LONDON — A new international motorsport series for women will begin next year, with the goal of finding the first female Formula One champion.

Motorsports remain heavily dominated by men, not only behind the wheel but also in the pit lane, garage, workshop and laboratory. While women have had modest success in the top levels of Nascar and IndyCar racing in the past two decades, a female driver has not started a Formula One race since Lella Lombardi in 1976.

The new W Series will be free to enter and aims not only to promote female drivers but also to steer girls and women into engineering and science careers.

The series is the brainchild of Catherine Bond Muir, a British sports lawyer and corporate financier. She conceived the idea while on maternity leave three years ago.