TBK-Light.com

Motorsport videos and chat.
It is currently Thu Mar 28, 2024 11:04 am

All times are UTC+01:00




Post new topic  Reply to topic  [ 375 posts ]  Go to page 1 2 3 4 519 Next
Author Message
 Post subject: W Series Discussion
PostPosted: Wed Oct 10, 2018 8:25 am 
Offline
Honorary Member
Honorary Member
User avatar

Joined: Wed Aug 27, 2008 6:32 pm
Posts: 12321
Location: Braga/Porto - Portugal
Has thanked: 10 times
Been thanked: 267 times
Image

So yeah, someone has decided to create an all-new racing series just for women, in a great step towards... something, probably bankruptcy, because it is actually free to enter. It is being backed by some Sean Wadsworth, a friend of David Coulthard that sold his business for £200 million.

The series will have 18-20 of the Tatuus T-318 Formula 3 cars with 4-cyllinder turbo engines and has a prize of $1.5 million.

No drivers have been announced (Vicky Piria, Stephane Cox and Jamie Chadwick are being touted so far). Scheduled to start in the spring of 2019.

Provisional calendar for 2019:

3rd - 5th May | Hockenheim
17th - 19th May | Zolder
7th - 9th June | Misano
5th - 7th July | Norisring
19th - 21st July | Assen
10th - 11th August | Brands Hatch


https://wseries.com/introducing-w-series/

Thoughts?


Last edited by amq55 on Mon Oct 15, 2018 9:39 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Top
 Post subject: Re: W Series Discussion
PostPosted: Wed Oct 10, 2018 9:28 am 
Offline
Platinum Member
Platinum Member
User avatar

Joined: Sun Sep 07, 2008 1:12 am
Posts: 8205
Has thanked: 156 times
Been thanked: 564 times
Dumb idea. No-one will take it serious and it will result in more condescending talk towards female racers.

like: oh how cute, you won Formula W? Good for you. Now lets see how you handle yourself against the boys.....

The money spent on this is better suited to help young talented women rise through the ranks and start a big campaign to stop people from looking down on female drivers.


Top
 Post subject: Re: W Series Discussion
PostPosted: Wed Oct 10, 2018 9:32 am 
Offline
Honorary Member
Honorary Member
User avatar

Joined: Wed Aug 27, 2008 6:25 pm
Posts: 24587
Location: Guildford, UK
Has thanked: 68 times
Been thanked: 697 times
DC wrote:
At the moment, however, women racing drivers tend to reach a glass ceiling at around the GP3/Formula 3 level on their learning curve, often as a result of a lack of funding rather than a lack of talent.


Who? Genuine question, because I can't think of any actually talented girls who got to F3\GP3 and then were forced out because of a lack of money.

_________________
Dan Wheldon ¦ 1978-2011
Marco Simoncelli ¦ 1987-2011
Jules Bianchi ¦ 1989-2015
Justin Wilson ¦ 1978-2015

Yeah, I know he's mad and I don't care. I do not care. I did not care then. I do not care now. I'm here to race him.


Top
 Post subject: Re: W Series Discussion
PostPosted: Wed Oct 10, 2018 9:55 am 
Offline
Platinum Member
Platinum Member
User avatar

Joined: Sun Sep 07, 2008 1:12 am
Posts: 8205
Has thanked: 156 times
Been thanked: 564 times
RtN wrote:
DC wrote:
At the moment, however, women racing drivers tend to reach a glass ceiling at around the GP3/Formula 3 level on their learning curve, often as a result of a lack of funding rather than a lack of talent.


Who? Genuine question, because I can't think of any actually talented girls who got to F3\GP3 and then were forced out because of a lack of money.


I think most of them bow out of the sport way before reaching that point.
Women racers are still looked down on so they face an even bigger uphill battle than the boys.

And from a sponsor perspective I kinda get it, if the majority of female drivers bow out of the sport before they start to repay themself why invest in a young female driver if you have a better shot at sponsoring a male?

