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'Monumental moment' for women in motorsport project while W Series struggles to survive

While the all-female W Series has been forced to abandoned its 2022 season early due to a lack of funds, a project promoting women in motorsport is going from strength to strength

[Doriane Pin crosses the line to clinch the Ferrari Challenge Europe title in Mugello]

Doriane Pin crosses the line to clinch the Ferrari Challenge Europe title at Mugello

The progress of women drivers in motorsport has seemingly been dented by the struggles of the W Series, which may have held its last race due to a cash crisis.

The all-female formula, which only launched in 2019, has been forced to abandon the current season three races early and there are significant doubts over the long-term viability of the series, which has been supporting F1 at selected Grand Prix.

The news was announced on Monday, a day after a significant success story for women in motorsport as French teenager Doriane Pin clinched the Ferrari Challenge Europe series for the Iron Lynx team.

READ MORE: Meet the fast female racer who dreams of taking her 'big character' to F1 one day

Racing against male drivers, Pin has dominated the season from the start. In an interview with Daily Star Sport in September, she spoke of her dream of reaching F1 and said she had no desire to race separately from men in a bid to realise that dream.

While W Series was seen as a step forward by some, there are others who saw it as a retrograde move. One view is that female racers should be given more support and opportunities to compete against men in a sport that has never traditionally been segregated by gender.

Thats certainly how Pins Iron Lynx team see it. The Italian outfit runs the Iron Dames project, spearheaded by French businesswoman Deborah Mayer, whose aim is to give female drivers a platform in the sport to showcase their talent in a male-dominated environment.

The project is certainly bearing fruit with the all-female Iron Dames team winning their class at the prestigious 24 Hours of Spa endurance race. Pin was part of the team.

Do you think we will see a woman racing in the F1 in the next decade? Have your say in the comments section below.

[The Iron Dames celebrate on the top step of the podium after winning their class at the 24 Hours of Spa]

The Iron Dames celebrate on the top step of the podium after winning their class at the 24 Hours of Spa

[Doriane Pin after winning another race in the Ferrari Challenge at Silverstone]

Doriane Pin after winning both Silverstone races in the Ferrari Challenge in September

Doriane winning the championship is a monumental moment for women in motorsport, especially in such a dominant way with two races left in the season, said Mayer after Pin sealed the title at Mugello. It is also a big milestone for the Iron Dames project, as we have won this championship for the last two years running, with Michelle Gatting becoming the first woman in history to win the title in 2021.

Mayer works closely with Iron Lynx team principal Andrea Piccini, a former Minardi F1 team test driver and successful endurance racer. He believes there is now a will from big brands in motorsport, like Ferrari, to help female drivers move up the ladder.

The Iron Dames project is developing more and more, Piccini told Daily Start Sport last month. We are growing the family of the Iron Dames and Doriane is probably the most promising one because shes only a teenager.

We are trying to link the Iron Dames project to names like Ferrari and other brands who want to encourage more girls to get into motorsport. I think all the brands are very interested to try and bring girls into motorsport.

[Doriane Pin is held aloft by Iron Lynx team principal Andrea Piccini after clinching the Ferrari challenge title in Mugello at the weekend]

Doriane Pin is held aloft by Iron Lynx team principal Andrea Piccini after clinching the Ferrari Challenge title in Mugello at the weekend

Not to sound arrogant, I think Iron Dames is definitely the most serious project for women in motorsport. Weve shown weve been able to bring women in and win some of the most important races.

Again, I dont like to sound arrogant, but they [the Iron Dames] made history when they won the Spa 24 hours and have been on the WEC [World Endurance Championship] podium.

We won the Ferrari Challenge with Michelle last year the first woman to win such a championship and were now having success with Doriane.

Were fighting in the LMS [Le Mans Series], the GT World Challenge. They are achieving results which have never been achieved by a woman before.

This is of course thanks to Deborah, who is supporting the programme strongly, and we put the support of Iron Lynx to help them. And its not only on the driving side, its about encouraging women to be part of motorsport at all the levels.

READ NEXT:

• Read more motorsport news from the Daily Star here
• Motorsport history made as all-female team wins at legendary endurance race
• Racer Sarah Bovy says money not gender is her biggest barrier as female stars aim for F1
• Lewis Hamiltons W Series concern shared as female drivers chase F1 dream

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