Bargain hunters swoop on W Series equipment auction 

The ashes of the all-female W Series have been scattered following its financial collapse and demise. All assets, from race car chassis and engines down to coffee machines and team trophies, went up for sale in January, broken up into 722 separate lots.

There were bargains aplenty to be had. British Formula 4 driver Chloe Chong acquired 12 sets of racing boots in the auction for £515. “I thought it would be a good opportunity to get some nice race boots sorted for the year and to make a bit of money in order to fund other race gear for the season,” she told Motor Sport.

Barry Phipp, a beer brewer from Tring, snagged a race suit worn by Sarah Moore for £200. “The whole collection has been broken up into individual pieces and basically sold to souvenir hunters,” he said.

The auction was run by Wyles Hardy & Co, with lots available for collection from a warehouse in Surrey. The series ran for three seasons between 2019 and ’22, missed a year because of Covid, and promised free drives and a copious prize fund. Jamie Chadwick won all three titles. The concept has in large part now been adopted by the Formula 1-affiliated F1 Academy, which is heading into its second season.