Image source, Getty Images

W Series leader Beitske Visser produced a typically consistent three races – and her best points haul since Week Four – to move to within touching distance of the overall title at the virtual Mount Panorama Circuit in Australia. Visser scored 50 points to extend her lead over Marta Garcia by six points to 57 with six races to go.

The Dutch ace set pole but had to take second place to Marta Garcia in race one, but then came from back row to fifth in the second race as Garcia struggled with wing damage and Irina Sidorkova again proved herself the queen of the reverse-grid format.

Visser’s fastest lap in both races, along with a win in the third race as a Garcia error dropped the Spaniard to 10th, recovering to only manage fourth behind Tasmin Pepper, leaves her just 70 points off clinching the title, although further wins or better finishes than Garcia could crown her as champion in Round Nine.

Sidorkova managed just 29 points and could now come under pressure for third place in the standings from the rapidly-improving Nerea Marti, who trails her by just 36 points after taking fourth place from Caitlin Wood with a 45-point haul at Bathurst.

“The Nordschleife is the one I’ve been most looking forward to,” said Visser. “It’s a very different track because it’s so long, so I’ll need lots of time on the sim to get up to speed there.”

“Catching Beitske at the top like it will be very difficult now, almost impossible,” said Garcia. “But I will keep trying my best to do that over the last two rounds and I’ll be practising hard on the sim next week so that I’m well prepared.”

Britain’s Charlie Martin is the latest driver to join the W Series and although she has been competing this season on the track at this week’s venue, the Nurburgring Nordschleife, doing so as a sim racer will not be as familiar as some of her recent sim racing history has involved borrowing someone else’s PC.

“I’ve come to [sim racing] as somebody who didn’t have a sim this time last year,” she says. “The biggest challenge is not having the visceral, physical inputs that you get with a car in the real world.”

Luckily electric series Formula E loaned her a sim rig, meaning she could practise regularly once lockdown started, although since June she has been concentrating on the Nurburgring Endurance Series – “I can drive it in my head with my eyes closed” – so this would be the track to make her W Series debut on. In fact, she drove the Nordschleife on a test day when current series leader Beitske Visser was also in attendance.

Martin, 38, is transgender and an ambassador for Racing Pride. She says she gets very little criticism for her position but still feels it is important. “Historically, motorsport has very little diversity,” she said. “W Series is encouraging more women and girls to get into motorsport, but until recently there had been nothing.”

Image source, W Series

With the 2020 W Series postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic, the W Series Esports League has been launched to fill the void until an expanded 2021 on-track calendar is started.

The Esports League is a 10-round series, taking place every Thursday from 11 June. Similarly to the on-track version it is women-only racing but this time via simulation.

All 18 drivers that qualified for the on-track W Series are expected to take part alongside some previous W Series drivers.

How will it work?

Each round will feature three races:

• Race 1: 15 mins
• Race 2 (reverse grid): 15 mins
• Race 3: 20 mins

The starting grid for the reverse-grid race will be determined by the finishing positions from race one. To promote close, fair competition and an authentic ‘League’ feel, points for each race will be awarded as follows:

• Race 1: 20-17-15-13-11-10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 (1st – 15th) & one point for fastest lap
• Race 2: 20-17-15-13-11-10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 (1st – 15th) & one point for fastest lap
• Race 3: 20-17-15-13-11-10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 (1st – 15th) & one point for fastest lap

At the end of the W Series Esports League season, the driver who has scored the most points will be declared the winner of the W Series Esports League.

Great Britain's Jamie Chadwick, who won the 2019 W Series Championship, was among the 18 drivers taking part, that were due to race in the on-track 2020 Championships, but 22-year-old has since dropped out after she secured a seat in the Regional Formula 3 Championship.

The remaining 17 drivers will be joined by some specially invited guests to form a larger field with drivers from across the world taking part in the 10-round series.

Great Britain are now represented by Alice Powell (third in the 2019 standings) Sarah Moore (eighth in 2019), Jessica Hawkins (11th in 2019) and Abbie Eaton.

The full list of drivers:

Ayla Agren (Norway), Alice Powell, Sarah Moore, Jessica Hawkins, Abbie Eaton (all GB), Sabre Cook (USA), Belen Garcia, Marta Garcia, Nerea Marti (all Spain), Emma Kimilainen (Finland), Miki Koyama (Japan), Tasmin Pepper (South Africa), Vicky Piria (Italy), Gosia Rdest (Poland), Naomi Schiff (Rwanda), Irina Sidorkova (Russia), Bruna Tomaselli (Brazil), Beitske Visser (Netherlands), Fabienne Wohlwend (Liechtenstein), Caitlin Wood (Australia).

Image source, W Series

BBC Sport will have live coverage from all 10 rounds in the W Series Esports League.

Coverage will be available live on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website and app and available to catch up for 30 days.

Full coverage details:

Round nine, Nurburing - Thursday 6 August, 19:00-20:30

Round 10, Silverstone - Thursday 13 August, 19:00-20:30

Image source, W Series