World class women’s motor sport, W Series, returns to Channel 4

26 May 2021

W Series, the international single-seater motor racing championship for female drivers, is set to return to Channel 4.

Channel 4 will carry coverage from all eight W Series races this year with the first race coming from the Red Bull Ring in Austria on 26 June

Channel 4 will also broadcast highlights of the Formula 1 race from the Red Bull Ring on 27 June giving race fans the chance to watch the world’s best male and female drivers in action on the same platform.

The W Series presenting line up, led by Lee McKenzie & Anna Woolhouse, features 13-time Formula 1 Grand Prix winner David Coulthard and also includes: Alex Jaques, Amy Reynolds, Billy Monger, Naomi Schiff and Ted Kravitz.

Catherine Bond Muir, Chief Executive Officer, W Series, said: “I am delighted that W Series’ founding broadcast partner, Channel 4, has reinforced its commitment to showcasing women’s sport and our talented racing drivers. Live free-to-air motorsport coverage is rare, but our partnership with Channel 4 is a key part of W Series’ plan to create more visible role models to inspire girls and women to be a part of motorsport, whether that is on track, on screen or behind the scenes, and the expertise and insight provided by our brilliant commentary team will be instrumental to our efforts.”

W Series Advisory Board Chairman David Coulthard said: “The interest in W Series’ inaugural season was remarkable and it will only increase this year when W Series races in partnership with Formula 1. With the world watching, the pressure on the drivers will increase this season and I’m looking forward to being part of the commentary team which brings to life their inspirational stories and skills.”

Channel 4’s Head of News, Current and Affairs and Sport Louisa Compton said: “W Series aligns brilliantly with Channel 4 – it’s innovative, bold and will break down barriers. I’m sure viewers will relish the opportunity to watch this exciting season of top motorsport as it unfolds on Channel 4.”

This year, viewers will once again see all the action from W Series’ qualifying sessions and races, as well as build-up, analysis, and paddock insights from an all-star presentation team. Live coverage will be shown across Channel 4’s platforms and made available to watch later on demand through the All 4 catch-up service.

 

About W Series

W Series is a free-to-enter motor racing championship, which provides equal opportunities for women and eliminates the financial barriers that have historically prevented them from progressing to the upper tiers of motorsport. All W Series' cars and corresponding equipment are the same specification and managed by the series, ensuring that our races and championships are won by the most talented drivers, rather than those with the wealthiest backers or the fastest cars. W Series was the second most-watched women’s sport in the UK behind football during our inaugural season in 2019, and since then the series has created the greatest number of female professional racing drivers of all time. W Series aims to create a pathway for female racing drivers, encouraging more girls into junior karting and more sponsors to support female racing drivers as they progress into the upper tiers of motorsport. The more high-profile female role models it can create, the more W Series believes it will inspire young girls to go karting – if you can see it, you can be it.

W Series was the second most-watched women’s sport in the UK behind football in 2019 (according to Futures Sport data analysis report, December 2019 – the most up-to-date report following the postponement of W Series’ 2020 on-track season) when Channel 4 showed live coverage of the inaugural season.

The presentation team

• Presenter: Lee McKenzie is a broadcast journalist and presenter best known for her work in Formula One. She also presents international rugby for both Channel 4 and BBC as well as Wimbledon, the Olympics and the Paralympics.

• Co-commentator: David Coulthard MBE is a 13-time Grand Prix winner, commentator and co-presenter for Channel 4’s F1 coverage. He is also Chairman of the advisory board of W Series and President of the British Racing Drivers’ Club.

• Pitlane reporter: Ted Kravitz is a Formula One pit-lane reporter who has worked on Sky Sports F1 since 2012. With more than two decades’ experience in the paddock, Kravitz is one of the most informed reporters on the F1 circuit.

• Presenter: Anna Woolhouse is a sports journalist and a lead boxing presenter for Sky Sports. She has also presented shows for netball, ice hockey and F1, including the Midweek Report.

• Lead commentator: Alex Jacques is lead commentator for Channel 4’s F1 coverage. He is also lead commentator for FIA F2 and FIA F3.

• Co-commentator: Billy Monger is a double-amputee British racing driver who achieved his first single-seater race in win in 2019 at the Pau Grand Prix. In 2019 and 2020 he was analyst for Channel 4’s F1 coverage and was race pundit for the W Series Esports League in 2020.

• Pitlane reporter: Amy Reynolds is a respected motorsport broadcast journalist and presenter who has presented MotoGP for the past six years. She is also known for her work covering the FIM MXGP World Motocross Championship and the FIM Speedway World Championship.

• Analyst: Naomi Schiff is a professional racing driver who took part in the inaugural season of W Series in 2019 and has since been based fulltime with the London team in her role as Diversity and Inclusion Ambassador.