Lewis Hamilton has criticised Formula One and the FIA for failing to save the latest W Series season.

Earlier this month, W Series chief executive Catherine Bond Muir announced the last three races of the 2022 season had been cancelled due to financial struggles.

Bond Muir admitted she hoped the season would at least continue until the Circuit of the Americas, which takes place in Texas this weekend, but she instead chose to protect the longevity of the W Series.

The F1 and W Series calendars were combined for the first time last year, and Bond Muir stressed that the FIA's support during the situation had been "faultless". But Hamilton has been more scathing.

What has Lewis Hamilton said about the W Series curtailment?

Speaking in advance of the Circuit of the Americas, Hamilton argued that the onus had been on F1 and the FIA to step in and save the W Series season.

"There has not been enough focus on women in the sport the whole of F1's life and there is not enough emphasis on it now,” he said. “And they are not magnifying enough the great work that is being done there.

"There is not enough representation across the board in our industry and there is not really a pathway for those young amazing drivers to get to F1.

“Then you have some people say there is never going to be a female F1 driver, and that's not a good narrative to be putting out.

"We need to be doing more. With F1 and Liberty [Media, F1's commercial rights holders] doing so well, it is not a lot for them to help out in that space.”

AUSTIN, TEXAS - OCTOBER 20: Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Mercedes talks to the media in the Paddock during previews ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of USA at Circuit of The Americas on October 20, 2022 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

Has Lewis Hamilton previously shown support for women in F1?

Hamilton, a seven-time F1 champion, has previously urged for the “lack of progression” from the W Series to be addressed.

The British star paid a visit to the W Series drivers in July as they prepared to race at the Hungaroring in Budapest.

Hamilton praised the W Series, which was launched in 2019, but criticised the lack of progression from the competition to F3.

BUDAPEST, HUNGARY - JULY 30: Second placed Jamie Chadwick of Great Britain and Jenner Racing (55) looks on in parc ferme during the W Series Round 5 race at Hungaroring on July 30, 2022 in Budapest, Hungary. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)

“It’s great that we have the W Series, but we as a sport need to do way more for young girls getting into the sport, and for these women.

“There’s no progression from the W Series… when you win that, do you get a seat in F2, or whatever it may be? We can definitely do a lot more to support these girls.”

Jamie Chadwick, who earned her third successive W Series title following the season curtailment, admitted earlier this year that she did not have the budget to progress up the single-seater ladder.

It has been suggested that the 24-year-old could move across to IndyLights, the feeder series to IndyCar in the United States.