WEC set for historic 2024 campaign
TDT | Manama
The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com
Bahrain will witness an all-new spectacle at next year’s Bapco Energies 8 Hours of Bahrain, part of the FIA World Endurance Championship’s (WEC).
The Sakhir race will be the eighth and final round of the WEC’s 2024 season, with the high-profile endurance event scheduled for November 2 at Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) in Sakhir.
The WEC has announced a record-breaking 19 Hypercars and 18 LMGT3 entries for the 2024 campaign.
A staggering number of 14 manufacturers will be represented across both classes— the highest in FIA WEC history.
Manufacturers competing in WEC next year include Alpine, Aston Martin, BMW, Cadillac, Corvette, Ferrari, Ford, Isotta Fraschini, Lamborghini, Lexus, McLaren, Peugeot, Porsche and Toyota—all highlighting the continued growth of the world’s premier endurance racing series. FIAWECCEO Frederic Lequien commented: “The sheer number of entries across both Hypercar and LMGT3 underlines the continued growth of FIA WEC.
“To have an entry list featuring 19 Hypercars plus 18 LMGT3 entries representing 14 different manufacturers truly reflects the golden era of endurance racing that we are experiencing right now.
“The battles on track next season are going to be extraordinary and what’s even more exciting is that we are expanding our calendar to eight races so that even more fans can enjoy the action.”
BIC earlier this month hosted this year’s Bapco Energies 8 Hours of Bahrain as the final round of the season. Next year’s event will also be the curtain-closer.
It will follow rounds in Qatar in March, Italy in April, Belgium in May, France in June, Brazil in July, and the US and Japan in September.
Several drivers have also been named for next season, with each team required to submit a minimum of one driver per entered car.
Notable names include seven-time MotoGP World Champion Valentino Rossi, who will drive for Team WRT in LMGT3.
Other surprises include newly crowned LMP2 Champion Robert Kubica, who will pilot the new AF Corse-entered Ferrari 499P Hypercar.
Former Haas F1 driver and current Mercedes F1 reserve Mick Schumacher has also made the switch to endurance racing after being named in Alpine’s driver line-up.
Since the Hypercar class was introduced in 2021, the WEC has grown immeasurably with the class reaching record numbers for the 2024 season.
Also new for 2024, the WEC will consist of just two classes: Hypercar and the all-new LMGT3 category.
The latter replaces the LMGTE class that has been on the WEC grid since the series’ inaugural season in 2012.
The new GT class will be based around FIA’s existing GT3 technical platform and will continue to focus on gentlemen drivers.
Bahraini-British motor racing team 2 Seas Motorsport were presented their champions’ trophy at the end-of-season awards night of the 2023 Intelligent Money British GT Championship. 2 Seas, co-owned by His Highness Shaikh Isa bin Abdulla bin Hamad Al Khalifa, clinched the team’s historic, first-ever GT3 Teams’ Championship this past season, in which they won four of the nine races held. Drivers James Cottingham and Jonny Adam also finished second and third, respectively, in the GT Drivers’ Championship. They received their trophies at the awarding, while 2 Seas co-owner Nick Cristofaro was handed the teams’ accolade. Above, Cristofaro, centre, with Cottingham, right, and Adam holding their trophies.
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