Which drivers on the WEC grid in 2024?

The 2024 World Endurance Championship (WEC) season promises to be exciting, with the arrival of many manufacturers in Hypercar and the introduction of LMGT3. AUTOhebdo takes stock of the forces present which will compete in the next exercise.

Published 17/02/2024 à 16:40

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Hypercars and LMGT3 will coexist in the WEC next year © Thomas Fenetre / DPPI

(article updated on February 13 at 11:45 a.m., after the announcement of the entry list for the 1812 km of Qatar and the Proton Competition Hypercar drivers)

Hypercar

Toyota Gazoo Racing – Toyota GR010 (2 cars)

The “deans” of WEC and the Hypercar era will be there again in 2024, for their twelfth consecutive season in the World Championship.Endurance. The reigning champions will be keen to defend their property, but also to recover the crown from 24 Hours of Le Mans, lost in the face of Classic Ferrari for sale in 2023.

Only one change in the Japanese crew: exit José Maria Lopez, make way for Nyck de Vries! The Dutchman will discover the premier category of the WEC after his failed experience in the Formula 1 with Alpha Tauri. He returned to Toyota after having been a reserve driver between 2020 and 2022: the Batavian had even signed a pre-contract for the 2023 season before signing in Formula 1.

Officialized drivers:
Toyota No. 7: Mike conway - Kamui Kobayashi - Nyck de Vries
Toyota No. 8: Sébastien Buemi - Brendon Hartley –Ryo Hirakawa

ALSO READ > Toyota is also wearing black for its WEC livery in 2024

Peugeot TotalEnergies – Peugeot 9X8 (2 cars)

The third manufacturer to launch its own Hypercar in 2022 after Toyota and Glickenhaus, Peugeot will begin its second full season in the WEC next year. The year 2024 must mark the age of maturity for the Lion firm which, after several months of suffering with the surprising 9X8, must play the leading roles. This will involve the commitment of a very evolved version of the French Hypercar, announced the Tricolore clan during the 8 Hours of Bahrain.

As for the drivers, only one change is to be reported with the replacement of Gustavo Menezes by Stoffel Vandoorne. The Belgian was until now a reserve for the French manufacturer. Nico Müller and Paul di Resta also swapped seats: the Swiss finds himself in the No. 93, while the Scotsman goes the opposite way and climbs into the No. 94.

Officialized drivers:
Peugeot n°93: Nico Müller – Jean-Éric Vergne – Mikkel Jensen
Peugeot n°94: Loïc duval – Stoffel Vandoorne – Paul di Resta

ALSO READ > Peugeot reshuffles its crews for the 2024 WEC

Ferrari AF Corse – Ferrari 499P (2 cars)

For Ferrari, the year 2023 was successful: Toyota's main competitor, the Prancing Horse achieved the feat of winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans in its first year with the 499P, 50 years after its last appearance in Sarthe. In 2024, it will be a question of doing even better by also winning a world title which is close to the heart of the Italian manufacturer. To do this, Ferrari has decided not to change anything in terms of its two crews, with the same six drivers as in 2023.

Officialized drivers:
Ferrari No. 50: Antonio Fuoco – Miguel Molina – Nicklas Nielsen
Ferrari No. 51: Alessandro Pier Guidi – Antonio Giovinazzi – James Calado

AF Corse – Ferrari 499P (1 car)

It was the surprise of the entry list for 2024: the participation of a third Ferrari 499P, also operated by AF Corse but under a private registration. The old Formula 1 driver Robert Kubica will be there aboard the No. 83. The Pole will discover the premier category in Endurance in 2024. Official Ferrari drivers, Robert Shwartzman and Yifei Ye have also been made official to take place in the private 499P.

ALSO READ > The crew of the third Ferrari 499P confirmed

Officialized drivers:
AF Corsica n°83 : Robert Kubica – Robert Shwartzman – Yifei Ye

Porsche Penske Motorsport – Porsche 963 (2 cars)

Photo Julien Delfosse / DPPI

After a year of learning in 2023 with its LMDh, the 963, Porsche will have the obligation to play at the forefront in 2024, a position worthy of the history of the Stuttgart brand. The German mount, although victorious on numerous occasions in IMSA in 2023, has not yet achieved any success in the WEC. And yet, Porsche has been – and will continue to be in 2024 – well represented on the grid with several customer teams… Among the drivers, only one change to note: the arrival of Matt Campbell in place of Dane Cameron in the No. 5 . The two drivers swapped places between WEC and IMSA.

