The World Endurance Championship (WEC) debuts in 2012 and surely it belongs to the top-events in motorsport for the new year. The race series follows suit the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup and takes place at eight circuits around the world. Thereby long distance races are organised with at least six hours and the highlight is the 24h-Race Le Mans.
The WEC was established in close collaboration by the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) and the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO). Both organisations are conscious of the role of this new category in motorsport. The new race series shall give the possibility to the automotive manufacturers, to test innovations for cars, engines and components and so prove their capability in the long distance championship.
ACO-Chairman Jean-Claude Pessart, his Vice-President Pierre Fillon and the FIA World Endurance Championship Manager Gérard Neveu announced the calendar for 2012 within the last round of the ILMC. Among the eight race highlights are beside the 24h-Race Le Mans, races in Bahrain and Japan and of course the long distance classic at the start of the season in Sebring.
The WEC race calendar 2012:
17th of march – 12h Sebring (USA)
5th of May – 6h Spa-Francorchamps (BEL)
3rd of June – Le Mans testday (FRA)
16th – 17th of June – 24h Le Mans (FRA)
25th of August – 6h Silverstone (GBR)
16th of September – 6h São Paulo (BRA)
30th of September – 6h Mount-Fuji (JAP)
20th of October – 6h Bahrain (BAH)
11th of November – TBA (CHI)