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Former F1 race winner David Coulthard, who
heads the advisory board for the series and is a long-time
friend of chairman and major shareholder Sean Wadsworth, said
talks with Formula One were ongoing.
"Along with the great support we've had from the (governing) FIA,
Formula One are keen for us to be operating on their platform as
well," the Scot told a diversity forum at the Leaders Week
London sports business event.
"We have to take it step by step of course because of the
financial constraints, but we very much hope to be able to
announce that we'll be at some grands prix in the near future,"
he added.
The W Series, which uses identical 1.8 litre Formula Three cars,
aims to help female racers climb the male-dominated motorsport
ladder towards Formula One, which last saw a woman start a race
in 1976.
Asked by Reuters about a possible link up with grands prix in
Texas and Mexico City, scheduled for Oct. 25 and Nov. 1 next
year, Coulthard said that "could be a logical and great
opportunity.
"Nothing's decided quite frankly, but what you've suggested I
absolutely am keen on," he added.
Both races would have space on their support schedule, unlike
others that host junior series such as Formula Two and Formula
Three, and follow on from the end of the regular European
season.
This year's inaugural W Series, won by Britain's Jamie Chadwick,
featured six races in Europe and ran from May 4 to Aug. 11
alongside the DTM (German Touring Cars) championship.
The top 12 in this year's standings are qualified automatically
to return, alongside fresh talent selected after trials in
Spain.
W Series founder Catherine Bond Muir said in August that she
hoped to add at least two races next year, most likely in Europe
before a possible inter-continental expansion into the United
States and Asia in 2021.
Coulthard said some Formula One races with government funding,
such as the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, were also
interested in a link up.
"Part of it is that it (the W Series) does tick the box, quite
frankly, but equally they (the promoters) really believe," he
said.
"They are motorsports festivals. Whether they've got touring
cars or Formula One, they want every form of motorsport
available because it attracts and entertains a wider audience."
(Reporting by Alan Baldwin; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
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