W Series has confirmed the final 18 drivers who will compete in the inaugural season of the first female-only single-seater racing series.
After completing a series of tests in Almeria, Spain, over four days in the Tatuus F-318 W-Series racing car as well as other programmes, 28 drivers were eventually whittled down to the final 18.
Some of the successful drivers include 2019 MRF Challenge title-winner Jamie Chadwick, Porsche Carrera Cup GB driver Esmee Hawkey and BMW-backed Bietske Visser.
Four reserve drivers have also been confirmed in the form of Sarah Bovy, Vivien Keszthelyi, Stephane Kox and Francesca Linossi.
Testing will get underway at the Lausitzring in mid-April ahead of the opening round of the season in support of the DTM series on May 3-4.
The winner of the series will receive $500,000 with a further $1m in prize money split between the remainder of the grid.
Catherine Bond Muir, W Series CEO said: “After four intensive days’ testing in Almeria, finishing yesterday, and four equally rigorous days’ trials in Melk in January, as you can imagine we’d amassed a huge amount of data.
"So our judges, led by Dave Ryan, then crunched that data in order to determine who would be the 18 drivers to contest the first ever single-seater racing series for female drivers.
“To those drivers who didn’t make it through, I offer my commiserations, of course, but I also say, well done.
“All our drivers worked diligently, studied hard, and drove well, including those who didn’t make it through. To the 18 drivers who did make it through, I say ‘big congrats and very well done’.
“But I also want to mention our four reserve drivers, who didn’t quite make the final 18 but all impressed our judges. They’ll be disappointed, inevitably, but they’re still part of the W Series family.
“So that’s it then. Our driver selection programme is complete. Let’s go racing!”
W Series full line-up:
Jamie Chadwick
Sabre Cook
Marta Garcia
Megan Gilkes
Esmee Hawkey
Jessica Hawkins
Shea Holbrook
Emma Kimilainen
Miki Koyama
Sarah Moore
Tasmin Pepper
Vicky Piria
Alice Powell
Gosia Rdest
Naomi Schiff
Beitske Visser
Fabienne Wohlwend
Caitlin Wood
