Formula Woman

Formula Woman, which was known as the Privilege Insurance Formula Woman Championship for sponsorship reasons, is a female-only one make racing series started in 2004 in the UK. It was inspired by the lack of female drivers in other series and was created, amongst other reasons, to boost the female audience of the sport.[1][2]

In November 2020 it was announced that Formula Woman would be making a come-back in 2021.[3]

Original series

In 2004, all 16 drivers raced Mazda RX-8s over seven rounds around four British racing circuits. For 2005, support was dropped by Mazda and instead drivers competed in Caterham 7s.

2004

The inaugural season of Formula Woman was based around a television series in ITV. Thousands of women applied to join, with ultimately 17 drivers being chosen to compete. Experienced motoring journalist Vicki Butler-Henderson hosted the ITV show,[4] while racing drivers Katherine Legge and Tim Harvey were both part of the judging panel. Legge left for unknown reasons early into the selection process.[5]

Race calendar
Round Circuit Date Race Winner
1 United Kingdom Oulton Park 12 June United Kingdom Natasha Firman
2 12 June United Kingdom Natasha Firman
3 United Kingdom Knockhill Racing Circuit 27 June United Kingdom Margo Gardner
4 27 June United Kingdom Margo Gardner
5 United Kingdom Cadwell Park 4 July United Kingdom Lorraine Pinner
6 United Kingdom Brands Hatch 25 July United Kingdom Lorraine Pinner
7 25 July United Kingdom Lorraine Pinner

Championship standings

The 2004 championship was won by Natasha Firman.[6]

Pos Driver Pts
1 Natasha Firman 215
2 Lorraine Pinner 209
3 Bev Tyler 161
4 Juliette Thurston 146
5 Emma Hayles 122
6 Margo Gardner 112
7 Pippa Cow 104
8 Lauren Blighton 94
9 Nicola Robertson 80
10 Judith Lyons 74
11 Sarah Bennet-Baggs 73
12 Amy Handford 70
13 Victoria Hardy 63
14 Max Thompson 47
15 Catherine Gard 31
16 Joanna Linton 28
17 Karen Andrews 20

2005

Formula Woman returned in 2005 using Caterham 7s after Mazda withdrew support. The series was run as a Nations Cup. Natalie Butler from England won the 2005 Championship.[7]

Entry list
Nation Driver
England Emma Hayles
England Annie Templeton
England Natalie Butler
Scotland Margo Gardner
Wales Rachel Owen
Republic of Ireland Jennifer Daniel
South Africa Jennifer Murray
Sweden Nettan Lindgren
Poland Anna Walewska
Australia Lauren Gray
United States Amanda Hennessy
Netherlands Theresia Balk

Following the end of the season in November, a novices race weekend was held at Pembrey, South Wales, using exclusive Caterham 7 race cars, with a record 62 women competing.[8] The four race winners were automatically given entry to the 2006 Formula Woman championship.

Novice Race winners
Nation Driver
United Kingdom Amanda Elliott
United Kingdom Michelle Nixon
United Kingdom Lucy Redding
United Kingdom Amanda Black

2006

The series continued in 2006, again using the Caterham 7 car but without any television coverage. Ultimately, Nikki Welsby won the championship.[9]

The series was not renewed for 2007.

New Formula Woman series

In November 2020, it was announced that Formula Woman would be making a come-back.[10] The series opened for applicants in March 2021 with a view to the series starting in the autumn of the same year with an accompanying television package.[11] The new competition prize will offer winners the opportunity to race a McLaren 570S GT4 in the British GT Cup Championship that 16 drivers will compete for.[12]

The series secured major sponsorship including McLaren, Trade Centre, Vauxhall, and many more.[13]

Test days have taken place at circuits including Knockhill and Anglesey Circuit.[14] As of December 2021, the assessments for the final driver decisions were on-going following a test day at Bedford Autodrome using Vauxhall Corsa-e cars.[15]

In March 2022, the competition progressed to select 15 finalists from 70, with more selections involving a track kart test at Croft to achieve 10, followed by a future final race for four contestants.[16][17][18]

See also
  • W Series, an all-female F-3-class racing series founded in 2018
  • F1 Academy, an all-female F-4-class racing series founded in 2022

References
  1. "Speedqueens: Formula Woman". 14 September 2010.
  2. "Magazine / Sport : On the fast track". The Hindu. 2005-04-03. Archived from the original on 2018-09-24. Retrieved 2016-08-07.
  3. "Formula Woman set to return next year". 20 November 2020.
  4. "Mates sponsors Formula Woman reality TV show".
  5. "Speedqueens: Formula Woman". 14 September 2010.
  6. "Privilege Insurance Formula Woman Championship 2004 standings | Driver Database".
  7. "Speedqueens: Formula Woman". 14 September 2010.
  8. https://www.carpages.co.uk/motoring-news/formula-woman-24-11-05.asp
  9. "Speedqueens: Formula Woman". 14 September 2010.
  10. "Formula Woman set to return next year". 20 November 2020.
  11. "Formula Woman is Back!".
  12. "McLaren Customer Racing to provide GT4 Race Cars for Formula Woman Winners".
  13. "Partners".
  14. "Trade Centre thrilled to support TV's Formula Woman - the Trade Centre UK".
  15. "Formula Woman Assessments Conclude with the Vauxhall Corsa-e Excelling".
  16. How Formula Woman is helping find female racing stars Autosport, 27 February 2022. Retrieved 5 March 2022
  17. Could the first female Formula One Champion come from the Midlands? ITV News, 2 March 2022. Retrieved 5 March 2022
  18. Sara Misir makes cut! … Through to top 15 of Formula Woman Caribbean National Weekly, 4 March 2022. Retrieved 5 March 2022

Further reading
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