The FIA WEC has revealed a provisional 2024 calendar with eight rounds as Qatar joins in along with Imola.
The WEC will visit eight countries across four continents for its 12th season which will include a further influx of manufacturers to the headline Hypercar category. Doha, Qatar, will host the WEC Prologue and the season-opener for the very first time in early March 2024 at Lusail International Circuit. A race lasting under 10 hours, will be called the Qatar 1812km, named after the country’s National Day and a pillar of celebration each year.
The championship will then move to another new race venue, as Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari (Imola) replaces Autodromo Nazionale Monza as the Italian round of the WEC whose date moves forward from July to April. Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, which recently signed a five-year contract extension with the series promoter, Le Mans Endurance Management, for both WEC and European Le Mans Series, will form the third round of the championship before the series returns to France for its biggest race of the year: the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans (15-16 June).
Following an agreement with São Paulo’s City Hall, the WEC will return to Brazil for the first time since 2014 for the 6 Hours of São Paulo at the Interlagos Circuit in mid-July. The championship then travels to Austin, Texas, for round six and a return to the Circuit of the Americas for the Lone Star Le Mans, last held in 2020.
Fuji International Speedway will stage the penultimate round of the calendar with its popular race in Japan in mid-September. Bahrain will once again host the season finale at the magnificent Bahrain International Circuit at the start of November when the 2024 World Champions will be crowned at a glittering awards ceremony. Next year’s races will vary in length between six and 24 hours.
Mohammed ben Sulayem, FIA President: “It is always encouraging to see FIA championships growing in strength. The announcement of the 2024 FIA World Endurance Championship is another positive development within the series. For 2024, the calendar expands both in the number of races, and more importantly, geographical diversity, bringing WEC to more people. Looking at the bigger picture, the evolution of the calendar coincides with the rise of FIA WEC’s profile, and in particular its premier Hypercar class. This is testament to the reform of the series’ regulatory foundations carried out jointly by the FIA and the ACO, which has attracted new manufacturers.”
Pierre Fillon, President of the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO): “The 2024 FIA WEC season promises to be greater than ever before. A record number of entries in the Hypercar class and a calendar of eight races on as many magnificent circuits make for an exciting prospect. Drivers will be getting to grips with four new tracks. That’s quite a challenge! It gives me great pleasure to see that the calendar reflects the rejuvenation of our discipline and I am grateful to all the circuits that will be hosting races in the eagerly awaited season to come.”
Richard Mille, FIA Endurance Commission President: “The evolution of the FIA World Endurance Championship calendar over the last couple of seasons proves that the world’s premier endurance racing series is on an upward trajectory. The 2024 schedule offers a great mixture of well-established circuits and venues that are new to WEC. What’s important is the fact that the calendar remains comprised of world-class racing circuits. The fact that WEC is breaking new grounds and visiting new markets is also very important to all the manufacturers that committed to their endurance racing programmes, especially in the Hypercar class. Plus, some of the countries that have been on the WEC calendar for a number of years will have new circuits hosting the races and this should give the fans something extra to look forward to.”
Frédéric Lequien, CEO of the FIA World Endurance Championship: “The 2024 FIA WEC calendar is a mix of traditional motorsport venues and key markets that are important for our manufacturers, key stakeholders and partners. It is always a challenge finding the right balance but with four new venues, two of which are completely new to the WEC, as well as four well-established races, we have created a good mix of old and new. Eight races across five different regions will also bring our series to an even greater audience, as well as building momentum throughout the year. Today’s announcement is yet again another indication of WEC’s very bright future.”
[Note: The story is as per press release]