The new female-only single-seater category, W Series, has released the names of 55 drivers who have qualified through the first stages of selection.
W Series was announced in October with a mixed reception among the racing community; it will be a free-to-enter competition with a £1.5m prize fund – with £500k going to the outright champion.
The list of names on the list contains some well-known names across a large age range and countries around the world.
Drivers will be put through a rigorous testing over the next two months to prepare for a three-day on-and-off-track trial which will include fitness tests and psychometric profiling, as well as multiple driving skill tests. Former F1 stars David Coulthard and Alex Wurz will be among the judges.
Such names include British F3 race winner Jamie Chadwick, former Formula 3.5 driver Bietske Visser, 2014 Asia F3 champion Alice Powell, 2018 Porsche GB Carrera Cup driver Esme Hawkey, former F1 Lotus tester and GP3 participant Carmen Jorda and American ARCA driver Natalie Decker.
The W Series will be held over six rounds in 2019, supporting the DTM series and will use F3-specification Tatuus T-318 machinery.
Coulthard, who is a W Series Advisory Board Chairman said: "We designed W Series specifically to shine a light on female talent right around the world.
"I can’t wait to be part of the next stage and to see some of that talent in action."
Catherine Bond Muir, W Series CEO added: "We are thrilled but perhaps not surprised by the response.
"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."
For the full list of drivers, click here
