W Series has announced that the single-seater series will support F1 at eight Grands Prix next season.

The series was due to form part of the support bill at a number of races this season, but the global pandemic meant that this was not possible.

Though F1 this week revealed a 22-date schedule for 2021, which again is entirely dependent on the pandemic, W Series is not yet able to confirm which events it will attend.

"After such a successful inaugural season, we at W Series are absolutely delighted to be partnering with Formula 1 for 2021 and beyond," said Catherine Bond Muir, W Series Chief Executive Officer. "Formula 1 is by some margin the world's premier motor racing series, and, when we promised that W Series would be bigger and better in the future, partnering with Formula 1 was always our ultimate objective.

"There is no doubt that, now that W Series will be run alongside and in collaboration with Formula 1, our global reach, impact and influence will be increased significantly," she added.

"Everything that made W Series so popular and successful in 2019 will remain. The cars will be identical, the racing will be close and competitive, and our mission will always be to further the interests and prospects of female racing drivers. We want W Series to entertain, and entertain it will. But we also want it to become a crucial default-option stepping stone for any female racing driver who wants to carve out a professional racing career, and our proximity to Formula 1 will help and enhance that process. The fact that W Series is now eligible for FIA Super Licence points will also be an important factor in that regard.

"We are very grateful to Chase Carey, Ross Brawn and their colleagues for having faith in W Series, and for prioritising diversity and inclusion in this way, and we intend to help them drive forwards their excellent #WeRaceAsOne programme this year and in years to come."

"We are excited to announce our 2021 season this week," said Ross Brawn, Managing Director of Motorsport, Formula 1, "and look forward to a thrilling season with an exciting mix of new races and established circuits that we missed during our unprecedented 2020 season.

"It is a really important moment for us to welcome W Series as partners for eight races this season. They have been a beacon to many since they began racing in 2019. We believe it is incredibly important to give everyone the chance to reach the highest levels of our sport and their partnership with Formula 1 next season shows our determination and commitment to showcase their exciting series and the importance of building greater diversity across the sport."

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