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TOYOTA GAZOO Racing takes first win of the new Hypercar era of the World Endurance Championship

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The signs were good when TOYOTA GAZOO Racing earned a historic first-ever Hypercar pole position as the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) began its new era. TOYOTA GAZOO Racing, an early entrant in the Hypercar category, had its new GR010 HYBRID ready to go and locked out the front row in qualifying for the first round of the ninth season – the Total 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium.

Almost 15 hours of testing and free practice sessions had taken place earlier in the week when the #7 Hypercar of World Champions Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi and Jose María Lopez led the field away, trailed by the #8 car of the team which had Sebastien Buemi, Kazuki Nakajima and Brendon Hartley.

Close challenge from Alpine team
After a dramatic and tense battle at the front, overcoming a close challenge from the #36 Alpine in second and their own team-mates in the #7 car, it would be the #8 car that won the race, getting place in the motorsport record books.

The 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, the first of six in a revised 2021 WEC calendar, was an incident-packed race. The Hypercars fought relentlessly from the moment the race started. The #7 Toyota was in the lead but by lap 11, #8 took over and the pair of GR010 HYBRIDs were hotly pursued by the #36 Alpine.

As the first pit stops approached, the race took its first dramatic turn when the #7 car was in the pits. Time was lost when the car did not leave cleanly, before Sebastien visited the pits a lap later. At the end of that stop, the fuel nozzle was removed from the #8 before the 35-seconds minimum refuelling time had elapsed, breaking a new regulation. This resulted in a 30-second penalty, taken at the car’s next pit stop, when Brendon took the wheel.

Drama in closing hour
With the #7 requiring a fluid refill when Mike handed over to Jose, the #36 Alpine took over at the front. At half distance, Jose was closing in and just a few seconds behind, with Brendon further back in the third-placed #8 car.

The battle showed no sign of easing off, and neither did the drama. Jose made contact with a GT car, slightly damaging the front bodywork. Then with just under 2 hours remaining, the #7 slid off the track and got stuck in the gravel, requiring a rescue vehicle to recover it before he resumed in third. It was the position that would remain till the end of the race, with the Alpine splitting the two Toyotas.

*A United Autosports Oreca 07 finished among the top five in the first race of the 2021 WEC season.*

“What a dramatic and unpredictable start to this new era for our team. Today was a strong start for our next generation of Racing Hybrid technology but we are still learning and improving with our GR010 HYBRID. It has not been the smoothest week for the team at Spa but this has highlighted areas to improve so we will work hard to do this before the next race, and particularly before Le Mans,” said Hisatake Murata, Team President.

The competitiveness of the Alpine A480 (above) was clear, and will be a force to be reckoned with throughout the season. “We had the satisfaction of battling with the Toyotas even though the strategies are obviously different because of the different technologies we use,” said Philippe Sinault, Team Principal of the Alpine Elf Matmut Endurance Team Principal. “Our first target was to reach the finish, and we did so. Although the podium was predicted by many, we managed to finish second by pushing the Toyotas. The assessment of this first race is positive, and we will work hard to aim higher at the next round in Portugal.”

Toyota GAZOO Racing reveals GR010 HYBRID Le Mans Hypercar for 2021 WEC

Ferrari to officially take part in Le Mans Hypercar class from 2023

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Ferrari will join the Le Mans Hypercar (LMH) class from 2023. This is a new class which has attracted the interest of manufacturers and it will be the top class of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC). Companies that have announced vehicle development programmes include Porsche, Peugeot, Audi, and Toyota – all veterans of the WEC with championship victories at different periods in time.

Following a period of study and analysis, Ferrari confirmed its participation and has started a development programme for an all-new LMH car. It is known that there is already a design and simulations have been run in recent weeks.

The time-frame for building running prototypes has not been mentioned, nor the name of the car and the drivers who will make up the official crews.

