Chadwick wins first ever W Series race at Hockenheim

Briton Jamie Chadwick recovered from an early setback at Hockenheim to win Race 1 of the inaugural W Series season in which Australian Caitlin Wood finished 10th.

Chadwick was fastest in both of the two practice sessions and also qualified on pole before ensuring that she was unbeaten for the weekend in the half-hour, time-certain race.

Compatriot Alice Powell came from sixth to second while Spaniard Marta Garcia rounded out the podium.

Chadwick led the field away on a drying track but ran wide at the Hairpin and let Sarah Moore past, as Powell got down the inside of Garcia to take third.

As the front-runners exited the corner, Megan Gilkes clattered into Emma Kimilainen behind them, necessitating a Safety Car.

The restart came on Lap 5, in the 10th minute, at which time Chadwick was able to reclaim first position from Moore at Turn 2, and Powell to capitalise by moving into second.

Garcia had a big dive just up the road at the Hairpin, going past Powell and Moore, but lost those two positions again on exit.

The Spaniard did succeed in forcing Moore into an error as she attacked at the same location a lap later, with Beitske Visser following to take up fourth.

Powell kept Chadwick honest for the next few laps as Garcia crept towards them, while Moore re-passed Fabienne Wohlwend off the Hairpin after dropping as far back as sixth.

As the race moved into the latter 10 minutes, Chadwick added a few more tenths to her lead while Garcia halved the gap to Powell from Lap 10 to Lap 12 to close to half a second behind.

Chadwick’s margin at the chequered flag was 1.329s after 18 laps, while there was no repeat of Garcia’s early bravery and she remained third, behind Powell.

“The win feels great,” said Chadwick.

“Going into the race, the conditions were tricky which made things a bit more difficult but off the back of qualifying and the back of yesterday, I really was pushing to get the first win.

“Losing the lead to Sarah caught me out a bit. I couldn’t get the car stopped at the hairpin and had a bit of an issue where I couldn’t get down the gears but, when the Safety Car went back in, I knew I had a good opportunity get the lead back and win.”

Visser took fourth from Moore, Wohlwend, and Miki Koyama, who stormed from 17th on the grid to seventh after making up six positions on Lap 1 alone.

Rounding out the top 10 were Tasmin Pepper, Gosia Rdest, and Wood.

“It was quite eventful,” said Wood.

“I had a decent start and I kept climbing positions and I was a lot further up the field than where I finished. Unfortunately I locked up massively into Turn 8 and I lost a few positions.

“I got one back by the end of the race, so I was up to I think P7 or something like that and then dropped back down to P11, so then I got back to P10.

“But (it was) not where I wanted to finish, coming from the back a little bit, so I did have a good charge, so I had the pace, but it was really tough out there.

“It was good fun and I can only go forwards from here next round.”

Race 2 takes place at Zolder on May 17-18.

Race results: Race 1, Hockenheim