And I think its also still mainly a male viewing audience so racing isnt very interesting for female oriented products either.


Top
 Post subject: Re: W Series Discussion
PostPosted: Wed Oct 10, 2018 12:00 pm 
Offline
Platinum Member
Platinum Member
User avatar

Joined: Sun Sep 07, 2008 1:12 am
Posts: 8205
Has thanked: 156 times
Been thanked: 564 times


I think she hit the nail right on the head.


Top
 Post subject: Re: W Series Discussion
PostPosted: Wed Oct 10, 2018 12:15 pm 
Offline
2011 TBK-Light most negative awards, award winner
2011 TBK-Light most negative awards, award winner
User avatar

Joined: Tue Sep 09, 2008 9:14 am
Posts: 15361
Has thanked: 858 times
Been thanked: 637 times
The sponsors always choose the ones that are the best looking, even if they can't drive.

_________________
Follow me on Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/135625678@N06/


Top
 Post subject: Re: W Series Discussion
PostPosted: Wed Oct 10, 2018 2:35 pm 
Offline
The Finnish Paul Page
The Finnish Paul Page
User avatar

Joined: Thu Aug 28, 2008 5:07 pm
Posts: 6308
Location: Racing is in my blood
Has thanked: 725 times
Been thanked: 563 times
RtN wrote:
DC wrote:
At the moment, however, women racing drivers tend to reach a glass ceiling at around the GP3/Formula 3 level on their learning curve, often as a result of a lack of funding rather than a lack of talent.


Who? Genuine question, because I can't think of any actually talented girls who got to F3\GP3 and then were forced out because of a lack of money.


Coulthard is more of a business MAN than a racing driver, was already during his active years. He sees a chance to earn something here.

Sophia Floersch tweet is spot on.

I see this nothing else than another A1GP or Super League Formula. They have like five years of action until someone pulls the plug. Unfortunately this time it will push women drivers and fans far away of the series that have been there for decades already, making the future generations of female motorsports athletes even harder.

"Why should we sponsor you? Ten years ago there was this all female racing series where we were heavily involved. Nothing good came out of it and we decided as a company to focus on talents in other sports."

That's how I see this go. It might have noble cause, but it will make a terrible backlash on motorsports in general. I say in general because I've always liked how lady racers have made their way up to victory lane and team owners on their own merit and rightfully so. Now they're pushed on a very bad path.

_________________
"Indy doesn't give you a second chance. You have to earn it."


Top
 Post subject: Re: W Series Discussion
PostPosted: Wed Oct 10, 2018 3:39 pm 
Offline
Platinum Member
Platinum Member
User avatar

Joined: Sun Sep 07, 2008 1:12 am
Posts: 8205
Has thanked: 156 times
Been thanked: 564 times
I could make some sense of it if the cars where actual F3 cars and not based of an F3 car.

If it was an actual F3 car you could at least compare laptimes and see how they hold up against the guys. Now, winning this series tells us very little other than you're the best woman driver in the series.


Top
 Post subject: Re: W Series Discussion
PostPosted: Wed Oct 10, 2018 4:03 pm 
Offline
Platinum Member
Platinum Member
User avatar

Joined: Wed Aug 27, 2008 9:08 pm
Posts: 15978
Location: Joined 1st TBK: November 25th, 2005 ***Joelma Building, Sao Paulo***
Has thanked: 155 times
Been thanked: 923 times
just see if people pays much attention to women playing basketball, football and some of those competitive teams sports in their professional leagues, the audience is way lower

can't say that will draw too much audience either but at least they should give a season on F2 as prize or something like that because probably it'll be like F3 and so with Prema dominating and the others filling the grid

_________________
Motorsports trend for 2023: throwing cautions and red flags unnecessarily


Top
 Post subject: Re: W Series Discussion
PostPosted: Wed Oct 10, 2018 4:40 pm 
Offline
Platinum Member
Platinum Member
User avatar

Joined: Thu Aug 28, 2008 12:26 am
Posts: 5263
Location: São Paulo, Brazil
Has thanked: 251 times
Been thanked: 261 times
I'm more for the idea of funding the careers of promising female drivers rather than creating a series of their own. I don't doubt there is a bias against women in such an environment as motorsport, but I imagine the lack of funding is a more critical problem than this. Something like a Racing Steps Foundation for women seems more reasonable to me.

