Subscribe

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Motorsport prime

Discover premium content
Subscribe

Edition

Global
Breaking news

Bahrain returns on 2019/20 WEC schedule

An eight-round schedule has been provisionally announced for the 2019/20 FIA World Endurance Championship season, with Bahrain returning after a year's absence.

#8 Audi Sport Team Joest Audi R18: Lucas di Grassi, Loic Duval, Oliver Jarvis

#8 Audi Sport Team Joest Audi R18: Lucas di Grassi, Loic Duval, Oliver Jarvis

Vision Sport Agency

After the series' transitional 2018/19 season, which encompasses two editions of the Le Mans 24 Hours, 2019/20 will mark the first true winter calendar for the WEC, commencing in September 2019 and concluding in June 2020 at La Sarthe.

It will also feature more varied race lengths, with two four-hour races, three-six hour events and an eight-hour contest in addition to the 1000-mile Sebring fixture and Le Mans.

Silverstone will play host to the curtain-raiser with a four-hour race, before the calendar moves on to its Asian leg with races at Fuji in October and Shanghai in November, the latter also being cut to four hours.

Bahrain will host the fourth round, having previously served as the season finale before it was dropped for 2018/19, with an extended eight-hour race.

The previously-announced Interlagos race has been given a date of 1 February, putting it directly before the 1000 Miles of Sebring round in March, whose date has yet to be confirmed by IMSA.

Spa will then take up its traditional May slot, serving as the penultimate round, before the finale at Le Mans in June.

WEC boss Gerard Neveu commented: “Our fans spoke, we listened and have reacted. Naturally we have had a period of consultation with our partners and competitors, and we believe that this new calendar will meet their expectations and requirements as well as please the fans who are so important to us all.

"Our aim is to introduce an additional round to the 2020/21 calendar so that there is more or less an event every month to help maintain interest.” 

ACO President Pierre Fillon added: “We are very happy to be able to present a calendar which not only offers a large degree of stability and familiarity, but also moves with the times and responds to the wishes of its many fans around the world.

“With the 24 Hours of Le Mans as its cornerstone, the WEC continues to offer access to the most competitive and open championship possible, as well as presenting our automotive manufacturers with the perfect showcase for their products.

"The revisions to the race formats may echo endurance events of the past, but we never stop looking towards the future to ensure a sustainable, relevant and exciting championship."

2019/20 WEC calendar:

Date Venue Time/Distance
1 September 2019 United Kingdom Silverstone 4 hours
13 October 2019 Japan Fuji 6 hours
17 November 2019 China Shanghai 4 hours
14 December 2019  Bahrain 8 hours
1 February 2020 Brazil Interlagos 6 hours
TBA (March 2020)  Sebring 1000 miles/8 hours
3 May 2020  Spa 6 hours
13-14 June 2020  Le Mans 24 hours

Be part of Motorsport community

Join the conversation
Previous article WEC's EoT mission is impossible and unnecessary
Next article Silverstone WEC: Toyota leads disrupted first practice

Top Comments

There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Motorsport prime

Discover premium content
Subscribe

Edition

Global