FIA World Endurance Championship facts for kids
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| Category | Endurance racing |
|---|---|
| Country | International |
| Region | Worldwide |
| Inaugural season | 2012 |
| Prototype Classes | Hypercar |
| GT Classes | LMGT3 |
| Teams | 15 |
| Constructors | Hypercar: Aston Martin • Porsche • Toyota • Cadillac • BMW • Alpine • Ferrari • Peugeot LMGT3: Aston Martin • Ferrari • BMW • Chevrolet & Pratt Miller • McLaren • Mercedes-Benz • Ford • Lexus • Porsche |
| Chassis manufacturers | Hypercar: Multimatic • Dallara • Oreca |
| Tyre suppliers | Michelin, Goodyear |
| Drivers' champion |
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| Makes' champion |
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| Teams' champion |
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 Current season |
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The FIA World Endurance Championship, often called WEC, is a major international racing series. It features exciting endurance races for special cars. The Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO) and the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) organize these events.
WEC is like a modern version of older championships. It took over from the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup which started in 2010. It also brings back the spirit of the World Sportscar Championship that ended in 1992. The name "World Endurance Championship" was even used before, from 1981 to 1985.
In WEC, different types of cars race together. There are super-fast sports prototypes in the Hypercar class. These include cars like LMH and LMDh models. There are also production-based grand tourers, known as GT cars, in the LM GT3 category. At the end of the season, the best drivers and car makers win world champion titles. Other awards go to drivers and private racing teams.
Contents
History of WEC Racing
How the Championship Started
The World Endurance Championship began in 2012. It replaced the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup. The new series followed a similar plan. It included eight endurance races held around the world. One of the most famous races is the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
When WEC started, there were four main car categories. These were LMP1 and LMP2 for prototype cars. There were also GTE grand tourer classes. GTE Pro was for teams with professional drivers. GTE Am was for teams with a mix of amateur and professional drivers.
New Cars: Hypercar Class
After 2017, fewer car makers were interested in the LMP1 class. So, the FIA looked into new rules for the top racing category. This led to the idea of the Le Mans Hypercar (LMH) class. This new class moved away from older Le Mans Prototype cars. It also used less hybrid technology.
The goal was to make the championship more attractive to car manufacturers. They wanted to see cars like the Aston Martin Vulcan and McLaren Senna GTR racing. The Hypercar class first appeared in the 2021 season. Alpine, Glickenhaus, and Toyota were among the first to enter LMH cars. Since 2023, LMDh cars can also race full-time in the Hypercar class.
Changes to GT Car Classes
In 2021, the ACO announced changes for the LMGTE categories. This was because fewer manufacturers were interested in them. The LMGTE Pro class had its last season in 2022. From 2024, the LMGTE Am class was replaced. It is now a GT3-based category. This new class is called "GT3 Premium." It has rules to control costs for teams.
The FIA wants this new GT3 class to be for customer teams. This means car manufacturers cannot officially enter their own teams. This helps make the racing fair and exciting.
LMP2 Class in WEC
The 2024 season was the first time the LMP2 class was not part of the full WEC grid. This happened because many teams wanted to join the Hypercar and new LMGT3 classes. However, the LMP2 category is still very important for the 24 Hours of Le Mans. At least 15 LMP2 cars are always reserved a spot in that famous race.
How WEC Points Work
Winning Titles and Points
In the current 2024 season, five titles are awarded based on total points. Two of these are considered world championships. These are the Hypercar World Endurance Drivers' Championship and the Hypercar World Endurance Manufacturers' Championship.
The points system is similar to other FIA world championships. Points are given to the top ten cars that finish a race. The first-place car gets the most points, and points decrease down to tenth place. Cars that finish the race but are outside the top ten still get half a point.
Points for Longer Races
Some races are longer, like 8-hour or 10-hour events. For these races, points are worth about 1.5 times more. For example, a win that usually gives 25 points would give about 38 points in these longer races. The 24 Hours of Le Mans is the longest race. Points for Le Mans are worth about twice as much as a regular race.
WEC Race Locations
Current Races (2025 Season)
| Race | Circuit | Seasons |
|---|---|---|
| Qatar 1812 km |  Lusail International Circuit |
2024–present |
| 6 Hours of Imola |  Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari |
2024–present |
| 6 Heures de Spa-Francorchamps |  Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps |
2012–present |
| 24 Hours of Le Mans |  Circuit de la Sarthe |
2012–present |
| 6 Hours of São Paulo |  Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace |
2012–2014, 2024–present |
| Lone Star Le Mans |  Circuit of the Americas |
2013–2017, 2020, 2024–present |
| 6 Hours of Fuji |  Fuji Speedway |
2012–2019, 2022–present |
| 8 Hours of Bahrain |  Bahrain International Circuit |
2012–2017, 2019–present (2 races in 2021) |
Past Races
| Race | Circuit | Seasons |
|---|---|---|
| 4 Hours of Shanghai |  Shanghai International Circuit |
2012–2019 |
| 4 Hours of Silverstone |  Silverstone Circuit |
2012–2019 |
| 6 Hours of Mexico |  Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez |
2016–2017 |
| 6 Hours of Monza | Autodromo Nazionale di Monza |
2021–2023 |
| 6 Hours of Nürburgring |  Nürburgring |
2015–2017 |
| 6 Hours of Portimão |  Algarve International Circuit |
2021, 2023 |
| 1000 Miles of Sebring | Sebring International Raceway |
2019, 2022–2023 |
| 12 Hours of Sebring | Sebring International Raceway |
2012 |
Champions
See also
In Spanish: Campeonato Mundial de Resistencia de la FIA para niños
- 24 Hours of Le Mans
- IMSA SportsCar Championship
- European Le Mans Series
- Asian Le Mans Series
- Le Mans Cup
