The second half of the World Endurance Championship (WEC) for 2026 is expected to be intense, with four races scheduled in just over two months. The circumstances arising from the war in Iran forced the calendar to be reformulated on two occasions, significantly altering the structure of the championship.
The removal of the Qatar race has been offset by the first visit of the WEC to Barcelona, while Monza will replace Bahrain as the grand finale of the season. Furthermore, these changes also affect the championship’s scoring system.
The six-hour races in Barcelona and Monza reward a maximum of 25 points for the winning crews, a common format in the WEC. In contrast, the Qatar and Bahrain races were extra point events, offering up to 38 points. This revision implies that there are now 26 fewer points available, a fact equivalent to removing a full race from the championship.
Importance of Le Mans
Despite being halfway through the season, around 55% of the available points have already been distributed, thanks to the two editions of Le Mans, which offer double the usual points. The cancellation of Bahrain significantly increases the importance of this classic. In past years, a poor result at La Sarthe could be offset by a good performance in Bahrain, where additional points were at stake.
With four races ahead, there are a total of 104 points on dispute in the final showings in America, Asia, and Europe, including an additional point for pole position. So far, no team has surpassed 75 points, leaving the championship open.
Different Circuit, New Challenges
The circuits of Barcelona and Monza present a new challenge compared to those that were previously planned. The WEC had never visited Barcelona, except for an overwhelming prologue in 2019-20. Although some teams and drivers were present in that event, the championship has evolved significantly. The LMP1 categories have been replaced by Hypercars, and LMP2 has been eliminated, while the GTE classes have given way to a single Pro-Am LMGT3 division.
However, the teams will not be starting from scratch. Several manufacturers have conducted tests of their hypercars in Barcelona in recent years, and some LMGT3 lineups have competed at the circuit in the GT World Challenge Europe. Therefore, they are not completely unfamiliar with the layout.
Monza, on the other hand, has been a regular fixture between 2021-2023, providing most teams with a good data background on this 5.7 km circuit. Additionally, Ferrari made comparisons between its current model 499P and the 2027 development car at Monza last July.
Championship Contenders
As the season reaches its midpoint, two crews share the top position in the Hypercar championship. Robin Frijns and Rene Rast have achieved 75 points with their #20 BMW M Hybrid V8, matching the record of the Le Mans winners Kamui Kobayashi, Nyck de Vries, and Mike Conway with the #7 Toyota.
For his part, Sheldon van der Linde, third driver of the #20 BMW, is technically third in the standings, although he cannot contend for the title due to missing the opening race in Imola. Excluding him, the drivers James Calado, Antonio Giovinazzi, and Alessandro Pier Guidi of the #51 Ferrari 499P effectively occupy the third position with 57 points.
In the constructors’ championship, Toyota leads the standings with a five-point advantage over BMW, which is followed by Ferrari 39 points behind. The Cadillac has had a challenging season, with drivers Norman Nato and Will Stevens placed 33 points beneath the leaders.
Hypercar Standings After 6 Hours of Sao Paulo
| Pos | Driver | Points | | | | |
| — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1 | M. Conway (Toyota Racing) | 75 | 15/3 | 10/5 | 50/1 | – |
| 1 | K. Kobayashi (Toyota Racing) | 75 | 15/3 | 10/5 | 50/1 | – |
| 1 | N. de Vries (Toyota Racing) | 75 | 15/3 | 10/5 | 50/1 | – |
| 2 | R. Frijns (BMW M Team WRT) | 75 | 10/5 | 25/1 | 36/2 | 4/8 |
| 2 | R. Rast (BMW M Team WRT) | 75 | 10/5 | 25/1 | 36/2 | 4/8 |
| 3 | S. Van Der Linde (BMW M Team WRT) | 65 | – | 25/1 | 36/2 | 4/8 |
| 4 | A. Pier Guidi (FERRARI AF CORSE) | 57 | 19/2 | – | 20/5 | 18/2 |
| 4 | J. Calado (FERRARI AF CORSE) | 57 | 19/2 | – | 20/5 | 18/2 |
| 4 | A. Giovinazzi (FERRARI AF CORSE) | 57 | 19/2 | – | 20/5 | 18/2 |
| 5 | S. Buemi (Toyota Racing) | 56 | 25/1 | 1/10 | 30/3 | – |
| 5 | B. Hartley (Toyota Racing) | 56 | 25/1 | 1/10 | 30/3 | – |
| 5 | R. Hirakawa (Toyota Racing) | 56 | 25/1 | 1/10 | 30/3 | – |
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
SourceID: SRC_a2dcd5308358d9f0f3a3f2506024bd0512592a0c