Officialized drivers:
Porsche n°5: Matt Campbell – Michael Christensen – Frédéric Makowiecki
Porsche n°6: Kévin Estre – André Lotterer – Laurens Vanthoor

Cadillac Racing – Cadillac V-Series.R (1 car)

Photo Frédéric Le Floc'h / DPPI

As in 2023, this will be the minimum service for Cadillac next year. The Detroit (Michigan) firm does not plan to enter a second Cadillac V-Series.R for the 2024 WEC season. The American brand will therefore only be represented by a Hypercar, whose main objective will be to seek victory at Le Mans, after an encouraging podium achieved for the Centenary edition.

In Sarthe, the American manufacturer will be joined by other prototypes, including one in which Sébastien Bourdais should settle down. Program unchanged for Cadillac in 2024 therefore… except for the number of drivers: the team should only rely on two drivers for the six-hour rounds. For the other rounds, Chip Ganassi Racing will draw from its roster. Sébastien Bourdais will be in the car in Qatar. Renger van der Zande could also be called up if necessary, like other CGR pilots (Alex Palou for example).

Officialized drivers:
Cadillac No. 2: Earl Bamber – Alex Lynn
Third drivers: Sébastien Bourdais – Renger van der Zande – TBC

ALSO READ > Cadillac Racing unveils its Endurance program for 2024

Hertz Team JOTA – Porsche 963 (2 cars)

The very first customer team of the Hypercar era surprised in 2023. Despite poor preparation with delivery delays at Porsche, JOTA immediately showed itself to be up to the task, and even led for a short while the 24 Hours of Mans. Will the British team be able to beat the factory team and achieve the first success for the Porsche 963 in the WEC next year?

Not to mention that the Kent team (England) will enter a second example with the 1 Formula 2009 world champion, Jenson Button. It will nevertheless be without Sebastian Vettel, he who had long been anticipated at JOTA.

Norman Nato will start aboard the Porsche 963, he who did the Rookie Test with the English team in Bahrain at the beginning of November. He will accompany Will Stevens and a newcomer, Callum Ilott, who will make his debut in the premier category next year aboard the No. 12. In the Mighty 38, Button will have alongside him the Dane Oliver Rasmussen and his compatriot Phil Hanson who will also race in IMSA aboard a Porsche 963, that of JDC-Miller Motorsports.

Officialized drivers:
Jota – Porsche n°12: Will Stevens – Norman Nato – Callum Ilott
Jota – Porsche n°38: Oliver Rasmussen – Phil Hanson – Jenson Button

Proton Competition – Porsche 963 (1 car)

In 2023, it was the last kid on the grid: Proton Competition landed on the grid for the 6 Hours of Monza in July…and in a hurry, after having only received the Porsche 963 a few days before the race! The German team adapted well and did not appear ridiculous for its first steps in the Hypercar category. With at least one car entered in 2024, it will be interesting to follow the evolution of the team led by Christian Ried.

Julien Andlauer and Neel Jani will join Harry Tincknell in the No. 99 Porsche in the WEC. The Frenchman will experience his first campaign in the premier Endurance category, while the Swiss, world champion and winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2016 with Porsche, will bring all his experience to the German team.

Officialized drivers:
Proton – Porsche n°99: Harry Tincknell – Neel Jani – Julien Andlauer

Alpine Endurance Team – Alpine A424 (2 cars)

Peugeot will not be the only French manufacturer on the Hypercar grid in 2024, since Alpine will make its return to the premier category of the WEC next year! The brand with the arrow, which participated in the first years of the Hypercar era with the “grandmother” of the LM P1, the Rebellion R13, returns after a year of transition spent in LM P2 in 2023.Alpine A424, still prepared by Signatech, will be equipped with an Oreca chassis and a 6L Mecachrome V3,4 engine. Two cars in blue-white-red colors are expected for 2024.

