In the round-up: The W Series championship will be decided over two final races supporting the United States Grand Prix this weekend.
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In brief
Powell and Chadwick go into final races on equal points
Alice Powell and Jamie Chadwick take to the track for W Series’ final races having each scored 109 points over the first six races in the championship’s second season. Powell has the lead on countback, with three wins to Chadwick’s two, but the title is almost certain to remain undecided until the season’s final race.“I’ve known Jamie [Chadwick] for a long time,” said Powell, about her title rival. “I knew her when she was in Ginetta Juniors, and we played hockey together when we were younger because her family home is not far from mine. We get on well and have respect for each other. I know how talented and fast Jamie is and I’m looking forward to a good fight at COTA.”
Powell’s racing career had ended in 2015 and who was working as a plumber’s mate, prior to qualifying for the 2019 W Series season. She said that she believed the championship had reignited her opportunities in motorsport. “Whatever happens, my journey won’t end at W Series. W Series exists to create opportunities for talented female racing drivers and it’s done that for me.
“I’d like to think that winning the title would propel me into a good career in motorsport which, after running out of funding a few years ago, I didn’t think I would have. I owe W Series a lot and to become the champion, on a huge weekend when we will support F1’s United States Grand Prix, would be very special.”
Bond-Muir: instability will last into 2022
Ahead of the W Series’ finale, which was changed from being across the US and Mexican grand prix weekends to a double-header event at COTA, the championship’s CEO told RaceFans that she expected difficulties with calendars and Covid protocols to last into next year.
“I think we live not having certainty in the way that we would have done historically,” said Bond-Muir. “I don’t know the way that you deal with it but actually, almost, you get used to the challenges and I stop stressing about it because I go ‘well, all we can do is our best and it will be what it will be.’
“So, for example, if our cars for some reason couldn’t dock where they’re supposed to in time to do the race, you know, what can I do? It’s pointless me worrying now about something. The time is beyond my control. All I can do is control what I can control and then see what happens going forward.”
Bond-Muir said she expected the challenges created by the Covid-19 pandemic to continue. “I do think going into next year, we will still be working under Covid protocols and that’s sad for everyone in motorsport because still there will be a degree of separation between the crowd and us.”
F1 to collaborate with the NBA
The basketball championship and F1 will further partner with a free throw challenge for F1 drivers. The driver who scores the most times, in 10 attempts, will win $20,000 to be donated to a charity of their choice.
McLaren announce virtual car-building NFT platform
McLaren has announced it will launch the McLaren Racing Collective, a blockchain platform to allow fans to collect digital versions of parts of the MCL35M, with the non-fungible token images coming from McLaren’s own CAD system.
The first components will be free but the platform is intended to trade them. Four components will be made available on October 24th and the first person to ‘complete’ a collection of all 22 will win a VIP experience at an F1 race.
McLaren have immediately followed Pierre Gasly by launching their own NFT offering one day after the AlphaTauri driver revealed his.
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Social media
Notable posts from Twitter, Instagram and more:
NO #AUSTIN
My 2021 🏎 season ⛔
I was denied visa to the USA 🇺🇸, although I have a status of a National Interests Exemption as a professional athlete. #WSeries #USGP pic.twitter.com/mgCu91CDCY— Ira Sidorkova (@IraSidorkova) October 20, 2021
As revealed last week, the @RedBullRacing and @AlphaTaurif1 cars will carry the logos of Honda's North American performance brand Acura at this weekend's #USGP: https://t.co/Dr7p8sNgQz #F1 pic.twitter.com/T3lfVatRy8
— RaceFans (@racefansdotnet) October 20, 2021
We’re going red! 🔥🔥🔥 welcome to the team @avalancheavax pic.twitter.com/xr4D1hJFJP
— Jake Dennis (@JakeDennis19) October 20, 2021
- Find more official F1 accounts to follow in the F1 Twitter Directory
Links
Motor racing links of interest:
Interview - Christian Horner: ‘You have to defend yourself if you come under attack’ (The Guardian)
"Horner: 'Lewis has had an amazing career and he’s still in fantastic form. He’s still a titan of the sport. The fact that Max is able to go toe-to-toe with him is probably something Lewis hasn’t had throughout his career – certainly through the championship years.'"