The good side I can see on this series is bringing more exposure to some drivers we wouldn't be talking or would be talking less about otherwise. But this also depends on the level of the field. If we have some terrible drivers, like some A1GP backmarkers, this can backfire.


Top
 Post subject: Re: W Series Discussion
PostPosted: Wed Oct 10, 2018 5:06 pm 
Offline
Platinum Member
Platinum Member
User avatar

Joined: Wed Aug 27, 2008 4:51 pm
Posts: 8057
Has thanked: 1465 times
Been thanked: 428 times
When the very people you're hoping will compete in your series say nope, it's not helpful at all, then you should probably just give up now to save any further embarrassment.

I know there is one woman involved in this, but is this the brainchild of Coulthard? It has his style written all over it, as others have said, a Racing Steps Foundation type thing would be better, but that's not profitable is it?


Top
 Post subject: Re: W Series Discussion
PostPosted: Wed Oct 10, 2018 5:41 pm 
Offline
2010 TBK-F1 prediction King
2010 TBK-F1 prediction King
User avatar

Joined: Thu Aug 28, 2008 2:06 pm
Posts: 6807
Location: Witney, England
Has thanked: 57 times
Been thanked: 203 times
micha wrote:
I could make some sense of it if the cars where actual F3 cars and not based of an F3 car.

If it was an actual F3 car you could at least compare laptimes and see how they hold up against the guys. Now, winning this series tells us very little other than you're the best woman driver in the series.

They are F3 cars. This chassis is already racing in Asia.

A series just for women who are already in the sport is a silly idea. Just imagine the complaints if a series was started just for men!

Formula Woman was OK because it was an academy which set out to get complete novices into the sport. So something like that, or an RSF type thing would be fine. The thinking behind this series is just wrong.

_________________
Check out the Touring Car Driver Database! (if you'd be so kind)
Motorsport playlists on YouTube


Top
 Post subject: Re: W Series Discussion
PostPosted: Wed Oct 10, 2018 8:33 pm 
Offline
Honorary Member
Honorary Member
User avatar

Joined: Wed Aug 27, 2008 6:32 pm
Posts: 12321
Location: Braga/Porto - Portugal
Has thanked: 10 times
Been thanked: 267 times
Ian-S wrote:
I know there is one woman involved in this, but is this the brainchild of Coulthard? It has his style written all over it, as others have said, a Racing Steps Foundation type thing would be better, but that's not profitable is it?

Pretty much. A mate of his is the main backer and the testimonies on the website are from Coulthard, Newey and Dave Ryan. Damon Hill also showed his support.


Top
 Post subject: Re: W Series Discussion
PostPosted: Wed Oct 10, 2018 11:41 pm 
Offline
Platinum Member
Platinum Member
User avatar

Joined: Sun Aug 31, 2008 4:21 am
Posts: 6389
Has thanked: 407 times
Been thanked: 652 times
LucasWheldon wrote:
at least they should give a season on F2 as prize


This. Just that detail would make this whole thing a lot less pointless.

_________________
Image


Top
 Post subject: Re: W Series Discussion
PostPosted: Thu Oct 11, 2018 2:40 am 
Offline
Gold Member
Gold Member
User avatar

Joined: Fri Sep 05, 2008 7:08 pm
Posts: 4281
Location: 1980s
Has thanked: 667 times
Been thanked: 190 times
It's a ridiculously bad idea and one destined for failure.