The names of the six drivers are now known, including the arrival of Mick Schumacher among the Blues. The German will be associated with Nicolas lapierre and Matthieu Vaxiviere on No. 36. Ferdinand Habsburg, Paul-Loup Chatin and Charles Milesi will share the wheel of the No. 35.

Officialized drivers:
Alpine n ° 35: Ferdinand Habsburg – Paul-Loup Chatin – Charles Milesi
Alpine n ° 36: Nicolas Lapierre – Matthieu Vaxiviere – Mick Schumacher

ALSO READ > Alpine formalizes its drivers for the Hypercar category

BMW M Team WRT – BMW M Hybrid V8 (2 cars)

©BMW

BMW cannot be better prepared for its return to the premier Endurance category: the Bavarian manufacturer spent a full year in IMSA with its BMW M Hybrid V8, with a victory to boot. It is time for the German brand to take the WEC milestone, with the entry of two LMDh in 2024 and with the support of the WRT structure, benchmark in the LM P2 category.

Robin Frijns, Marco Wittmann and René Rast, official BMW drivers, should start, as well as Raffaele Marciello. Dries Vanthoor, much appreciated by Vincent Vosse, is one of the lucky ones, just like Sheldon van der Linde, champion of DTM in 2022.

Officialized drivers:
BMW No. 15: Dries Vanthoor – Raffaele Marciello – Marco Wittmann
BMW No. 20: Sheldon van der Linde – Robin Frijns – René Rast

ALSO READ > BMW announces its drivers for the WEC Hypercar category

Lamborghini Iron Lynx – Lamborghini SC63 (1 car)

As Alpine, Lamborghini will roll out a brand new car in 2024, in the Hypercar category. The Sant'Agata Bolognese firm arrives in the WEC with the SC63, an LMDh based on a Ligier chassis. Thanks to the partnership with Iron Lynx – and by extension with Prema – the Italian brand should be prepared to play in both the WEC and IMSA, where one car will be entered in each championship.

Six drivers have been confirmed by the Italian manufacturer: Andrea Caldarelli, Mirko Bortolotti, Matteo Cairoli Romain Grosjean, Daniil Kvyat and Edoardo Mortara. Bortolotti, Kvyat and Mortara will team up in the WEC, while the French driver will concentrate on the American championship alongside Caldarelli and Cairoli. Both crews will take part in the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Officialized drivers:
Lamborghini n°63: Daniil Kvyat – Mirko Bortolotti – Edoardo Mortara

ALSO READ > The Lamborghini SC63 also took to the track at Paul-Ricard

Isotta Fraschini Duqueine – Isotta Fraschini Tipo6 LMH-C (1 car)

If the Milanese firm wanted to arrive in Hypercar from 2023, it preferred to wait until 2024 to try its luck in the premier category. With its Tipo6 LMH-C, IFM will indeed make its debut this year. The Lombard brand has already made itself noticed outside the circuits: after formalizing a collaboration with Vector Sport in 2022, it finally took on water the same day the WEC entry list was revealed. Ultimately, it is the French team Team Duqueine which will operate the Italian Hypercar.

Jean-Karl Vernay, development driver for Isotta Fraschini and head of customer competition at Duqueine Automotive, is logically one of the drivers formalized for the WEC. The other two thieves will be two young drivers: the Canadian Antonio Serravalle (21 years old) and the Thai Carl Bennett (19 years old).

Officialized drivers:
Isotta Fraschini n°11: Carl Bennett – Jean-Karl Vernay – Antonio Serravalle

ALSO READ > Team Duqueine partners with Isotta Fraschini Milano

LMGT3

Porsche 911 GT3 R – Manthey EMA / PxreRacing (2 cars)

There will be two Porsches in the new LMGT3 category of the World Endurance Championship in 2024. The Stuttgart manufacturer has announced the name of the team which has been selected to participate in this new adventure. After “a long evaluation process” between different structures, the Stuttgart firm has chosen the German team Manthey Racing to operate the 911 GT3 R in the WEC next year.

