After four races in the inaugural season of the W Series the racers head to Assen in The Netherlands for Saturday’s race with the championship still in the balance.

Jamie Chadwick has held the lead since the first race in Hockenheimring which she won after starting on pole, with Alice Powell and impressive youngster Marta Garcia joining her on the podium.

Chadwick could only take second spot in the Belgian city of Zolder as she finished being Beitske Visser and the leaders fellow Brit, Powell, finished second. 

Since then Powell has had two awful race weekends as she failed to finish in both Italy and on their return to Germany when they raced in Norisring. 

Williams development driver Chadwick grabbed her second win of the season in the third race in Misano before 18-year-old Garcia was first past the chequered flag in the last race.

A lot of news

The drivers have been kept occupied in the build-up to the race with press days and several announcements. There was news of an extra ‘show’ race on Sunday with the grid starting in reverse order based on Saturday’s result, although the result of that battle will not affect the championship.

While they have also confirmed the prize fund that the drivers will collect when the series concludes after the sixth and final race at Brands Hatch on August 11th.

The first champion will receive just under £400,000 ($500,000), with second and third place drivers receiving £200,000 ($250,000) and £100,000 ($125,000), respectively. With the reserve drivers due to receive £6,000 ($7,500) each.

The prize money may not seem like much compared to top earners and legendary Motorsport champions like Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel but it is estimated the winner will still earn more than at least five current F1 drivers.

There was also confirmation that next season’s top competitors will receive super license points which are needed to race in the holy grail that is Formula 1. A huge step if the competition is to become the pathway to F1 that it wants to be.

What next?

For the title race to go down to the final race in England, Dutch driver Visser needs to finish in the top four in her home race this weekend.

Chadwick has been the favourite throughout the whole series but she will know that she cannot get complacent for one minute if she is to lift the title. Her 83 points sees her ten ahead of Visser and with 23 more than Garcia who sits on 60. 

The latter of the two is someone the leader will have to watch out for after the Spaniard won last time out in Germany. The teenager is highly rated and will be full of confidence with just two races left.

While the experienced Powell (5th) will be keen to make up for past disappointments as she looks to improve on fifth place in the table and eight points behind Fabienne Wohlwend.

Qualifying will commence on Saturday at 8.30am, with the race at 3.10pm.