The FIA World Motor Sport Council has confirmed the exciting and unique 2018/19 calendar for the World Endurance Championship which will see the WEC switch to a new look championship that will end each season at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
The 2018/19 season will be a transition to the new format and last 14 months. The season will start at Spa-Francorchamps in May 2018 and conclude at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June 2019.
The ‘Super Season’ will feature two visits to the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June 2018 and June 2019 as well as two visits to Spa-Francorchamps, which is considered to be the traditional dress rehearsal for the big race the following month.
The calendar also features a return to Sebring in Florida for a 12 hours race. Sebring was the venue for the very first race of the then brand new FIA World Endurance Championship in March 2012.
Unlike 2012, the 2019 race will be a separate race to the IMSA 12 Hours of Sebring, with the WEC 12 hour race running from midnight to midday on Sunday 17 March.
The highly successful six hour events at Silverstone, Fuji and Shanghai will also form part of the transition 2018/19 calendar, with the UK round moving from April to August.
The new look FIA World Endurance Championship will continue to visit some of the best venues around the world and build on the success of the past six years that has attracted new manufacturers, teams and fans to the world of endurance racing.
The 2019/20 season will then revert to a standard length calendar starting in October 2019 and concluding at Le Mans in June 2020.
FIA World Endurance Championship 2018/19 Calendar
5 May 2018 WEC 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps
16/17 June 2018 24 Hours of Le Mans
19 August 2018 6 Hours of Silverstone
21 October 2018 6 Hours of Fuji
18 November 2018 6 Hours of Shanghai
16/17 March 2019 12 Hours of Sebring
4 May 2019 WEC 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps
15/16 June 2019 24 Hours of Le Mans
The new look calendar will enable the FIA World Endurance Championship to continue to host exciting and innovative developments.
The changes announced at the FIA World Motor Sport Council aim to create a stronger and more sustainable championship for 2018 onwards.
- 2018/19 season to start in April 2018 and feature two 24 Hours of Le Mans, concluding at La Sarthe in June 2019.
- Return to Sebring in March 2019 for a joint event with IMSA.
- From 2019 the new unique format which will see the season take place from the autumn and finish at the 24 Hours of Le Mans each year.
- The new for 2017 GT FIA World Endurance Championship will see BMW join Aston Martin, Ferrari, Ford and Porsche in 2018, making five manufacturers competing for next year’s FIA world title.
- Calendar and regulations designed to keep costs under control and offer competitors a viable and sustainable business model for the future.
- From 2018, incorporation of the LMP1 Non-Hybrid cars into a single classification with the LMP1 Hybrid cars (while maintaining the current specific technical regulations).
- It is proposed to equalise the lap performances of the best LMP1 Non-Hybrid and Hybrid cars by adjusting the instantaneous fuel flow and fuel consumption per lap for the Non-Hybrid cars. A fuel range advantage for Hybrid cars (one extra lap at Le Mans) will be enforced.
- A technological coefficient between naturally aspirated engines and turbo engines will be implemented in order to open up the field of possible engines for LMP1 Non-Hybrid cars.
- From 2019, a ban on fluidic switches and energy brought to the general aerodynamics of the car – this is in anticipation of potential complex and expensive developments in this area.