Breaking news
WEC
Bahrain returns on 2019/20 WEC schedule
An eight-round schedule has been provisionally announced for the 2019/20 FIA World Endurance Championship season, with Bahrain returning after a year's absence.
Jamie Klein
Edited: Aug 17, 2018, 12:04 PM
Copy link
Share on Viber
After the series' transitional 2018/19 season, which encompasses two editions of the Le Mans 24 Hours, 2019/20 will mark the first true winter calendar for the WEC, commencing in September 2019 and concluding in June 2020 at La Sarthe.
It will also feature more varied race lengths, with two four-hour races, three-six hour events and an eight-hour contest in addition to the 1000-mile Sebring fixture and Le Mans.
Silverstone will play host to the curtain-raiser with a four-hour race, before the calendar moves on to its Asian leg with races at Fuji in October and Shanghai in November, the latter also being cut to four hours.
Bahrain will host the fourth round, having previously served as the season finale before it was dropped for 2018/19, with an extended eight-hour race.
The previously-announced Interlagos race has been given a date of 1 February, putting it directly before the 1000 Miles of Sebring round in March, whose date has yet to be confirmed by IMSA.
Spa will then take up its traditional May slot, serving as the penultimate round, before the finale at Le Mans in June.
WEC boss Gerard Neveu commented: “Our fans spoke, we listened and have reacted. Naturally we have had a period of consultation with our partners and competitors, and we believe that this new calendar will meet their expectations and requirements as well as please the fans who are so important to us all.
"Our aim is to introduce an additional round to the 2020/21 calendar so that there is more or less an event every month to help maintain interest.”
ACO President Pierre Fillon added: “We are very happy to be able to present a calendar which not only offers a large degree of stability and familiarity, but also moves with the times and responds to the wishes of its many fans around the world.
“With the 24 Hours of Le Mans as its cornerstone, the WEC continues to offer access to the most competitive and open championship possible, as well as presenting our automotive manufacturers with the perfect showcase for their products.
"The revisions to the race formats may echo endurance events of the past, but we never stop looking towards the future to ensure a sustainable, relevant and exciting championship."
2019/20 WEC calendar:
Date Venue Time/Distance 1 September 2019 
Silverstone 4 hours 13 October 2019 
Fuji 6 hours 17 November 2019 
Shanghai 4 hours 14 December 2019 
Bahrain 8 hours 1 February 2020 
Interlagos 6 hours TBA (March 2020) 
Sebring 1000 miles/8 hours 3 May 2020 
Spa 6 hours 13-14 June 2020 
Le Mans 24 hours
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article BMW M8's first win a "matter of time" – Farfus
Next article Silverstone WEC: Toyota leads disrupted first practice
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Jamie Klein
Super Formula Fuji: Ayumu Iwasa wins as Kakunoshin Ohta misses chance to seal title
Super Formula
Super Formula
Fuji II
Super Formula Fuji: Ayumu Iwasa wins as Kakunoshin Ohta misses chance to seal title
Super Formula Fuji: Igor Fraga wins while Kakunoshin Ohta closes on title
Super Formula
Super Formula
Fuji II
Super Formula Fuji: Igor Fraga wins while Kakunoshin Ohta closes on title
Latest news
Exploring Ferrari's 'less than a tenth' US GP update package
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
United States GP
6 min
Exploring Ferrari's 'less than a tenth' US GP update package
F1 United States GP: Charles Leclerc pips Max Verstappen to top FP1
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
United States GP
1 h
F1 United States GP: Charles Leclerc pips Max Verstappen to top FP1
George Russell reveals he lost sleep over his own driving, not the F1 championship
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
United States GP
2 h
George Russell reveals he lost sleep over his own driving, not the F1 championship
F1 United States GP live commentary and updates - Ferrari leads FP1
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
United States GP
3 h
F1 United States GP live commentary and updates - Ferrari leads FP1
Feature
Discover prime content
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe