EXCLUSIVE: After W Series’ Failure, Matt Bishop Explains if F1 Academy Is Taking the Right Steps

Exclusive: After W Series' Failure, Matt Bishop Explains if F1 Academy Is Taking the Right Steps
Credits: IMAGO / Motorsport Images

W-Series was an all-female single-seater racing series that had high hopes for the future but failed miserably. Matt Bishop, who was a part of the W-Series paddock, feels that its replacement, F1 Academy, is taking the right steps to ensure it doesn’t make the mistakes of the past.

Advertisement

F1 Academy, headed by Susie Wolff has taken off strongly, with existing F1 teams sponsoring the drivers who take part in this all-female racing venture. Its predecessor, the W-Series which was more centrally controlled and didn’t have the involvement of teams, made several blunders. There were three W-Series championships (2019, 2020, and 2021) after which they went into administration. This is when F1 Academy came forward.

Bishop, who saw the mistakes W-Series made, feels that F1 Academy is headed in the right direction. In an exclusive interview with The SportsRush’s Tanish Chachra, Bishop said, “Everything that is done in that area in order to promote females in motorsports. Whether it is to make the sport more appealing to women and girls if they are fans. Whether it is to encourage them to be mechanics or engineers working in the sport, whether it is to encourage them and facilitate better opportunities to become drivers, or journalists, or photographers or videographers.” 

Advertisement

Bishop added that F1 is not a men-only place anymore. He emphasizes how women should be made more welcome. For that, he credits F1 Academy. In his words, “Whatever can be done, is being done.” 

Matt Bishop hails pioneers of women in motorsport

Even though W-Series failed, it created some superstars whom the entire racing community held in high regard. In the interview with The SportsRush, Bishop named some women who he felt were pioneers of encouraging female participation in motorsports.

He mentioned Jessica Hawkins, Jamie Chadwick, Alice Powell, Baitzke Visser, Emma Kimmelinen, and Sarah Moore. However, he decided not to take any more names. Not because they weren’t any more deserving of the title. But because there were too many.

Advertisement

Matt Bishop insisted that everyone who took part in the series was a pioneer. Reaching F1 for them might be out of reach because of their age. But being a part of the motorsports community and looking after the young girls today, who dream of making it, is equally important.

Related Posts

Emma Willis back on TV for first time since heart surgery in ‘groundbreaking’ show

Former Celebrity Big Brother host Emma Willis will be back on TV alongside her husband Matt Willis next month, just weeks after she announced that she had…

Adam Collard hospitalised as Laura Woods makes TV return

Former Love Island star Adam Collard has been hospitalised as his sports presenter fiancee, Laura Woods, makes her TV return following the birth of their first child…

Ruth Langsford breaks silence on ‘painful’ Eamonn Holmes split – ‘I don’t want to be alone’

Loose Women host Ruth Langsford has admitted her divorce from Eamonn Holmes is ‘painful’ in a candid new interview but also insisted she is moving on with…

Loose Women star forced to apologise after swearing live on air

Craig Doyle was left red-faced after he accidentally swore while hosting a special edition of ITV’s Loose Women, which featured an all-male panel A Loose Women star…

Prince Harry to miss out on son Archie’s birthday for Las Vegas trip in honour of Diana

The Duke is set to miss out on his son Prince Archie’s special day when he turns 6 on May 6 – but it’s all for a…

Expert gives definitive answer on Meghan Markle’s use of HRH title

Since it emerged that Meghan Markle sent a gift basket to a friend with a card that described her as ‘HRH The Duchess of Sussex’ controversy has…