W SERIES ANNOUNCES 18 DRIVERS FOR 2020 SEASON

After a three-day on-track test at Almeria (southern Spain) last month, and a rigorous lap-time assessment and data-analysis programme thereafter, W Series has selected six new drivers to race alongside the 12 drivers who automatically qualified for the 2020 W Series championship as a result of having finished inside the top 12 in the 2019 W Series championship.

DriverCountryAgePosition in W Series Championship
Jamie ChadwickUK211st
Beitske VisserNetherlands242nd
Alice PowellUK263rd
Marta GarciaSpain194th
Emma KimilainenFinland305th
Fabienne WohlwendLiechtenstein216th
Miki KoyamaJapan217th
Sarah MooreUK258th
Vicky PiriaItaly259th
Tasmin PepperSouth Africa2910th
Jessica HawkinsUK2411th
Sabre CookUSA2412th
Ayla AgrenNorway25New entrant
Abbie EatonUK27New entrant
Belen GarciaSpain20New entrant
Nerea MartiSpain17New entrant
Irina SidorkovaRussia16New entrant
Bruna TomaselliBrazil21New entrant

Catherine Bond Muir (Chief Executive Officer, W Series) said:

“Almost as soon as the sun had set on Brands Hatch, scene of the 2019 W Series championship finale, on Sunday August 11th, we at W Series began preparing for our 2020 season. More than 40 new drivers applied to race with us in 2020 and, after a three-day on-track test at Almeria [southern Spain] last month, and a rigorous lap-time and data-analysis programme thereafter, we’re now able to announce the first 18 of the 20 drivers who’ll compete in the 2020 W Series championship.

“It’s an impressive list, including the top 12 from our 2019 season, and six new drivers, who all performed well at Almeria. The result is a varied and international group, comprising 18 drivers from 12 countries, ranging in age from the super-experienced Finn, Emma Kimilainen, 30, to the very promising young Russian, Irina Sidorkova, 16.

“Our commiserations go to those whom we haven’t selected, but sadly their disappointment is simply an example of the jeopardy inherent in any athlete’s life at the higher levels of competitive sport. The more you can win, the more you can lose.”