Chadwick defeats Powell to win inaugural W Series race

Former British F3 winner and reigning MRF Challenge champion Jamie Chadwick became the inaugural winner of the new all-female W Series after completing a clean sweep in Hockenheim.

Chadwick topped Friday's practice sessions in Germany and was in a league of her own in qualifying on Saturday morning, edging runner up Fabienne Wohlwend by almost two seconds on a wet track.

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Damp but drying conditions were in order when the field set off for 30 minutes of racing but Chadwick lost the lead to Sarah Moore on the opening lap while a collision between Megan Gilkes and Emma Kimilainen brought out the safety car.

When the race resumed, Chadwick pounced on Moore to reclaim the lead, with the latter overtaken by Alice Powell a lap later.

Chadwick controlled her advantage to clinch a dominate win, while Powell fended off several assaults from 18-year-old Marta Garcia to complete W Series' first ever podium and a British 1-2.

Former Red Bull junior Beitske Visser came home fourth ahead of Moore and Wohlwend.

"It feels amazing, I'm more relieved right now I think after that race,"  the 20-year-old from Bath told Channel 4's Lee McKenzie.

"It was a bit stressful, more stressful than I would have liked it to have been. To start the season in the W Series like this more than we could have hoped for."

Chadwick admitted to have been surprised by the lack of grip she found down at the hairpin where she ran wide and yielded the lead to Sarah Moore.

"I knew we had the pace," she added. "When I was out front I was happy but I made that mistake into Turn 6.

"I really overestimated the amount of grip there was going to be down there. It was really slippery, I was surprised more people didn't have issues behind.

"Pleased to get back into the lead and then get my head down from there but I was still struggling a little bit, it was tricky out there. Not the easiest race I've had." 

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