The opening round of the W Series, motor racing's first female-only championship, gets under way at Hockenheim on Saturday.

Eighteen drivers have been selected from more than 100 candidates to take part in the six-round series.

Here, Press Association Sport takes a closer look at the five Britons who will contest the inaugural championship.

Jamie Chadwick

Powell became the first female to win a Formula Renault race in 2010, and two years later was the first woman to score points in GP3 – the series two divisions below Formula One. But her career stalled when she ran out of money.

Powell was working as a labourer for her tradesman father, unblocking urinals, before the W Series came calling. Tottenham fan Powell says Michael Schumacher is her racing idol, and at 26, has not given up hope of competing in F1.

Sarah Moore

Moore comes from a racing background. Her father Simon runs endurance team Tockwith Motorsports, for whom she drove to Ginetta junior championship glory a decade ago. The same year she was awarded the British Racing Drivers' Club Rising Star award. Moore, 25, will become the first openly gay driver to compete in a world motor racing series since Mike Beuttler, who entered 29 grands prix in the 1970s.

Jessica Hawkins

Hawkins, 24, from Hampshire, is a former Mini Challenge Pro vice-champion. She has most recently worked as a stunt driver on Fast and Furious Live. Hawkins' hero is Schumacher and her ambition is to win a race in Monaco.