Women-only Formula One series coming in 2019

Auto racing is not friendly to women who are trying to reach its highest levels, but Formula One is taking a step to changing that.

Women have struggled to open the door to the highest levels of competitive auto racing, and even Danica Patrick had trouble getting recognition as a serious driver in IndyCar and NASCAR. But Formula One is trying to change that, with a new women-only racing series set to start in 2019.

Beginning in May of next year, the new series will consist of six 30-minute races throughout Europe. Eventually, the series hopes to expand to Asia, Australia, North America and South America.

Named The W Series, the all-women racing circuit has the support of former F1 driver David Coulthard. The 13-time winner on the circuit offered a statement earlier this week.

"In order to be a successful racing driver, you have to be skilled, determined, competitive, brave and physically fit, but you don’t have to possess the kind of super-powerful strength levels that some sports require. You also don’t have to be a man,"

The overall winner of the series will get $500,000, with prize money down to 18th place. That will ideally help fund the next step in the racing career of those women, and break through the “glass ceiling” Coulthard also cited as having nothing to do with talent.

"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."

The competitors will use identical machinery, a Tatuus F3 T-318.

A woman has not competed in a Formula One race since 1976 when Italian Lella Lombardi was on the starting grid for the Austrian Grand Prix. Tatiana Calderon was signed by a team this year as a test driver, though she is yet to be featured in an F1 session.

Critics will suggest an all-women racing series will serve to marginalize potential female competitors even more. But Formula One is at least making an effort to open the door to its circuit in a way it never has.