London, 22 March 2022
W Series, the international single-seater motor racing championship for female drivers, today announces its driver line-up for the 2022 season, including rising American star Chloe Chambers.
The 17-year-old from Hudson Valley, New York – a Guinness World Record holder who recently starred in ‘America’s Got Talent: Extreme’ – will compete for the newly-formed Jenner Racing Team. That will see Chloe work alongside Team Principal Caitlyn Jenner – a former racing driver and Olympic champion – and teammate Jamie Chadwick, the two-time defending W Series champion.
Following pre-season tests at the Inde Motorsports Ranch, Arizona, USA, and the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain, Chloe is one of nine drivers selected by W Series’ Racing Director Dave Ryan to join the eight women who qualified automatically for season three by finishing in the top eight in the 2021 W Series championship standings.
Chloe started racing karts aged eight and went on to win multiple national titles before making her US F4 Championship debut last year. She joins four other drivers – Tereza Babickova (CZE, 18), Emely De Heus (NED, 19), Bianca Bustamante (PHI, 17), and Juju Noda (JPN, 16) – who will make their W Series debut this season, when W Series will stage support races at eight Formula 1 Grand Prix weekends, starting in Miami, Florida, in May.
The 17 drivers confirmed for the 2022 W Series season are as follows:
Tereza Babickova, CZE, 18
Bianca Bustamante, PHI, 17
Jamie Chadwick, UK, 23
Chloe Chambers, USA, 17
Emely De Heus, NED, 19
Belén García, ESP, 22
Marta Garcia, ESP, 21
Jessica Hawkins, UK, 27
Emma Kimiläinen, FIN, 32
Nerea Martí, ESP, 20
Sarah Moore, UK, 28
Juju Noda, JPN, 16
Alice Powell, UK, 29
Abbi Pulling, UK, 18
Bruna Tomaselli, BRA, 24
Beitske Visser, NED, 26
Fabienne Wohlwend, LIE, 24
Highlighting W Series’ mission to create opportunities in the highest levels of motorsport for as many women as possible, the 18th and final slot on the 2022 grid is left open to give valuable racing experience to a pool of reserve drivers who have shown promise during previous W Series seasons and test events. The roster of 2022 reserve drivers will be announced in due course.
W Series confirms that Irina Sidorkova (RUS, 18) will not compete in W Series until further notice.
Caitlyn Jenner (Team Principal, Jenner Racing) said:
“I’m delighted to be able to confirm the Jenner Racing Team’s formidable driver line-up for the 2022 W Series season. As a two-time W Series champion, Jamie Chadwick needs no introduction, and she will be joined by Chloe Chambers – one of the most promising female racing talents in the world. In the short time we have already spent working together, I have been blown away by both drivers’ professionalism, skill, determination, and calmness under pressure.
“Jamie is the best possible benchmark for Chloe who I know will keep the defending champion on her toes throughout the season. With all those attributes, plus the support they will get from me and the rest of the Jenner Racing Team, they have every chance of achieving success this year.”
Chloe Chambers (Jenner Racing) said:
“Since W Series first launched, it has been a focus of mine to participate in a W Series test and be selected. To achieve this and be getting ready to make my W Series debut for the Jenner Racing Team at Formula 1’s Miami Grand Prix in May, is super thrilling and an honor. It has been a whirlwind few months, the pre-season tests have gone well, the support I’ve had from everyone at W Series has been incredible, and I’m ready to seize this fantastic opportunity and go further.
“Jamie Chadwick sets a benchmark both in and outside of the car with her professional approach, and she is someone I’ve looked up to for a long time. Caitlyn Jenner is one of the greatest athletes of all time, so I can’t think of two better people to work with and learn from at this stage in my career. It is difficult to overcome the perceptions of being a female in motorsport, but that drives me to continue to learn and win, and it’s fantastic to have great people in my corner.
“I remember watching F1 races with my dad when I was small, then I asked if I could try karting, and everything just clicked – it was the greatest feeling in the world. I want to thank everyone who has helped me get to this point, but this is just the beginning. My dream is to compete in F1 and the Indy500, and this opportunity with W Series takes me a giant step closer towards realising it.”
2022 team pairings will be revealed in the coming days on W Series’ social media channels.
