The FIA has confirmed that it has an agreement with the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO) that covers the promotion of the World Endurance Championship until the end of 2027, after a German media reported a possible separation between the two organizations.
The well-known German media Auto Motor und Sport released a shocking news report on Thursday, informing that the FIA and the ACO, joint organizers of the WEC, could separate as early as 2027.
According to the report, no agreement had been reached between the two parties regarding the promotion of the WEC in 2027. The report also suggested that the situation could force the FIA to issue a tender for a new promoter of the championship. Such a series, if carried out, would not include the 24 Hours of Le Mans, as the French race is owned and governed directly by the ACO.
The FIA has responded to the report clarifying that its agreement with the ACO remains in effect until the end of 2027. The regulatory body has added that they are in talks for an extension beyond the current validity.
«The FIA World Endurance Championship has enjoyed sustained growth since the introduction of the Hypercar and LMGT3 regulations, competing this season in seven countries», the FIA stated in a statement sent to Motorsport.com.
«This milestone is the result of extensive collaboration between drivers, teams, manufacturers, the FIA, the ACO, the promoter LMEM, and the millions of fans who follow the championship. The FIA and the ACO continue discussions for the extension of the promoter’s agreement. The current agreement with the ACO remains in effect until the end of 2027».
The WEC also commented on the report, stating that both the FIA and the ACO are engaged in «constructive» discussions for the long-term future of the championship. Their statement said that the talks refer to the seasons «beyond 2027», which suggests that the future of the series is secure for next year.
«The ACO and the FIA have worked together for many years on the development of the FIA WEC, which was created in 2012», the WEC stated in a statement sent to Motorsport.com.
«This long-standing cooperation has supported the growth and global profile of the world championship, which is currently experiencing growing interest from manufacturers, teams, partners, media, and fans.
«In this context, the ACO and the FIA are currently engaged in discussions about the future of the FIA WEC beyond 2027. These discussions are progressing as planned, in a constructive spirit and with a shared commitment to prepare the future of the world championship. Both organizations remain fully committed to their collaboration and are working together to ensure the ongoing development and long-term success of the FIA WEC».
The WEC has already announced a schedule of nine rounds for 2027, which includes the return of Silverstone and the traditional season finale of the championship in Bahrain. The schedule was approved by the FIA World Motorsport Council in June.
The international sports car competition has been plagued by political and organizational issues throughout its history. The most famous is that the World Sports Car Championship collapsed after 1993, after 40 years of different names.
It took another 20 years before another world championship with FIA sanction was formed to address sports car racing, as the FIA and the ACO joined forces to launch the WEC in 2012.
Although the new series has gone through multiple phases of ups and downs, it has enjoyed a significant upward trend in recent years, driven by the convergence of LMDh/LMH regulations with the IMSA SportsCar Championship.
The WEC is promoted by Le Mans Endurance Management (LMEM), a subsidiary of the ACO. The FIA, which is the joint promoter, sanctions the championship and grants its world championship titles.
The AMuS reported that the FIA president, Mohammed Ben Sulayem, who ran unopposed in the last elections, has been renegotiating the regulatory body’s contracts with all championships. Typically, championships like Formula 1 grant a certain sum to the FIA each year.
The report alleging a conflict between the FIA and the ACO has caused a stir because the WEC had announced new Hypercar regulations for 2030 only three months ago, creating a single unified top class. The rules were agreed in principle by both parties, as well as by IMSA.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
