W Series will stage a two-day on-track test session at the Circuit de Valencia, Spain, on May 4-5th during which the drivers who will contest the 2020 W Series championship will put the W Series race car, the Tatuus T-318 Formula 3 car, through its paces.

Catherine Bond Muir, W Series Chief Executive Officer, said:

“After the success of W Series’ inaugural season [2019], all of us at W Series are now eagerly looking forward to our second season, which will feature a mix of the best drivers who raced with us in 2019, including reigning W Series champion Jamie Chadwick, and some exciting new faces too.

“Our first race will take place at the brand-new Igora Drive circuit near St Petersburg, Russia, on May 30, but before that we’ll stage a two-day on-track test session at the Circuit de Valencia, Spain.

Circuit Ricardo Tormo, also known as Circuit de Valencia

“Our established drivers will welcome the opportunity to reacquaint themselves with the W Series Tatuus T-318 Formula 3 car, which they’ll race again this year, while the newcomers will be anxious to work as hard as they can to dial themselves in for the season ahead.”

Dave Ryan, W Series Racing Director, said:

“Pre-season test days tend to be long and hard, but they’re also vitally important.

“For engineers and mechanics, they provide a final opportunity to fine-tune the cars for the race weekends ahead, while the drivers should utilise every available second to learn and/or relearn as much as they can about W Series’ Tatuus T-318 Formula 3 car, as well as working as diligently and as intelligently as they can to optimise their driving technique and technical understanding.

“The Circuit de Valencia isn’t part of the 2020 W Series race calendar, but it’s perfectly suited to testing Formula 3 cars. A tight and twisty circuit, 2.488 miles [4.005km] in length, it consists of one long straight and 14 corners, of which Turn One, an 80-degree left-hander that requires precise but heavy braking, is perhaps the trickiest.

“A comparatively modern circuit, built in 1999, it used to be a regular test track for Formula 1 teams. Anthony Davidson holds the unofficial lap record – 1min 8.540sec – which he set while testing a Honda RA106 Formula 1 car in 2006. Obviously, W Series cars aren’t capable of matching that kind of pace, but I nonetheless hope and expect to see some impressive performances from our drivers, both old and new.”

The 2020 W Series season will feature eight races, as follows:

Igora Drive, Russia May 30 Anderstorp Raceway, Sweden June 13 Autodromo di Monza, Italy June 27 Norisring, Germany July 11 Brands Hatch, UK August 23 TT Circuit Assen, Netherlands September 5 Circuit of the Americas, USA October 24 Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, Mexico October 31

Journalists, photographers and TV crews who wish to attend should email their requests to [email protected]