Officialized drivers:
Porsche Manthey EMA n°91: Richard Lietz – Morris Schuring – Yasser Shahin
Porsche Manthey PxreRacing n°92 : Aliaksandr Malykhin – Joel Sturm – Klaus Bachler

ALSO READ > Porsche trusts Manthey Racing to enter two LMGT3s in 2024

Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R – TF Sport (2 cars)

After six years of good and loyal service toAston Martin, TF Sport will partner with Corvette from 2024. Next season, the British team will use two Z06 GT3.Rs, the latest creation from the Detroit manufacturer, in the World Endurance Championship in 2024. These two examples will be lined up in the new LMGT3 category of the WEC.

Two factory drivers have been made official by Corvette with TF Sport: Dani Juncadella, who will discover the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2024 with Frenchman Sébastien Baud and veteran Hiroshi Koizumi, and Charlie Eastwood who continues the adventure with the British team after the Aston Martin era with Rui Andrade and Tom Van Rompuy.

Officialized drivers:
Corvette TF Sport n°81: Charlie Eastwood – Rui Andrade – Tom Van Rompuy
Corvette TF Sport n°82 : Dani Juncadella – Sébastien Baud – Hiroshi Koizumi

ALSO READ > Corvette partners with TF Sport for the WEC

Ford Mustang GT3 – Proton Competition (2 cars)

: Ford Mustang Proton n°77 – © Ford

: Ford Mustang Proton Competition n°88 – © Ford

Barely presented last June, during the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the new Ford Mustang GT3 has already formalized its first customer team for the 2024 season of the WEC. This is Proton Competition, which is therefore disloyal to Porsche for the debut of the LMGT3 category. There “pony car” – or rather the “pony cars” since two Mustangs will be fielded by the German team – will discover the World Endurance Championship and the 24 Hours of Le Mans for the first time.

Officialized drivers:
Ford Proton Competition n°77: Ben Barker – Ryan Hardwick – Zacharie Robichon
Ford Proton Competition n°88 : Giorgio Roda – Mikkel O. Pedersen – Dennis Olsen

ALSO READ > Proton partners with Ford for the arrival of the GT3

Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3 – The Heart of Racing / D'station Racing (2 cars)

Aston Martin continues the adventure in the GT category in the WEC! After years of presence in GTE, the English firm will indeed be there in 2024 in LMGT3, with two Vantage AMR GT3s on the grid. As a reminder, Aston Martin will be back in Hypercar in 2025 with The Heart of Racing and the Valkyrie.

The Heart of Racing, in fact, will operate the first Vantage AMR GT3, which entered an Aston Martin in GTE Am this season but also the GT3 version in IMSA. A second car was entrusted to the Japanese team D'station Racing, also loyal to Aston Martin in the WEC.

Officialized drivers:
Aston Martin Heart of Racing n°27: Ian James – Daniel Mancinelli – Alex Riberas
Aston Martin D'station Racing n°777 : Marco Sørensen – Erwan Bastard – Clément Mateu – Satoshi Hoshino (24 Hours of Le Mans)

BMW M4 GT3 – Team WRT (2 cars)

Team WRT BMW M4 GT3 2023 GT World Challenge Europe

BMW will make its appearance in Hypercar in 2024, but also its return to the GT category. Five years after the end of the GTE Pro program with the M8, the Bavarian manufacturer will enter two BMW M4 GT3s in the new WEC class. As in Hypercar, two cars will be operated by the Belgian WRT team.

On the No. 31, Augusto Farfus and Sean Gelael, already confirmed by the propeller brand, are joined by Bronze driver Darren Leung, from British GT. On number 46, Valentino Rossi and Maxime Martin will be supported by Ahmad Al-Harthy, former driver at ORT by TF Sport with Aston Martin and author of a pole and two podiums in GTE Am last year.

