W Series unveils initial 55-driver list

The championship, backed by the likes of former grand prix winner David Coulthard and esteemed F1 tech chief Adrian Newey, was announced in October with a $1.5 million prize fund and no budget requirements from prospective participants.

It is set to be held over six rounds in 2019 and use F3-specification Tatuus T-318 machinery.

The organisers say they have been contacted by “more than 100 applicants from 30 countries around the world”, from which the current 'longlist' was selected.

“We are thrilled but perhaps not surprised by the response,” series CEO Catherine Bond Muir said.

“Even today there is a massive gender imbalance in motorsport and W Series is making the first step to correct that.

“Drivers from all over the world have stepped forward, so it's clear that with the right framework we can make the changes this sport desperately needs.”

BMW-backed former Red Bull junior Beitske Visser, ex-Renault Sport Academy driver Marta Garcia, former Lotus F1 tester Carmen Jorda and British GT class champion Jamie Chadwick are among the highest-profile names in the initial roster, which includes racers from a wide array of categories.

Alongside Jorda are fellow former GP3 full-timers Vicky Piria, Samin Gomez and Alice Powell, the latter a champion in Formula Renault UK and Asia categories, while a number of sportswomen with entry-level open-wheel experience from various F4 categories have also applied.

Alice Powell

Photo by: GP3 Series Media Service

The USA racing scene is represented by several names from the Road to Indy - among them former F1600 champion Ayla Agren - but also competitors from other forms of circuit motorsport, most notably 21-year-old Natalie Decker, who made headlines by taking pole for the ARCA opener at the Daytona oval earlier this year.

Former single-seater and STCC driver Emma Kimilainen and Lamborghini Super Trofeo racer Shea Holbrook are some of the more experienced drivers in the list.

Also featuring is Sarah Moore, who won the BTCC-supporting Ginetta Junior series all the way back in 2009.

This list is to be whittled down to a final grid of 18 after “a three-day on-and-off-track trial” and a subsequent series of track tests with the W Series car.

The selection panel will include Coulthard, series racing director Dave Ryan and former F1 driver Alex Wurz.

Powell, Piria, Holbrook, Kimilainen, Naomi Schiff and Stephane Kox will represent the series in ambassadorial roles during this weekend's Autosport Awards in London.

Full list

Driver	Age	Background
Ayla Agren	25	Road to Indy, F1600 (champion)
Amna Al Qubaisi	18	Italian F4
Chelsea Angelo	22	Supercars Development Series
Carmen Boix Gil	22	NASCAR Whelen Euro
Sarah Bovy	29	Lamborghini Super Trofeo
Toni Breidinger	19	USAC Midget, ARCA
Ivana Cetinich	22	Kart racing
Jamie Chadwick	20	British F3, British GT (GT4 champion)
Veronika Cicha	31	Boss GP
Sabre Cook	24	Road to Indy, US F4
Courtney Crone	17	Formula Car Challenge
Natalie Decker	21	ARCA
Mira Erda	18	JK Tyre Championship
Carlotta Fedeli	26	TCR
Cassie Gannis	27	NASCAR K&N
Marta Garcia	18	Spanish F4
Michelle Gatting	24	Danish Supertourisme
Angelique Germann	27	Austrian F3
Megan Gilkes	17	F1200 Canada
Samin Gomez	26	GP3
Grace Gui	27	Asian Formula Renault
Michelle Halder	19	TCR Germany
Esmee Hawkey	20	Porsche Carrera Cup GB
Jessica Hawkins	23	Mini Challenge
Shea Holbrook	28	Lamborghini Super Trofeo
Carmen Jorda	30	GP3
Vivien Keszthelyi	17	Audi SS R8 Cup
Emma Kimilainen	29	STCC
Natalia Kowalska	28	Formula Two
Stephane Kox	24	GT4 European
Miki Koyama	21	Japanese F4
Fabienne Lanz	32	Kart racing
Milla Makela	25	Finnish Formula Ford
Alexandra Marinescu	18	British F4
Milou Mets	28	LMV8 Oval Series
Sheena Monk	29	Lamborghini Super Trofeo
Sarah Moore	25	LMP3, Ginetta Junior (champion)
Marylin Niederhauser	22	GT4 European
Tasmin Pepper	28	VW Engen Polo Cup
Vicky Piria	25	GP3, European F3 Open
Taegen Poles	20	Kart racing
Alice Powell	25	GP3, Formula Renault UK (champion)
Charlotte Poynting	20	Aussie Racing Cars
Naomi Schiff	24	Formula Renault 2.0, GT4 European
Carrie Schreiner	20	Lamborghini Super Trofeo (Middle East Pro-Am champion)
Sharon Scolari	23	Formula Renault 2.0
Doreen Seidel	33	VW Scirocco, GT4 European
Siti Shahkirah	24	F4 SEA
Sneha Sharma	28	JK Tyre Championship
Bruna Tomaselli	21	Road to Indy
Shirley van der Lof	32	German F3
Beitske Visser	23	Formula Renault 3.5, GT4 European
Fabienne Wohlwend	21	Ferrari Europe
Caitlin Wood	21	Blancpain GT
Hanna Zellers	21	US F4, IMSA Prototype Challenge