Nico Rosberg: 'If you ask me, ‘When did you decide to retire?’ That was the moment…' (Square Mile)
"When I retired, there was about £100m going down the drain... but shit happens."
Andretti entering F1 would be a logical move, says Stroll (Reuters)
"Stroll: 'Andretti's a great name. I know the family and I think they'd be a great addition to the sport, if it's true.'"
"DJ Diesel has been added to the entertainment line-up during the Formula 1 US Grand Prix when it returns to Austin on October 22-24. That stage name belongs to Shaquille O'Neal, one of the most legendary players in NBA history."
We always endeavour to credit original sources. If you have a tip for a link relating to single-seater motorsport to feature in the next RaceFans round-up please send it in via the contact form.
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Comment of the day
Ahead of the US Grand Prix, Sumedh points out Ferrari’s strange win-less streak isn’t just a case of on-track weakness, there’s been plenty of potential for Carlos Sainz Jnr and Charles Leclerc.
Honestly, what I really want to see is a Ferrari win. Its been two full years!
This season, they have led four races (Baku, Silverstone, Russia, Turkey) and one they probably would have led and won (Monaco). Of these five, victory looked like a potential possibility in at least four of them – Silverstone, Russia, Turkey, Monaco.
McLaren and Renault/Alpine have led just two and one races each so far.
Sumedh
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On this day in motorsport
- 15 years ago today championship contenders Fernando Alonso and Michael Schumacher qualified fourth and 10th respective for the season finale in Brazil, the Ferrari driver suffering a fuel pressure problem. Felipe Massa claimed pole position at home.
Todd (@braketurnaccelerate)
21st October 2021, 0:26
Yea, if we neglect 2007, 2008 and 2016. You know the years where a slim margin made the title go one way or the other.
someone or something
21st October 2021, 2:50
Yeah, that’s a classic Horner. Not letting facts get in the way of spinning the narrative.
Jay Menon (@jaymenon10)
21st October 2021, 7:58
Not to mention 2017, 18, and 19 as well.
Mayrton
21st October 2021, 9:36
His remark is not so much about the margin but the pressure Lewis experiences. He hasnt had an opponent that is this consistent and better than he is, despite not having a Mercedes
Jere (@jerejj)
21st October 2021, 8:53
75 isn’t a round number, but I like the virtual livery.
Rosberg has said this before, but I suppose he meant 100m over the two seasons (2017 & ’18), which his previously signed contract covered rather than a single season.
I don’t necessarily share COTD’s view. Monaco, yes, if Leclerc started, but certainly not Turkey.
Silverstone, yes, if Hamilton was further behind following his 10-sec penalty.
Russia not really, given Norris’ (& later Hamilton’s) pace.
IVAYLO
21st October 2021, 10:41
Does anyone actually watch the Woke series? Bet it costs a lot of money to keep this ideology racing lol.
senproman
21st October 2021, 11:08
Yes, I do.
I don’t see what’s wrong with watching the W-Series?
SadF1fan
21st October 2021, 11:50
Nothing wrong with watching it. Its just a bit peculiae that after 70 years of fighting for equality, they introduce more segregation.
Miro710
21st October 2021, 11:20
Formula-E? :p
W series is interesting. And you are not paying for it so you are just trolling. Girls and women in the racing having a big spotlight to showcase their talent and ability. Maybe inspire next generations.
C’mon man… some positivity :)
Hazel Southwell (@hazelsouthwell)
21st October 2021, 11:25
Some savvy broadcast contracts have in fact given W Series a substantially larger audience than Formula E. FE’s season 7 had 316 million viewers, W Series is set to hit 500 million for its 2021 season.
(I watch both, obviously but W Series has a bigger audience than, say, F2 or F3 – that’s largely because F2 and F3 are paywalled but does absolutely show there is an interest in it)
Hiland (@flyingferrarim)
21st October 2021, 17:26
I think its also important to note that Formula E numbers are stand alone and doesn’t have the wrap around support of an F1 weekend.
