Women Drivers on the Rise — The Wave Spreading Through Global Motorsport in 2026
Where the FIA's women's initiatives stand, the W Series legacy, and the precedents emerging across regions
Women drivers are a growing presence in global motorsport in 2026. FIA Women in Motorsport Commission data shows a 38 percent increase in women holding competition licences compared to 2020. From WRC to dirt trial to formula cars, women are setting new precedents across multiple categories. WSJ surveys the landscape.
The W Series ended operations in 2023 due to financial difficulties, but its legacy is emerging through the regional career trajectories of the drivers it developed. Fifteen W Series alumni are competing in major mixed-gender categories in the 2025–2026 season, with three of them active at the F2 and F3 level. The series as a competition entity is gone, but its function as a development pipeline has produced a quantifiable cohort of graduates.
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