The female-only W Series has announced it has canꦛcelled its 2020 season due to the ongoing COVID-19🎐 pandemic.

W Series’ second season was due to consist of eight-rounds and was scheduled to start in St Petersburg on May 30 but following coℱnsultation with the FIA, Formula 1, DTM and the series’ partners and suppliers, a decision was taken to scrap the campaign.

An expanded cal൲endar is being planned for 2021 which will feature at least two races on the F1 calendar, supporting the ౠUnited States and Mexican Grands Prix.

W Series was due to be the undercard at the Austin and Mexico City rounds this year a🥃nd ac꧋t as the climax to the season.

“After the res꧃ounding success of W Series🥀’ debut season in 2019, our decision not to stage on-track races until 2021 is not one that has been taken lightly,” said W Series CEO Catherine Bond Muir.

“However, we are already working on an exciting new W Series race calendar for 2021, and we are delighted to be able to confirm that W Series raceꦜs will fea🔥ture on the support cards of a number of Formula 1 Grands Prix next year, including the 2021 United States Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas and the 2021 Mexican Grand Prix at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez.

“W Series is a global movement that exists to support the careers of female racing drꩲivers everywhere, and to foster interest in and enthusiasm for motor racing among girls and women all over the woꦿrld.

“The 18 women who had🙈 qualified to race in the 2020 W Series represent 12 different countries, and the eight circuits on which they were due to race this year are located in Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America and Central America.

“Delivering an international calendar of the kind that W Series requires, so as to take W Series’ diversity and inclusion message to girls and women globalꦇly, while prioritising during a global pandemic the health and safety of our drivers, our staff and the many other people who make W Series events such a success, requires resource at a leve🍎l beyond the scope of a brave new start-up such as W Series.

“However, now that we have taken the very difficult but ultimately unavoidable d🥂ecision to end any uncertainty surrounding our💧 2020 plans, we will focus our energies clearly on 2021, when we will resume our on-track racing programme, bigger and better than ever before.”

Muir said the introduction of a new W Series Esports lea꧅gue will launch on 11 June to fill thꩵe void without real-world racing for the drivers scheduled to contest this year’s championship.

“In the mean🎃time, ꦫthis year, we remain committed to developing our drivers and entertaining our loyal fans all over the world,” Muir explained.

“To that end, we are progressing with our exciting and innovative new W Series Esports League, which will go live on June 11 2020. In addition, our brilliant management team – including 13-time F1 Grand Prix winneᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚr David Coulthard and our hugely experienced Racing Director Dave Ryan – will continue to provide our drivers with invaluable career advice and support.” 

F1’s managing director of motorsports, Ross Brawn, said it was a🔥 “big disappointment” for the s♎port to lose W Series from its support bill in the US and Mexico.

“W Series has had an incredible impact on the world of motorsport, and we were excited to have th﷽em join our schedule th♊is year,” he added.

“It is a big disappointment for all of us that due to the difficulties presented by COVID-19 the events will not ta⛦ke place, but we are looking forward to some exciting racing in 2021 when the W Series returns.”