24h Le Mans
The FIA World Endurance Championship 2023 calendar has been unveiled, featuring the centenary edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, taking place in its traditional mid-June slot, as well as a new race in Portugal.
The eleventh season of FIA WEC will start with the Official Prologue at Sebring on 11-12 March, followed by the first race of the season, the 1000 Miles of Sebring on 17 March for the “Super Sebring” weekend.
The first-ever 6 Hours of Portimão at Algarve International Circuit will take place on 16 April. This will be the second time that WEC has run at the track which previously held the 8 Hours of Portimão in 2021.
Just two weeks after Portimão, teams will reconvene for the TotalEnergies 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps. This will be the eleventh running of the event which has featured in every season of FIA WEC and is seen as the event which gives the best form guide to the following 24 Hours of Le Mans.
The month of May enables teams to prepare for the big one, as teams head into a very busy June with the 91st edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, taking place in its traditional 24th week of the year slot on 10-11 June. This year’s race will be the centenary edition as the event first took place in 1923.
At Le Mans, the world's most prestigious manufacturers, Ferrari, Porsche, Peugeot, Toyota, Cadillac and Glickenhaus, will compete for the superb Centennial Trophy, created in association with the Monnaie de Paris and recently unveiled at the famous Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance in California.
After Le Mans, FIA WEC moves to the 6 Hours of Monza which takes place on 9 July. This will be the third edition of the event which has already provided so much drama and excitement in its short history with FIA WEC.
10 September will see the 6 Hours of Fuji, the tenth edition of this event at the iconic Japanese circuit with its super-long straight and ever-present threat of challenging weather conditions.
The season will once more conclude with the 8 Hours of Bahrain, on 4 November. Bahrain has been a part of the WEC calendar since 2012 and the 2023 event will be the eighth time the location hosts the season finale.
2023 FIA World Endurance Championship Season Calendar :
The FIA World Motor Sport Council e-vote has approved the seven-round 2023 FIA World Endurance Championship calendar
Richard Mille, FIA Endurance Commission President: “We have all been eagerly awaiting the 2023 season since the introduction of the Hypercar category to the FIA World Endurance Championship. The line-up of iconic sportscar brands is testament to the work done in the background over the last couple of years and to the fact that the regulations are relevant to the manufacturers as well as proof of the growing appeal of endurance racing worldwide. The seven-round schedule is a natural evolution of the calendar we know well from the previous years that will provide the automakers involved with a stage to showcase their dream cars at a variety of world-class circuits and key global markets. The centenary edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans will be the focal point of the season and I’m immensely pleased that this has been taken into consideration when the Formula 1 calendar was approved by the World Motor Sport Council. This underlines the cooperation of the FIA as the governing body of world motor sport with the stakeholders of the world’s premier championships.”
Pierre Fillon, President of the Automobile Club de l’Ouest: “Endurance fans and competitors have an outstanding season to look forward to. With seven races lined up, the FIA WEC has an extra round compared to recent seasons - a packed schedule - although caution is appropriate in these volatile times. We begin with three of the world’s most revered circuits, including the challenging Portimao, always a favourite with drivers. The centenary of the 24 Hours of Le Mans on 10-11 June will be the midsummer treat. What more could a world class car marker wish for than to raise the trophy marking 100 years of automotive racing history? Then we head to Monza, the temple of speed, and to Bahrain to crown the season champions. As we enter its eleventh season, the FIA WEC is as closely contended as ever.”
Mohammed Ben Sulayem, FIA President, said: “I’m very pleased to see the FIA World Endurance Championship growing in strength. I would like to thank everyone involved - the FIA, the ACO and the promoter of the FIA World Endurance Championship. Owing to the efforts of the promoter, the championship enjoys a strong and stable calendar. Looking forward, 2023 can’t come soon enough. The world’s most prestigious endurance race, the 24 Hours of Le Mans celebrates its centenary, on this occasion avoiding a clash with a Formula 1 grand prix. Alos, the Hypercar will see the strongest entry to date, so there’s plenty to look forward to."
Frédéric Lequien, FIA World Endurance Championship CEO: “We are very happy to announce the 2023 calendar for the FIA World Endurance Championship. It is a very exciting period for FIA WEC with the growth and calibre of our Hypercar class and we have expanded to include another event, with a return to Portugal. Portimão showcased its potential when we raced there in 2021, so it is fantastic to return there next year. We worked closely with all our stakeholders to produce a schedule which works well for the needs of our entrants and fans. 2023 should provide a fantastic season of racing and we can’t wait for it to get underway.”
