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Former Olympic gold medallist and prominent women’s rights activist Caitlyn Jenner has joined the W Series — the dedicated F1 feeder series for women — grid with her own team for the 2022 season. The “Jenner Racing” team is scheduled to make its debut alongside the second United States Grand Prix in Miami.
Speaking at a press conference after the announcement, Jenner said:
“As a believer in fair competition, a lover of motor racing, and a supporter of all women in sport from the grassroots to elite level, W Series ticks every box for me and is a fusion of the different aspects of my career.”
Speaking about how the W Series is making an impact, she said:
“A championship dedicated to inspiring young girls and giving women the chance to succeed in roles throughout what has traditionally been a male-dominated industry, W Series is changing the face of motorsport.”
After her own experiences in motorsports, Jenner says she wanted to do something for women that would make a difference and felt the W Series was the right choice after being “extraordinarily impressed” with its efforts in the last couple of years. She said:
“To me, what the W Series means is that some young woman out there, who loves sports and is looking for a spot in sports, they rarely consider motor racing. Here’s an opportunity for them, to get in motor racing, start in Karts and see what you’ve got.”
The team will reportedly choose their driver line-up in the coming days, while carefully selecting sponsors that align with their mission of “promoting women in the sport”. W Series CEO Catherine Bond Muir welcomed Jenner’s entry, saying the latter will be an inspiration to everyone in the sport.
Caitlyn Jenner is no stranger to motorsports
The former Olympian is not new to the world of motorsports. In 1978, Caitlyn Jenner participated in an all-celebrity F1 race in Long Beach – and won. Eight years later, she made her professional racing debut with Ford in the IMSA endurance championship and racked up several victories.
Between the 70s and the 80s, Jenner was a professional decathlete and had a successful Olympic career. After retiring from professional sports, she went on to establish a successful media career, including as a model for Playgirl magazine.
Formerly known as Bruce before coming out as a trans woman in 2015, Jenner underwent gender-reassignment surgery. Although a self-professed activist for women’s and trans’ rights, Caitlyn Jenner’s views have often been extremely controversial.
