W Series as a World Championship, why not?

Organisers and the FIA sometimes treat the W-Series as a something of a stepping stone to Formula 1, creating expectations that can never be met.  There is not a single F1 team that will immediately put the winner of the W-series in their car. The female field is simply not competitive enough for that.

Do talented female racers need the W Series?

So the championship is mainly used to advertise female drivers for a seat in Formula 3 or Formula 2, where they will have to prove themselves against their male contemporaries. There is nothing wrong with that, but what does a racer fast enough to get a seat in F3 by herself get from participating in the W Series?

That is why the organisation has created a prize pool that can be used to finance a further career but is it enough to make this a serious championship? Except for the winner, the other racers still get nothing.

W Series as a goal in itself

Moreover, it is still the question to what extent women have a fair chance at all. In the lower starting classes, the possible physical disadvantage is still relatively small, but how about in the current F1 cars, which generate more downward pressure than ever? Even if women are only at a one percent physical disadvantage, the difference in F1's small margins could be huge.

So if the FIA really wants to take women in motorsport seriously, there is no harm in officially giving the W Series the status of a World Championship. It would give the class more prestige and recognition and the women a more serious title to aspire to. After all, the title of 'fastest woman in the world' is much more appealing than 'winner of the W Series'.