C4 to show live W Series motor racing

UK broadcaster Channel 4 has picked up the live rights to W Series, the all-female motor racing championship.

The deal includes all six races, beginning in Germany on 4 May.

W Series will see 18 women from 13 countries compete in mechanically identical single-seater cars. The women were chosen after an extensive selection process which assessed their abilities on the track.

The championship will feature British drivers Jamie Chadwick, Esmee Hawkey, Jessica Hawkins, Sarah Moore and Alice Powell.

Channel 4 commissioning editor for sport Joe Blake-Turner said: “Women have been under-represented in motorsport for far too long and who knows, this exciting format could be the first step towards producing a female Formula 1 champion in the not-too-distant future.”

Catherine Bond Muir, chief executive of W Series added, “Channel 4 is the ideal broadcast partner and we’re delighted to be working with them as we introduce the world to this exciting new concept.”

The W Series coverage begins with the opening race at Hockenheim on 4 May.

Coverage of the championships, which will also be available on All 4, will be produced by independent production company Whisper Films, the company behind C4’s F1 programming.