Officialized drivers:
BMW Team WRT No. 31: Augusto Farfus – Sean Gelael – Darren Leung
BMW Team WRT n°46 : Valentino Rossi – Maxime Martin – Ahmad Al-Harthy

ALSO READ > Hypercar, LMGT3, GTWCE: BMW and Team WRT unveil their programs for 2024

Ferrari 296 GT3 – AF Corse (2 cars)

Ferrari will also and logically be involved in LMGT3. The Italian manufacturer will enter its new Ferrari 296 GT3, which has already proven itself in numerous disciplines and notably in IMSA. Logically, it is the AF Corse team which will be in charge of the two GT3 cars, as in Hypercar. On the driver side, we will find official Ferrari GT drivers, like Alessio Rovera and Davide Rigon.

Officialized drivers:
Ferrari Vista AF Corse n°54: Thomas Flohr – Francesco Castellacci – Davide Rigon
Ferrari Vista AF Corse n°55 : François Heriau – Simon Mann – Alessio Rovera

Lamborghini Huracán EVO2 GT3 – Iron Lynx (2 cars)

Like BMW, Lamborghini will arrive in the WEC in the premier category in 2024, and will be favored for the arrival of two cars in the LMGT3 class. The Sant'Agata Bolognese firm will be present with its Huracán EVO2. Since this season, the Iron Lynx structure has been operating the Lamborghinis in GT, particularly in IMSA. This will also be the case in 2024. We will find a car branded Iron Lynx and a second mount under the Iron Dames banner. Two French people will ride aboard the Huracán EVO2: Franck Perera aboard the No. 60, and Doriane Pin on n°85 alongside Michelle Gatting and Sarah Bovy.

Officialized drivers:

Lamborghini Iron Lynx n°60: Claudio Schiavoni – Matteo Cressoni – Franck Perera
Lamborghini Iron Dames n°85: Michelle Gatting – Sarah Bovy – Dorian Pin

ALSO READ > Iron Lynx and Iron Dames move to Lamborghini in 2023

McLaren 720S GT3 – United Autosport (2 cars)

The union between the two entities was expected as it was so obvious. By the links which unite them on the one hand, Zak Brown being both general manager of McLaren Racing and co-founder of United Autosports with Richard Dean, but also by those between the Anglo-American team and the WEC. A reference in LM P2 for several years, the latter announced on the sidelines of the Centenary of the 24 Hours of Le Mans that it was heading to IMSA to run two Oreca 07s there due to the end of this category in the World Championship. Endurance.

United will be present on the grid in 2024 alongside McLaren with two 720S GT3 EVOs. The English firm, the only one to have won the Triple Crown (F1 World Championship, Indy 500 and 24 Hours of Le Mans) and will also be the first team to compete in the three flagship events during the same season via its commitments in Formula 1 and IndyCar.

Officialized drivers:
McLaren United Autosports #59: Grégoire Saucy – James Cottingham – Nicolas Costa
McLaren United Autosports #95: Marino Sato – Nico Pino – Josh Caygill

ALSO READ > McLaren wants to join the WEC in 2024 with United Autosports

Lexus RC F GT3 – Akkodis ASP (2 cars)

Photo: Akkodis

For a long time, the Toyota group's desire to enter the LMGT3 category was demonstrated. The question remained to know with which brand… and it will be with Lexus that the Japanese firm wants to integrate the new GT class of the WEC. The team is already ready, since it is Akkodis ASP which will operate – if the selection committee accepts it – two Lexus RC F GT3s in WEC in 2024. GT3 reference in recent years with more than fifty titles both nationally and internationally, Jérôme Policand's team has new objectives for the 2024 season which will mark its quarter century.

The two crews will be formed by Kelvin van der Linde, Timur Boguslavskiy and Arnold Robin on the No. 78 as well as José Maria Lopez, Takeshi Kimura and Esteban Masson on the No. 87. Two French people will therefore be there.

Officialized drivers:
Lexus Akkodis ASP n°78: Kelvin van der Linde – Timur Boguslavskiy – Arnold Robin
Lexus Akkodis ASP n°87: José Maria Lopez – Takeshi Kimura – Esteban Masson

ALSO READ > New car and new chapter for Akkodis ASP which will celebrate its 25th anniversary

ALSO READ > A third Ferrari in the provisional WEC entry list

Article produced by V. Glo and D. Grangier