A capacity and high profile full-season entry list for the 2018-2019 FIA World Endurance Championship Super Season has been revealed during an online press conference broadcast from Paris, France.
- 36 full season entries for 8-round season to include two editions of 24H Le Mans
- Toyota Gazoo Racing aiming for top honours in 10-strong LMP1 field
- Exceptional driver line up led by two-time F1 World Champion Fernando Alonso
- Multiple constructors go head-to-head in LMP2 in hands of teams old and new
- BMW strengthens powerful GT World Championship to 10 challengers
- Multi-marque LMGTE Am class boosted to 9 for Super Season
A capacity and high profile full-season entry list for the 2018-2019 FIA World Endurance Championship Super Season has been revealed during an online press conference broadcast from Paris, France.
The grid will be made up of 36 cars from 12 different nations, the highest number entered for a season since the Championship began in 2012 demonstrating that the discipline of endurance racing, and the World Endurance Championship in particular, is in extremely good health.
This Super Season will be exceptional not just for the quality and diversity of its entrants, but also because there will only be one ‘Super Season’. It brings together the best and most historic venues across the world on which to race, no fewer than six of the world’s leading automotive manufacturers who will be fighting it out for World Championship glory, and world-class competition from private teams in LMP1, LMP2 and GTE which is guaranteed to thrill fans everywhere.
What is the Super Season?
The best teams from across the globe wishing to compete at the highest level in endurance racing will be gathered for the WEC’s exceptional 14-month season, with the champions being crowned at the final round, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, in June 2019. From the start of the 2019-20 season, the WEC will revert to a more normal 10-month season.
The WEC Super Season calendar features eight rounds across Europe, Asia and North America, with the second and eighth rounds being the 24 Hours of Le Mans – the only time the jewel in the crown of international endurance racing will feature twice in one season.
The season opens with the Total 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps (BEL, 5 May), moves on to 24 Hours of Le Mans 2018 (FRA, 16-17 June) and the 6 Hours of Silverstone (GBR, 19 August) in Europe before heading overseas to the 6 Hours of Fuji (JPN, 14 October) and 6 Hours of Shanghai (CHN, 18 November). After a brief winter pause, the 2019 part of the season begins with a return to Florida for the 1500 Miles of Sebring (USA, 16/17 March 2019) before coming back to Europe for another edition of the Total 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps (BEL, 4 May 2019) and the 24 Hours of Le Mans (FRA, 15-16 June 2019).
The date of the Fuji race has been brought forward by one week.
Key Facts and Figures on 2018-2019 FIA WEC Grid
• 36 entries representing 12 nations: Germany (7), Austria (1), Japan (3), Switzerland (3), Russia (2), USA (4), China (4), France (3), Great Britain (5), Italy (2), Singapore (1), Netherlands (1)
• 10 entries in LMP1, 7 in LMP2, 10 in LMGTE Pro and 9 in LMGTE Am
• 6 manufacturer entries with addition of BMW to Toyota, Aston Martin, Ferrari, Ford and Porsche
• Continuing co-operation between regulators, manufacturers and chassis/engine constructors to maintain consistency and stability, with working groups focussed on equivalence of technology, new energies and cost controls
LMP1
• Two-time F1 World Champion Fernando Alonso joins Toyota Gazoo Racing
• Rebellion Racing, winners of LMP2 championship in 2017, return to LMP1 with super-strong driver line up.
• Teams from Switzerland, Japan, China, Russia, USA and Austria to compete in LMP1
• SMP Racing return to the WEC with two BR1 chassis and top Russian drivers Vitaly Petrov and Mikhail Aleshin
LMP2
• Chassis constructors ORECA, Dallara, Alpine and Ligier all to compete in LMP2
• All LMP2 cars will be powered by Gibson GK428 4.2 litre, V8 engines
• France’s TDS Racing returns with former WEC champion Loïc Duval leading an all-French line-up
• Commitment from Jackie Chan DC Racing sees two Chinese entries, while Racing Team Nederland and DragonSpeed make the step up from ELMS
LMGTE Pro
• New BMW M8 GTE joins all new Aston Martin Vantage AMR, Ferrari 488 GTE, Ford GT and Porsche 911 RSR in bid for FIA GT World Championship title
• Return to WEC of former GTE champion Gianmaria Bruni who will be paired with Richard Lietz in Porsche 911 RSR
• All new Aston Martin Vantage AMR will compete with new Alex Lynn and Maxime Martin joining driver line up
• Ford and Ferrari return with established line ups in world-class, powerful GTE Pro category
LMGTE Am
• Multi-marque LMGTE Am field boosted to 9 entries
• Newcomers MR Racing, TF Sport and Team Project 1 join Dempsey-Proton Racing, Gulf Racing, Clearwater Racing, Spirit of Race and Aston Martin Racing
• Mix of highly experienced and new drivers guaranteed to bring action and excitement
Quotes on 2018 WEC grid:
Jean Todt, President of the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile: “I am very pleased to see the strong entry list that has been unveiled today for the FIA World Endurance Championship ‘Super Season’. The FIA World Endurance Championship, through the partnership between the FIA and the ACO, continues to deliver a strong and stable platform for world class competition. I am very much looking forward to following the development of the WEC in the future.”
Pierre Fillon, President of the Automobile Club de l’Ouest: “Endurance racing is in excellent health, as we can see from this capacity entry list to the WEC, and by the continued high level of interest in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. It is very rewarding to see so many competitors moving from the ELMS to the WEC, or from LMP2 to LMP1, which demonstrates how well our pyramid of endurance works. We are confident this transition year will lead us towards an even brighter and stronger future.”
Richard Mille, President of the FIA Endurance Commission: “The 2018/19 season is one of change for the FIA WEC and it is fantastic to see an entry list for the coming ‘Super Season’ that features world leading manufacturers, great teams and star drivers. It is going to be a super season in more ways than one!”
Gérard Neveu, CEO of the World Endurance Championship: “Last September we announced new regulations in LMP1, changes to the calendar and new destinations for the Super Season, two visits to Le Mans a return to Sebring. Six months later it’s time to see how many cars are on the grid, and it’s very satisfying to have 36 competitors including 6 major manufacturers and a good balance between prototypes and GTEs. This is just the start! Now the show goes on and we are confident the figures will continue to increase as they have done for the last 6 years. Welcome to the Super Season!”
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