With the 2024 F1 season approaching, the sport undergoes a difficult period as it sees the official end of the W series program after existing for less than five years. Officials and drivers involved in the series heartbreakingly watch along as even the smallest bits and pieces from the failed series go up for auction on BidSpotter.
The auction, which is currently live on the site and will remain so till the 31st of January 2024, features a diverse range of items that are available for bidders to buy. Car chassis, engines, hand tools, race suits, and even trophies from the sport are being auctioned so the investors in the sport can earn some of their money back.
Notably enough, no individual or a group of outside investors owned any of these assets. Instead, the W series owned all the equipment that is up for auction, making it a unique situation. Given the same, the item list for the auction is extremely comprehensive, and certain uncommon racing elements are also up for sale.
Among a long list of items, 20 Tatuus F3 T-318 cars with engines and spare parts have caught the eye of most bidders. The car debuted in 2018 and has since been a part of Formula 3 and the W Series. However, with the series finding no sponsors for the 2023 season, the authorities had no option but to sell off the items to cut their losses.
The final price at which these things will be sold will only be known after the auction ends. However, it is sad to see a once-promising venture like the W-Series fall from grace in such a manner. On the other hand, female drivers will be looking at F1 academy, and hope that they don’t repeat the mistakes W-Series did.
The F1 Academy stands as a beacon of hope
The last time a female driver raced on an F1 circuit was 48 years ago, with Lella Lombardi competing in 1976. Since then, the sport has longed for another female driver but has yet to see one. The F1 Academy, initiated by F1 in April last year, stands as the only means of bridging the gap as of now. It features 15 female drivers, who race in seven rounds across a season, with races taking place in Europe and Austin, Texas.
Led by Susie Wolff, the Academy not only aims at honing female talent to one day race in F1, but it also aims at creating opportunities for women across the sport in various disciplines, such as engineering and mechanics. Speaking about the same, Wolff detailed how she was initially reluctant to take up the role but soon realized it could be her opportunity to bring about a revolutionary turn in the history of the sport and leave a lasting impact on females across the globe.
“Initially, I was reluctant, but then I realized it was such an opportune moment to drive a big impact and change in this sport. There was so much commitment from the very top within F1, and this felt so right because it combined my knowledge of being a driver or running a team, but then my huge passion for diversity.”
Spanish driver Marta Garcia emerged as the winner of the F1 Academy championship in 2023. She finished with 278 points, 56 more than second placed Lena Buhler.
