The W Series has announced the cancellation of the 2020 season due to the effects of the pandemic.
The all-female single-seater series was scheduled to run alongside the DTM series for six races before making its debut on the Formula 1 support bill at the United States and Mexican Grands Prix.
However, in the revised DTM calendar issued earlier this week, the majority of circuits scheduled for the W Series were axed, and uncertainty lingers over the American and Mexican F1 races as the sport is yet to schedule fly-away races.
An Esports competition for the W Series has already been announced and will serve as the only action for the championship this year.
A statement from the series underlined its intention to return in 2021 and to maintain its grand prix support bill slots in the US and Mexico.
“After the resounding success of W Series’ debut season in 2019, our decision not to stage on-track races until 2021 is not one that has been taken lightly,” said series boss Catherine Bond Muir.
“However, we are already working on an exciting new W Series race calendar for 2021, and we are delighted to be able to confirm that W Series races will feature on the support cards of a number of Formula 1 Grands Prix next year, including the 2021 United States Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas and the 2021 Mexican Grand Prix at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.”
It is unclear whether those granted places on the 2020 grid will remain heading into the 2021 season.