The 2017 calendar revealed

The 2017 World Championship calendarEndurance was presented today to the FIA ​​Endurance Commission, chaired by Sir Lindsay Owen-Jones, before being submitted to the FIA ​​World Motor Sport Council for validation on September 28. In accordance with what AUTOhebdo revealed to you this week (see Ah n°1981), the decision was made to focus on stability, with a program of nine races strictly similar to that of this year. The new thing is that the Prologue will be held in Monza (Italy) and no longer at Paul-Ricard.

« We know that opening the season at Monza will delight both competitors, fans and the media, underlines Gérard Neveu, Managing Director of WEC. We want our calendar to meet the expectations and requests of all our partners and participants, so that it is also coherent in economic and logistical terms, and finally so that it fits as well as possible into the calendar rich in circuit events. . The WEC continues to give enthusiasts privileged access to the most competitive, open championship and the most innovative technology. It offers builders like Aston Martin, Audi, Ferrari, Porsche et Toyota the ideal showcase for their products, both on and off the track. »

Pierre Fillon, President of the ACO, states for his part that he is “ very pleased to have maintained this level of stability over the five years of the WEC's existence until today, and our 2017 calendar allows us to continue building on the tradition of endurance competitions around the world. The number of enthusiasts, always increasing from year to year, is proof that returning to a circuit at the same time of year encourages spectators to plan their visit well in advance... and also to bring their friends with them, in order to enjoy the entertainment and sports show offered by the WEC. THE 24 Hours of Le Mans are no longer to be presented but we know that the audience in countries, such as Mexico, can only grow as their knowledge and interest in the WEC evolves. We look forward to an exciting year in 2017, which will begin with our first visit to Italy. »

Note the clash of dates between the 6 Hours of the Nürburgring and the penultimate round of the Formula e in Montreal (Canada), problematic for many pilots including Sébastien Buemi, Lucas di Grassi, Loïc duval or even Sam Bird.

Provisional* schedule for WEC 2017:

March 24/25 – Prologue, Monza (Italy)

April 16 – 6 Hours of Silverstone (Great Britain) 

May 6 – 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps (Belgium) 

June 17/18 – 24 Hours of Le Mans (France) 

July 16 – 6 Hours of the Nürburgring (Germany) 

September 3 – 6 Hours of Mexico (Mexico) 

September 16 – 6 Hours of the Circuit of the Americas (Texas / USA) 

October 15 – 6 Hours of Fuji (Japan) 

November 5 – 6 Hours of Shanghai (China) 

November 18 – 6 Hours of Bahrain (Bahrain) 

*: Submitted for validation to the FIA ​​World Motor Sport Council