While Ferraris are regularly seen racing at Le Mans, it has been almost 50 years since the factory’s last official participation in the premier class of the World Sports Car Championship. It has a respectable record in closed-wheel competition with 24 world titles (most recently in 2017) and 36 victories in the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

“In over 70 years of racing, on tracks all over the world, we led our closed-wheel cars to victory by exploring cutting-edge technological solutions: innovations that arise from the track and make every road car produced in Maranello extraordinary. With the new Le Mans Hypercar programme, Ferrari once again asserts its sporting commitment and determination to be a protagonist in the major global motorsport events,” said Ferrari President, John Elkann.

Overview of the Le Mans Hypercar class
The LMH ruleset represents a major shift in philosophy compared with the LMP1 class it is replacing. It allows for a greater variety both in terms of technical approaches as well as the aesthetics of the cars, at the same time ensuring sporting equality and preventing cost escalation through the concept of ‘performance windows’.

Technical Regulations are focused on controlling performance outcome, instead of setting design or geometrical restrictions, allowing manufacturers to choose cost-effective solutions as significant expenditures will not bring performance gains.

The autonomy also allows them not only to replicate brand identity and genuine architecture, maintaining the spirit of the brand and remaining relevant to their road car philosophy, but also to express true potential in terms of creativity and innovation. Less rigid aerodynamic constraints established for the cars give them the option to incorporate styling elements to the design.

Similarly to the LMP1 class, both hybrid or non-hybrid power units with transmission to either rear or both axles are allowed.

As avoiding cost escalation is one of the key targets behind the LMH concept, several other cost-saving measures have been undertaken. With the 2021 season being the first one in the LMH homologation cycle, testing is supervised. The use of expensive materials and technology is greatly limited. The minimum weight for gearbox is set at 75 kgs, with the use of magnesium or aluminium casing and bellhousing mandatory.

The suspension is also simplified, with a double-wishbone design compulsory and aids such as active systems and mass dampers forbidden. There is also a single aero kit permitted, without the distinction for Le Mans and the other races.

In order to avoid development costs, the tyres are exclusively supplied by Michelin with different dimensions dedicated to rear and 4-wheel-drive cars. Furthermore, lower power output results in lower power unit development costs.

“Le Mans Hypercar should please both manufactures and fans, resulting in spectacular cars and high level of competition. We’ll see greater variety across the competitors while the more cost-effective regulatory approach is something much needed in the current economic climate,” said Richard Mille, FIA Endurance Commission President.

Peugeot Hybrid4 500KW to power Peugeot hypercar for endurance racing in 2022

2021 marks new chapter in the history of Aston Martin Racing

Apart from its greater involvement in Formula 1 this year with a team bearing its name, Aston Martin will also be no less active in international GT racing season. In fact, 2021 marks a new chapter in the history of Aston Martin Racing (AMR) as it engages the full weight of its world championship-winning experience and pedigree on its Vantage GT customer programmes.

Aston Martin aims to build on the 26 titles the car delivered in 2020, with an extensive and wide-ranging race programme that spans the full spectrum of the GT racing ecosystem. An ever-expanding number of partner Vantage GT3 and GT4 teams are poised to contest more than 20 major international series globally this season, and they do so with access to an unprecedented level of support from the factory.

A significant number of engineers and technicians responsible for winning the 2019/20 GT FIA World Endurance Manufacturers’ and Drivers’ championship titles have been deployed to assist key partners, including those participating in the Asian Le Mans Series in Dubai.

Strategic and engineering support hub
Moreover, in a time when the Covid-19 pandemic has necessarily restricted international travel, AMR has moved to minimise this disruption for its teams by creating a strategic and engineering support hub, operated in real-time out ofAston Martin Racing’s headquarters in England.

“We are still able to fully support our customers, wherever they are racing in the world,” said AMR Head of Performance, Gustavo Beteli, “as was the case in Daytona recently. In many of these cases, we are using the remote-support hub, where we are able to collect live data from the cars, timing and keep a direct link with the teams to be able to provide the best service and guidance possible.”

Works drivers available for teams
Partner teams will also be able to call on the use of an extensive and decorated list of works drivers to support their line-ups in 2021, if required. While the US endurance racing season may have already begun with the Rolex 24, the 2-round, 4-race Asian Le Mans Series provides another starting gun for the international calendar.

