Six weeks since Jamie Chadwick continued her perfect start to the 2022 W Series season by winning the third race of the year in Barcelona, Spain, the reigning double champion will attempt to extend her record-breaking run of W Series race victories to six at her home race at Silverstone this weekend.
If the previous race in Spain is anything to go by, there is every chance that the crowd – which is expected to exceed 400,000 spectators across the Formula 1® Lenovo British Grand Prix 2022 weekend – will see a British driver stood atop the W Series podium. Jamie just held off compatriot Abbi Pulling at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, where Alice Powell was third.
That trio occupies the top three spots in the championship standings in that same order. Abbi trails Jamie by 37 points and will look to reduce the arrears by taking her maiden W Series victory at Silverstone, the circuit where she finished eighth on her W Series debut last July. Abbi’s mentor Alice dominated her home race 12 months ago, taking pole position and recording the fastest lap on her way to an emotional victory watched by her family in the grandstands.
The top three will be joined by three more British drivers looking for a home win on the 3.660 miles (5.891 kilometres) Silverstone Grand Prix Circuit. There may have been no W Series races in June, but throughout Pride Month Yorkshire-born team-mates Sarah Moore and Abbie Eaton have been busy in their role as driver ambassadors for Racing Pride – a movement which promotes LGBTQ+ inclusivity within motorsport. On 26 June last year, Sarah became the first openly LGBTQ+ driver to stand on a podium at an F1 race weekend, and she will go for the second podium finish of her W Series career at Silverstone.
The same is true for Jessica Hawkins. The Aston Martin F1 Team’s driver ambassador recorded her best W Series result (second) and maiden podium finish at this year’s opening race in Miami, and she is eighth in the championship standings after the first three races.
The Silverstone race will be broadcast live on both Sky Sports and Channel 4 in the UK for the first time, and feature an all-female presenting team of Lee McKenzie, 2019 W Series driver Naomi Schiff and Amy Reynolds. It is the second of four straight W Series races in Europe, with events in France and Hungary to come before F1’s summer break. Following that, the international single-seater motor racing championship for female drivers – which has its headquarters in London, UK – will stage a race in Asia for the first time – in support of October’s Japanese Grand Prix – before finishing the season in the USA and Mexico.
British fans can watch the fourth race of the 2022 W Series season live from Silverstone on Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports F1, Sky Showcase, and Channel 4 from 13.10 BST on Saturday 2 July, with qualifying live on Sky Sports F1 and Sky Showcase at 18.10 BST on Friday 1 July. W Series’ practice session will be streamed live globally across our YouTube channel from 08:40 BST on Friday 1 July.
The action can also be seen across W Series’ digital and social channels, as well as being broadcast in more than 175 territories. For the full list of where to watch in your location visit our broadcast page here.
Dave Ryan (Racing Director, W Series) said:
“I am looking forward to a good weekend at Silverstone. Despite being out of the cars for six weeks since our last race in Spain, all of the drivers are now familiar with the W Series cars and set-up, and the majority have driven at Silverstone before. It is fast, flowing, and a good all-round test which rewards those who fully commit to it.
“There is always a great buzz and atmosphere around the British Grand Prix weekend, and the spotlight will be on us with six British drivers on the grid all eager to do well at their home race. Keeping a cool head and focusing on the job is key to success, as Jamie Chadwick continues to showcase her talent with stellar performances. She has a point to prove at Silverstone where she didn’t have the best weekend last year and the chasing pack – led by Abbi Pulling, who keeps getting stronger – is closing in.”
Jamie Chadwick said:
“Never in my career have I had such a good start to a season, and I’m pleasantly surprised with how well it’s going. I have momentum and I feel confident, but I know things can change quickly and I’m under no illusions because there are still lots of races to come. Coming into the season, I had only ever won the championship and so there was only one position I wanted to finish the season in – first. Repeating that success wasn’t going to be easy, but I came in with confidence having won it twice and knowing what I’m capable of achieving in the series.
“After making such a good start, I want to keep pushing. I’m not thinking about the points gap or the championship standings, I’m just thinking about getting the maximum out of the car every weekend and winning as many races as I can for the rest of the year. Right now, I have lots of confidence in the car and feel like I can deliver my best every weekend.
“I’m looking forward to being back at Silverstone, where I have some unfinished business after last year when I didn’t have my strongest weekend. I was disappointed not to be on the top step of the podium on that occasion, and that’s what I’m aiming for this year. I’m looking forward to racing in front of a big home crowd which will include my parents, who couldn’t come to any of the races last season and will be watching me live for the first time in more than two years. It will be really special to have them, and lots more of my family and friends, with me at Silverstone and it’s great to be part of the British Grand Prix weekend.
“It’s a circuit I know well and one that I enjoy driving. It’s really fast and quite different to what we’ve experienced so far this season in Miami and Barcelona, but I’m happy with how the car is set up and I’ll take everything I learned from last year and try to enter the race with a fresh approach.”
Abbi Pulling said:
“A lot has happened in the 12 months since I made my W Series debut at Silverstone last year, but I’m past the point of pinching myself now and I’m just trying to keep my head down and make the most of the amazing opportunities given to me by W Series and Alpine, which I’m so thankful for. I’ve matured as a driver and changed a lot, and I showed that at the last race in Barcelona. I want to keep coming away from race weekends feeling like I’ve done as well as I can. When I’m at my best mentally, I perform at my best on-track and the results come, just like it did in Barcelona where I drove a composed race. I showed Jamie [Chadwick] that I’m not going anywhere, and I want to keep the pressure on her and not give her a break until the season ends.
“People might say there’s more pressure on me at Silverstone this year because of where I am in the championship, but I don’t feel that. Last year, I told myself I needed to perform to get a spot for 2022, but now I can focus purely on the job in hand, and that’s what I mean about maturing as a driver. I concentrate on what I need to do on-track as opposed to thinking about things I can’t really control.
“I’m still not hugely familiar with the Silverstone circuit compared to others on the calendar like Barcelona, so I’ll take it a session at a time and not overthink things. I like the first sector, and not just because the first corner is called Abbey! It’s fast, flowing, and fun, and that combination of corners around Brooklands and Luffield was my favourite in British F4 when I drove the National circuit a few times. I like the technical aspects of it and can’t wait to get going.”
Missed last year’s Silverstone action? Watch the 2021 race in full below.
