The W Series will finish its season with a doubleheader at the United States Grand Prix after having to drop its planned round in Mexico.

The original plan for the all-female championship was to end with back-to-back events at Austin’s Circuit of The Americas and Mexico City, marking its first races outside of Europe. The schedule has been under constant review as Formula 1’s calendar changed due to COVID-19 restrictions, and with Mexico now a week later than originally planned, W Series will instead run two races over the COTA weekend on October 23 and 24.

“We are, of course, disappointed not to be able to conclude our 2021 season at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico City, where support for W Series and our mission is very strong,” W Series CEO Catherine Bond Muir said. “However, the changes to Formula 1’s calendar would have resulted in a standalone W Series race there, which would have been logistically impossible for us.

“Our focus now shifts to Austin, Texas and what promises to be a spectacular season finale at Circuit of The Americas for W Series’ first races outside of Europe, and first race on a Formula 1 Grand Prix Sunday. COTA always puts on a great show and the circuit has provided countless dramatic on-track moments over the years, so I am delighted that we will have a double-header there.

“It will be a fitting way to end our breathless and action-packed eight-race season, and promises to be a very special weekend as we celebrate everything that W Series stands for and the giant strides we have made since launching three years ago. If you had told me then that we would stage two races on the same weekend at one of F1’s flagship events in just our second season, I would have pinched myself.

“W Series’ drivers have produced lots of wonderful racing already this year, seizing their opportunity to shine on motor racing’s greatest stage. I know they will be going flat out again at COTA where everything will be on the line and a grandstand finish to the season is guaranteed with Alice Powell and Jamie Chadwick level on points at the top of the championship standings.”

With W Series using the same scoring system as F1 — 25 points for a win — and two races in Austin, Powell and Chadwick are joined by Emma Kimilainen in having a shot at the title at the final weekend, with the Finn 34 points behind the top two.