‘Last @wseriesracing race week coming up! Super excited to race the F3 around @brandshatchofficial GP circuit supporting @dtm_pics! Who’s coming?’
Caitlin Wood has super personality, bubbling with excitement every time WSeries Race weekend is near and no more so than at Final Race at Brands Hatch on August 10th-11th.
Standing 11th Overall in Championship points, Caitlin has embraced the special opportunity to compete in WSeries 5 Races, proving the first Australian Woman to race full-season in Europe in 2017 is no push-over when it comes to winning battles on the track.
Having carved first love of racing in Karting, Caitlin moved up to race Australia’s Formula 4 Championship in 2015. The following year, Caitlin gained exceptional opportunity of acceptance from Reiter Engineering’s Young Stars program based in Germany and readily made the move to Europe.
Caitlin explains: ‘Yeah, I thoroughly enjoyed karts – the way we did it was really family orientated as I used to run my kart with my dad and brother and it was ‘our thing’ so I have some really great memories growing up in karts. I progressed into Australian Formula Ford and did select races in Aus F4 at the end of 2015′.
‘Unfortunately we didn’t have any sponsorship or budget for 2016 in Australia lined up so it was a really stressful time but I didn’t want to give up. An opportunity came up in Europe with Reiter Engineering in GT4, so I didn’t even think – I just moved to Germany by myself to work and race to try and make my dream a reality. Working alongside Reiter was an amazing experience, it was my first taste into Europe and I couldn’t get enough after that’.
Which is quite a transition- for not only did Caitlin gain promotion from Reiter to race sports car Blancpain Sprint Series in 2017, the back-then 20 year old was promoted to race Blancpain Endurance Series where the duo-Team raced duration of 3 hours per Race.
#20: As I mentioned above, my relationship with Reiter Engineering came about at the beginning of 2016 where we raced in the European GT4 championship together where I won the Reiter Young Stars Championship which progressed me into GT3 with them for 2017′.
‘I love GT racing, especially endurance racing so it was a great experience and opportunity to get a taste of it all. I learnt so much in these years, we were competing in Blancpain which is extremely competitive full of factory teams, so to be able to race on that level was a massive learning curve in my career’.
With change pending, Caitlin embraced opportunity to work and race for British team MTech competing in International Lamborghini Super Trofeo Series scoring best result of 6th at Nürburgring in 2018.
#20: ‘In 2018 my German visa ran out, that’s actually why I made the switch to the UK as it seemed like the most sensible place to base myself next. I was fortunate enough to do some races in the Lamborghini Super Trofeo Series last year which I thoroughly enjoyed, those cars were so much fun’.
And 2019 a lucky door opened: #20: ‘The timing couldn’t have been any better for me with the W Series coming about this season. I doubt I would be doing much racing without them so it has been an amazing experience and opportunity’.
‘I was so excited to finally drive a Formula 3 car, especially at some of the circuits that have been on the DTM calendar, the whole process has been one that I am extremely grateful for’.
And up-hill climb in points has proved Caitlin has what it takes racing against WSeries rigorously selected 18 drivers. At Opening Race at Hockenheim, Caitlin finished 10th, then 11th at Zolder, 14th at Misano, 11th at Norisring and came out swinging with 5th at Assen TT circuit Race 4 of WSeries.
#20:’We finished in the points at Hockenheim and then just missed the points in the next few races but managed to bounce back at Assen to get myself in the top 5′.
‘It has been a tough season and I have learnt so much. I’m progressing more and more each time we hit the track and hope to continue this progression into next season. It has been tricky coming from a GT background for the past few years but we are definitely heading in the right direction’.
For sure, WSeries provides more than an opportunity for 18 Women drivers to compete in 5 Race Series, there is sharing of knowledge, technical and engine performance data, encouragement to compete to very best of ‘up-front racing’ all within level playing field of race car specifications under one Team.
For Caitlin, the opportunity is awesome: ‘I have said it before, I wasn’t a driver who just wanted to be apart of the W Series – I needed the W Series. It has been an honour to represent Australia on the world stage and I hope to continue to do that in 2020′.
‘The whole operation has been extremely impressive and it’s only getting bigger. I am very proud to be a part of the inaugural W Series season, thank you to everyone apart of the team that has turned this into a reality’.
Words: Sharon Cox
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