Female racing event at S'pore GP

The all-female single-seater W Series racing championship will make its Asian debut here as a support race for the Sept 30-Oct 2 Formula One Singapore Grand Prix, organisers said yesterday.

One of Asia's most competitive GT Series, the Thailand Super Series, will also make its maiden appearance at the Marina Bay Street Circuit as a support race that same weekend.

Singapore will host the seventh round of the 2022 W Series season, which is currently led by reigning double champion Jamie Chadwick of Jenner Racing. The 24-year-old Briton has won the first five races of the current campaign, which has a record 10 races.

W Series chief executive officer Catherine Bond Muir said Asia is a key market for the series.

She added: "The Marina Bay Street Circuit has built a fantastic reputation for great racing and we're sure the atmosphere will be incredible.

"We staged our first-ever race on a street circuit in Miami in May to great acclaim, and I'm sure our drivers will put on another exciting show at Marina Bay and continue to inspire new fans of W Series in Asia."

The W Series had been due to make its Asian debut at Japan's Suzuka circuit but plans were changed because of "unforeseeable operational challenges".

Local motor sport presenter and race driver Claire Jedrek called the move a big win for women in the sport, as well as for the series and Singapore as it gives female drivers more exposure in Asia.

She told The Straits Times: "For the younger drivers here, the importance of the individual stories and struggles of the drivers in the W Series are what needs to be heard by our youth...

"This is the fuel for commitment and inspiration to not just want to be a driver, but any role involved in motor sport."

Jedrek's husband Yuey Tan will be racing in the Thailand Super Series, which is sanctioned by the International Automobile Federation (FIA) and features a mix of GT3, GTM and GTC supercars.

The series' two invitation races will feature 27 drivers from all over the world including Singapore, Thailand and Australia.

Singapore GP deputy chairman Colin Syn was thrilled that both series are being staged here for the first time, noting that the W Series "is leading the way in promoting diversity and gender equality in motor sports".

This year's F1 race is expected to match its second-highest turnout of 268,000 from the 2019 edition, with race promoters Singapore GP quoted by news website Today as saying that "based on the current ticket sales, we are confident that we will at least meet 2019's numbers".

Back after a two-year hiatus owing to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Singapore Grand Prix will also give ticket holders the chance to see their favourite drivers up close during a meet-and-greet session on Oct 1 at the Zone 1 Wharf Stage.