The W-series will feature on the undercard of two Formula 1 races for the first time in its second season.

The female-only competition began last year with Britain’s Jamie Chadwick securing the inaugural championship.

This year the W-Series has announced it will be linking up with the Formula 1 competition when it arrives at the United States and Mexican Grands Prix in the autumn.

The move is especially impressive considering the women’s competition is heading into only its second season. This news is a clear sign of the support F1 teams are committed to offering female drivers in the sport.

The W-Series was launched last year as a self-styled groundbreaking competition to spotlight the female drivers of motorsports and open more opportunities for female drivers in F1.

Following the announcement Ross Brawn, F1’s managing director, said: “We are convinced that our sport must offer equal opportunities for men and women to compete together – it is no coincidence that improving the diversity of the F1 grid by supporting and promoting driver talent from under-represented backgrounds is one of our strategic objectives.

“The ability for the great crowds who traditionally attend the Austin and Mexico City Grands Prix to see these talented female drivers up close will definitely further raise the awareness of the importance of inclusion and diversity in motorsport.”

Another landmark moment

The announcement of the F1 partnership follows the news in December that W-Series has secured their first major partnership with telecoms company ROKiT. This marked a significant vote of confidence for the competition and today's news cements the support the competition has garnered.

Drivers and organisers alike have already expressed their excitement for the prospect of joining up with the F1 competition with British driver Abbie Eaton calling it a "special" moment for the W-Series.

"From a personal point of view [it] is something I never thought I would be given the chance to do," Eaton said.

Catherine Bond Muir, the W Series CEO agrees: “We are absolutely delighted that, in only our second season, our championship has been welcomed by Formula 1, and we’re utterly thrilled that the final two races of the 2020 W Series season will, therefore, take place as part of the Formula 1 platform.

“Interest in and enthusiasm for W Series was enormous in our first season, 2019, among media and fans alike, and the addition of two all-new W Series races on the Formula 1 platform will inevitably increase that enthusiasm and interest. Commercially, too, following the successful recent announcement of W Series’ new multi-year sponsor-partnership with ROKiT Phones, the fact that W Series will be even bigger and even better in 2020 than it was in 2019 will make the return on investment for our future sponsor-partners better and bigger, too.

“A lot of work has gone into stitching the W Series / Formula 1 deal together, but above all, I want to thank W Series’drivers, the brave and talented young women who captured the imagination of the sporting world last summer. Mark my words: they’ll do so again this year, from May to October, all over the world.”

With yet another stamp of approval for the competition, the future of the W-Series looks to be on the right trajectory. The final races in Austin and Mexico City look sure to mean the 2020 season will be finished in style.