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Silverstone fans treated to more British success in the W series

Silverstone fans treated to more British success in the W series

17-07-2021 10:03

As usual, the British Grand Prix weekend sees loads of on-track action, and this year is no different. The Silverstone fans are not only getting treated to an exciting round of F1, but the W series is also taking place at the venue in the East Midlands. The fans saw the home favourite Alice Powell secure pole position for Saturday's race. 

The British driver secured her second pole position of the season, beating Fabienne Wohlwend by around four-tenths of a second. Fellow British driver and W series championship leader will start from third place on the grid. 

The W series race at Silverstone is the third race in the 2021 schedule. The previous two races took place at the Styrian and Austrian Grands Prix at the Red Bull Ring. Chadwick, Sarah Moore and Powell sit in the top three of the standings.

Lap of her life 

Speaking after qualifying, Powell explained how she produced the lap of her life to qualify on pole for the British race. 

“That was the lap of my life. I didn’t expect to have that kind of time because it felt really sketchy out there, full of oversteer, and that’s why I was so shocked with the time when I heard. I’m just relieved and happy to be on pole. It was one of those laps I don’t think I’ll ever be able to produce again, it was incredible to be honest," Powell told the official W series website.

"When I heard that I’d dropped down a position because Fabienne [Wohlwend] had gone quicker I put everything into it and thankfully managed to pull it out of the bag. It’s the stuff of dreams to be on pole position at your home race on the British Grand Prix weekend in front of a full house at Silverstone and I can’t wait for tomorrow.”

The race starts at 13:25 UK time. 

W series

The series has professionalised women's motorsport overnight by giving its drivers a career in the sport. Jamie Chadwich's role in Aston Martin and landing on Extreme E, Beitske Visser's participation in World Endurance Championship, and Alice Powell's part in the Formula E testing are only a few examples of key accomplishments since the W Series inaugural championship. The series is eliminating financial barriers that have historically prevented young females from reaching the upper echelons of motorsport. Today, female drivers have opportunities and exposure that have previously been denied to them, plus the chance to win a total prize fund of $1.5MM and 15 Super License points leading them towards racing in Formula 1.

Eighteen female drivers are generating an impact on younger woman generations that will create future female racers and prove that women can be part of those "man-only" activities. As Sabré Cook said in an exclusive interview with beIN SPORTS “One of the main goals of W Series is to inspire young women coming up and to show that it is a real option for them to pursue.” The race is free to watch on Youtube.