IVAYLO
21st October 2021, 11:43
I just disagree with discriminating people based on factors they can’t control, such as their sex. You’d have to look long and hard to find someone in the western world who is against girls and women in racing. As far as I’m aware Woke is the only formula that is sexist.
Hazel Southwell (@hazelsouthwell)
21st October 2021, 11:59
Unfortunately you do not have to look very far at all. In fact, merely into the Red Bull garage where Helmut Marko has said women are inherently unsuited to racing because we allegedly lack the instincts.
IVAYLO
21st October 2021, 12:50
Do you have any source to back up your claim? I have one saying that he commented on the physicality of Formula 1, and clarified later that he sees there are no current female drivers who would be competitive in a Formula 1 car. In another, which quotes him directly, he asks if the brutality required for Formula 1 is in their nature. I don’t see anywhere that he said that women are unsuited to racing, nor anywhere that he said that women lack the instincts for racing.
It seems you are inherently unsuited to journalism, stick to Twitter.
Hazel Southwell (@hazelsouthwell)
21st October 2021, 13:08
Both asking if women are inherently incapable of racing because of our nature and the (frankly, completely absurd given he puts teenage boys in F1 cars) idea that women are too weak to do it are absolutely sexist and dismissive comments.
Saying women lack the brutality for wheel to wheel racing is dismissive, generalising and a gross stereotype that women are inherently more weak or soft, that femininity automatically makes someone more scared or less capable. Saying that women are too weak is just not true – although tremendous athleticism is required for all racing, that is something that has developed really in the last few decades and not something that was either inherent to racing in the past nor something it would be impossible for women to achieve.
He runs a junior programme, so the fact he holds these opinions is very relevant to the barriers facing women into F1. There was actually one female driver in the Red Bull programme – Beitske Visser, who is now in W Series – she was only given a single season in German F4 in 2013 before she was dropped; arguably justified on the basis of results but at equivalent stages other drivers were being put through multiple programmes. (She was 8th, with 2 podiums and a win) Marko’s comments were made more recently, so there’s no reason to assume it was the basis for dropping her but she was quite noticeably underfunded compared to her peers, in terms of the racing portfolio she was entered into.
Anyway, I doubt that I have any hope of persuading you. Saying that something trying to increase participation from women is (dismissively) “woke” is, of course, disappointing to me because these are the frustrating realities I work around to be in a sport I love. Enjoy your day, you’re free to not watch W Series if it offends you.
Hiland (@flyingferrarim)
21st October 2021, 16:09
I think the better question should be… does separating/segregating the women into their own series really beneficial to their growth, as drivers, more so than competing against their male counter parts in F4, F3, F2, etc? Part of going up through the latter is to compete in a more competitive series (in terms of talent) to prove ones self. At some point they will need to race against their male counter parts. Most sports there is a reason to separate the men and women, but motorsports is one (I believe) they can mix. You either believe they can compete in this sport or not. If you believe they can and want the best for these women to extract the most potential they have to succeed, they need to compete in the same formula series as their male counter parts.
I have said this is a past comment section on another article… in place of making a separate women’s only series, wouldn’t having a driver academy’s (such as Ferrari, Mercedes, Redbull, McLaren, etc) provide a better support structure for the woman who show the potential of being a F1 caliber driver?
The main problem is a numbers game. The talent pool to choose a male driver from is much larger than the talent pool to choose a women from is. So it will be tougher to find that female version of Max. There needs to be more interest from women in lower categories’ to increase that number in the talent pool in hopes to find a female talented enough to earn their way into a top tier racing series.
regs (@regs)
21st October 2021, 12:40
They SHOULD CANCEL this round. And move it to another track.
When some country rejects to provide free access to all participants the round should be cancelled.
Gavin Campbell
21st October 2021, 17:07
My main question in all of this is what sort of a job title is a plumbers mate? Also surely you’d just get assaulted all the time by people picking you up and transporting you around site when someone asks for the plumbers mait.
(NB This is a joke. I get that its a plumbers assistant but you don’t need qualifications to be a plumber so its a bit of an interesting title.)