Australian Caitlin Wood has secured her best result in this year's W-Series with a fifth place finish during the season’s penultimate race at Assen in the Netherlands.

 

It’s been a mixed year in the inaugural female-only international series for the New South Wales born driver, however Wood had a point to prove in the most recent round after just one top 10 finish throughout the year.

 

Wood didn’t have the best start to the weekend, placing 13th in both practice sessions before her luck changed in qualifying as she put in a brilliant performance to post the sixth fastest time.

 

Come race day, a confident Wood was gifted a place due to a penalty and the 22-year-old capitalised on her good starting position, crossing the line in the top five after early battles with local driver Beitske Visser.

 

 

Ahead of Wood, a number of entertaining battles took place throughout the race as Pole-sitter Emma Kimilainen from Finland led from start to finish, holding off challenges from Brit Alice Powell, to become the fourth different winner in 2019. 

 

Powell’s compatriot and series leader Jamie Chadwick rounded out the podium after an intense fight for position with Visser - the local eventually sealing fourth ahead of Wood.

 

The fifth place finish gave Wood a valuable 10 points to move her up the outright standings just outside the top 10 and into 11th, just five points behind Italian Vicky Piria.

 

The final race of the historic season takes place at Brands Hatch in the United Kingdom on 10-11 August.