So Jamie Chadwick and the rest of the top 12 are seemingly coming back for a second season

Without wanting to sound dismissive and flippant...that's not exactly the sort of springboard towards F1 they were hoping for, is it? I'm not sure they wanted to create a series with the same 12 drivers coming back year after year. I guess a career's a career so if it's working for them, fair play. But it's not what it was meant to be

If the people behind W Series have changed their mind on being part of the ladder and instead want to see themselves as a final destination, then that's their prerogative, but considering that the cars are basically F4 vehicles with slightly more grunt they can't be surprised if\when more talented ladies bypass the series entirely in pursuit of F1.

Fuck it, give them faster cars and be a proper rival to F1

Fuck getting them on the F1 ladder, become your own thing, Formula W

Good, why does F1 need to be the ultimate goal? I am surprised nobody is interested in being the best F2 or F3 driver of all time for instance. Just stay there and get as many championships as possible. I would do something like that if I realized I wasn't getting an F1 seat. Now they become champion in F2 and then if they don't go to F1 they end up in DTM or GT cars, not exactly the single seater carreer they were aiming for. So I'm glad W Series doesn't dump their champion. It adds prestige to have a reigning champion in the field, something we never see in F2 or F3

the cars are basically F4 vehicles with slightly more grunt

What? Was this seriously written or did i miss something?

F3 and F2 are junior series with the rules in place (champion booted automatically, was there also an age limit or max years of participation?) they are going to remain as junior series. Even without those rules in place, it would make little sense stay in F2 limbo forever if you can move to other categories especially under paid driver contracts.

I agree with James B's original point, I'm not sure any of them wanted to do another W season, instead they would have preferred to get an opportunity somewhere else. Altough not sure where did this "springboard to F1" come from - considering the age of some of these W drivers for sure they can't be anymore seriously thinking about F1. Europe/world is full of national and regional F3 series with higher quality of drivers where the average age is below 20, not over 20.

Why is it normal in MotoGP? champions often stay in Moto2 and have a real career in the feeder category. Single seater racing should get rid of the idea that only F1 matters, F2 is only slightly slower.