CHADWICK WINS ON HOME SOIL AT SILVERSTONE IN W SERIES
Reigning double champion Jamie Chadwick (Jenner Racing, 24, UK) continued her perfect start to the 2022 W Series season by taking a sixth consecutive win in a dramatic race at Silverstone.
The Briton secured a commanding lights-to-flag victory to extend her 100 per cent record to four wins from four races this term and, in the process, take her points tally for the year to 100. Jamie stood on the top step of a W Series podium at her home race in Britain for the first time to extend her lead at the top of the championship standings to 47 points over compatriot Abbi Pulling (Racing X, 19, UK) who finished third. Emma Kimiläinen (Puma W Series Team, 32, FIN) regained second place from Abbi on the final lap after the pair made contact in the closing stages.
Emma’s first podium finish of the season moved her up to fourth in the championship standings, one point and one place behind Beitske Visser (Sirin Racing W Series Team, 27, NED) and one place ahead of Alice Powell (Click2Drive Bristol Street Motors Racing W Series Team, 29, UK). Alice – the winner of last year’s W Series race at Silverstone – started third but finished out of the points in 14th after receiving a stop-go penalty for an infringement on the formation lap.
Fabienne Wohlwend (CortDAO Racing W Series Team, 24, LIE) – who was runner-up to Alice 12 months ago – continued her strong record at Silverstone by finishing fourth, just ahead of Beitske. Jessica Hawkins (Click2Drive Bristol Street Motors Racing W Series Team, 27, UK) and Abbie Eaton (Scuderia W, 30, UK) finished sixth and seventh respectively to score points at their home race, while Belén García (Quantfury Racing W Series Team, 22, ESP), Nerea Martí (Quantfury Racing W Series Team, 20, ESP), and Sarah Moore (Scuderia W, 28, UK) completed the top 10.
Despite spots of rain falling as the drivers made their way to the grid, a sell-out crowd was in attendance on the Saturday of the Formula 1® Lenovo British Grand Prix 2022 weekend. The drama began before the lights had gone out when, at the start of the formation lap, Alice – who was promoted from fifth to third on the grid after qualifying when her deleted lap time for exceeding track limits was reinstated – stalled but made it off the line before the last car had passed her, allowing her to retake her starting place of third. However, she had been out of position in fourth at the first safety car line on the formation lap, resulting in a 10-second stop-go penalty from the stewards.
Jamie made a strong start from pole position and Emma and Alice slotted in behind her. Abbi was slow away from fourth, allowing Fabienne to take that place having started sixth. With four minutes gone, Alice passed Emma on the inside at Brooklands for second place, before pulling into the pit-lane to serve her penalty. That helped Jamie build a four-second lead after only two laps of the 30-minute plus one lap race.
Front-wing and sidepod damage after contact with Emely De Heus (Sirin Racing W Series Team, 19, NED) dropped Marta Garcia (CortDAO Racing W Series Team, 21, ESP) to the rear of the field as she was forced into a prolonged pit-stop while repairs were made to her car. Up ahead, Marta’s team-mate Fabienne was going wheel-to-wheel with Abbi in the battle for third. Abbi came out on top when Fabienne ran wide at Village, relegating her to fifth and promoting Beitske to fourth.
At the halfway stage, Jamie led Emma by more than five seconds and Abbi was a further two seconds behind. Jessica had progressed from 10th on the grid to sixth, and Nerea had made up more places than any driver, going from 15th to ninth.
The rain became more persistent as the second half of the race began, but Jamie continued to set purple sectors at the head of the field to extend her advantage to more than six seconds as the clock ticked below 10 minutes.
With the threat of heavier rain dissipating and Jamie enjoying a comfortable advantage in front, Emma’s attention turned to her mirrors where Abbi was looming large. The teenager set the fastest lap of the race to close to within half a second of Emma on the penultimate lap, at the end of which the pair made contact after going side-by-side on the Hangar Straight. That sent Emma spinning but, as the stewards were investigating the incident, she regained second place on the final lap as Jamie won by almost 20 seconds.