Budapest, Hungary
October 7-9: Suzuka, Japan
October 21-23: Austin, USA
October 28-30 Mexico City, Mexico