If I was a female racer I'd feel a bit offended as the very idea of this series is really sexist to both males and females, but to females even moreso. :8: :8: :8:


Top
   
 Post subject: Re: W Series Discussion
PostPosted: Thu Oct 11, 2018 8:01 am 
Offline
Platinum Member
Platinum Member
User avatar

Joined: Sun Sep 07, 2008 1:12 am
Posts: 8205
Has thanked: 156 times
Been thanked: 564 times
Philthy82 wrote:
LucasWheldon wrote:
at least they should give a season on F2 as prize


This. Just that detail would make this whole thing a lot less pointless.



The winner gets $500.000 from the current $1.500.000 price pot.
I really doubt that will buy them a full time seat in a decent car in a decent feeder series.


pimmy wrote:
micha wrote:
I could make some sense of it if the cars where actual F3 cars and not based of an F3 car.


My understanding was that its based on the F3 car.

/edit: Anyone else thinking the series will end up with a bunch of Carmen Jorda's because the ladies who actually do have talent decide to race with the boys?


Top
 Post subject: Re: W Series Discussion
PostPosted: Thu Oct 11, 2018 9:35 am 
Offline
Platinum Member
Platinum Member
User avatar

Joined: Wed Aug 27, 2008 4:51 pm
Posts: 8057
Has thanked: 1465 times
Been thanked: 428 times
micha wrote:
My understanding was that its based on the F3 car.

/edit: Anyone else thinking the series will end up with a bunch of Carmen Jorda's because the ladies who actually do have talent decide to race with the boys?


Yeah it's based on an F3, but won't be the same because that'll draw too many direct comparisons which will be no good for the drivers, exactly the same reason why FE doesn't race on regular tracks, and in the rare occurrence they do, they use a heavily modified layout, otherwise people would realise they're slower than a FFord.

The ladies that do have talent won't be stupid enough to sign their life away to some knock off Red Bull Driver Search thing.

I told my wife to sign up, that way we're at least guaranteed some turn 1 excitement from this...


Top
 Post subject: Re: W Series Discussion
PostPosted: Thu Oct 11, 2018 11:04 am 
Offline
Platinum Member
Platinum Member
User avatar

Joined: Sun Sep 07, 2008 1:12 am
Posts: 8205
Has thanked: 156 times
Been thanked: 564 times
So, its an utter waste of money as it tells the team owners absolutely nothing.
And because the talented ladies are not in it we're left with a field of ladies who are most likely out of their debt and as a result the naysayers will use it to "proof" that women don't belong in racing


Top
 Post subject: Re: W Series Discussion
PostPosted: Thu Oct 11, 2018 2:28 pm 
Offline
The Finnish Paul Page
The Finnish Paul Page
User avatar

Joined: Thu Aug 28, 2008 5:07 pm
Posts: 6308
Location: Racing is in my blood
Has thanked: 725 times
Been thanked: 563 times
Ian-S wrote:
I told my wife to sign up, that way we're at least guaranteed some turn 1 excitement from this...


That made me laugh. :lol:


See, it's already happening, more jokes about female drivers, definitely what the ladies who want to look like serious contenders does not want.

But since this series is happening, let's give it a chance before throwing out more jokes. The concept itself is a bad joke already so the racing doesn't have to.

_________________
"Indy doesn't give you a second chance. You have to earn it."


Top
 Post subject: Re: W Series Discussion
PostPosted: Thu Oct 11, 2018 3:04 pm 
Offline
Platinum Member
Platinum Member
User avatar

Joined: Sun Sep 07, 2008 1:12 am
Posts: 8205
Has thanked: 156 times
Been thanked: 564 times
NVirkkula wrote:
Ian-S wrote:
I told my wife to sign up, that way we're at least guaranteed some turn 1 excitement from this...



But since this series is happening,


I believe that once they actually start a race.
Lets first wait and see if they actually get a full grid. The only drivers interested might not even make the selection process.


Top
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic  Reply to topic  [ 375 posts ]  Go to page 1 2 3 4 519 Next

All times are UTC+01:00


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 6 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Search for:
Jump to:  
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Limited