Interview with Gérard Neveu (3/4) – The return to classic seasons from 2021

What consequences does the overhaul of the 2019-2020 calendar, linked to the coronavirus crisis, have on season 9 of the WEC ?

Season 9 will not begin until March 2021 (in Sebring. Editor's note), to end in November 2021. From next year, we will therefore return to classic seasons. At the end of this season 8, everyone will have to settle down calmly to put together a program in acceptable conditions, because we are going to emerge a little knocked out of this virus period. Postponing the start of the season until March gives teams, partners and manufacturers time to try to rebalance things and avoids forcing them to make financial investments too early. Doing it during the first half of 2021 should still be more comfortable.

We imagine that this is also linked to technical reasons…

Effectively. The cars must be ready, the tire manufacturers must have time to make the tires, etc. So many people who are currently not producing anything. It is therefore a choice guided by economics. It should also be remembered that this will be the first season of Le Mans Hypercar and given the delay due to the current crisis, give a few more months to Toyota, Glickenaus or ByKolles is not luxury. Furthermore, this new calibration will be maintained in the following seasons, which will also allow a realignment of the planets with the introduction of the LMDh then the new LM P2. Everyone (WEC and IMSA. Editor's note) will work in phase and scheduled on the same calendars. The first LMDh should therefore arrive at the beginning of 2022 and the LMH (Le Mans Hypercar. Editor’s note) in 2021. This is the idea.

See as well :

• Part one: The coronavirus, the overhaul of calendars…
• Second part: The new 2019-2020 WEC calendar
• Part four: The overhaul of the 2020 ELMS calendar

Should we expect, due to the economic crisis, a season more focused on Europe?

We have no emergency obligation in this regard because the season will begin in March. We have a few months ahead of us to work on this schedule, although we have already started. But you have to stay very calm. The situation we are going through is traumatic and impressive. Three weeks ago, life was almost normal and now we are talking about a return in four months. We will then look at where we are at this point, then in six months what the first economic impacts are. We will then wisely draw up the calendar for the following year. It will remain a world championship, we will always visit several continents, but perhaps we will have to find a new balance. But making decisions now when we don't know when all this will stop, how it will resume and under what conditions, seems very premature to me. Today's exercise (the announcement of the calendars. Editor's note) consisted above all of sending a specific signal to the teams who ask us, because it is important to have visibility.

How was the announcement of this change in season format received by the teams?

Very favorably. I think it's a matter of common sense. The teams are very pragmatic. For them, the main thing is that Le Mans takes place and the ACO's priority was to protect Le Mans because all our championships revolve around this event.