The opening double-header, at the Dubai Autodrome this weekend, features no less than 5 examples of the Aston Martin Vantage GT3 – a car which shares the same design principals and philosophy as the world championship-winning GTE and is in contention for its first Asian LMS title, thanks to several strong team and driver line-ups.

*Aston Martin Racing has a long background of winning races and can offer its world championship-winning experience and pedigree to its Vantage GT customers.*

David King, President of Aston Martin Racing, said: “The exceptionally strong Asian Le Mans Series entry is a clear message of intent from Aston Martin Racing and defines our objectives for 2021. This year is about our partners and their continued success, and through them we intend to demonstrate why Vantage is an excellent platform to build an international GT campaign on. From WEC and IMSA, through the full spectrum of international and domestic GT3 and GT4 series, we expect to see Aston Martins racing and winning. Our clear aim is to build on the excellent tally of 26 championships titles in 2020.”

Original Aston Martin Vantage racing cars offered as a special edition collection

Toyota GAZOO Racing reveals GR010 HYBRID Le Mans Hypercar for 2021 WEC

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Toyota GAZOO Racing (TGR) will enter its ninth season in World Endurance Championship (WEC) with a brand new racing car – the GR010 HYBRID Le Mans Hypercar. The reigning World Champions and 3-time Le Mans winners will defend those titles in the 2021 championship against new manufacturer competitors using a racing version of the upcoming hypercar road car.

The GR010 HYBRID is a prototype racer developed over the last 18 months in partnership by engineers at TGR’s headquarters in Germany, and the electric hybrid powertrain experts at Higashi-Fuji in Japan. It confirmed to regulations that herald a new era in WEC competition.

The GR010 HYBRID incorporates a 4-wheel drive racing hybrid powertrain, with a 3.5-litre V6 twin turbocharged petrol engine. The electrified powertrain generates 680 ps to the rear wheels, together with a 272 ps motor generator unit on the front axle. Total output is capped at 500 kW (680 ps), meaning the sophisticated electronics reduce engine power according to the amount of hybrid boost deployed.

*The GR Super Sport hypercar which made its public debut last year.*

The appearance of the racing prototype has been inspired by the GR Super Sport hypercar which made its public debut during a demonstration run and ceremonial trophy return at the 2020 Le Mans 24 Hours and is currently in development. To mark this new era for TGR, a new livery includes the iconic GR lettering to indicate the strong link between race and road cars.

As part of a cost-cutting initiative incorporated in the regulations, the new GR010 HYBRID is 162 kgs heavier and with 32% less power than its TS050 HYBRID predecessor. It also has bigger dimensions – 250 mm longer, 100 mm wider and 100 mm higher. The implication of this is that Le Mans lap times are expected to be around 10 seconds slower.

For the first time since the beginning of its WEC project, TGR will participate without a rear motor generator unit (MGU), with the single permitted MGU located on the front axle. This means a starter motor must be fitted on the GR010 HYBRID while fully hydraulic rear brakes are also required.

The racing car’s aerodynamics, optimized for efficiency, have been developed using powerful Computational Fluid Dynamics software and extensive wind tunnel testing. The new technical regulations permit only a single homologated bodywork package, with only one adjustable aerodynamic device. The GR010 HYBRID will therefore compete in the same specification at both low and high downforce circuits, with an adjustable rear wing modifying the aerodynamic characteristics.

For the first time too, the top class of WEC and Le Mans will feature a balance of performance, meaning organisers will modify the performance of each car on a race-by-race basis, regulating energy usage and weight, targeting identical performance potential from each Le Mans Hypercar. That should ensure close racing between TGR and its hypercar competitors Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus and ByKolles Racing, as well as Alpine, which will present an additional challenge with its LMP1 car.

*The TGR Team is reigning WEC Champion and 3-time Le Mans winner.*

The championship will be fought over 6 races on three continents, beginning with the 1000 Miles of Sebring on March 19, followed by the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps on May 1. The traditional season highlight – the Le Mans 24 Hours – will take place on 12-13 June. The first World Championship endurance race in Monza since 1992 takes place on July 18 before trips to Fuji Speedway (September 26) and Bahrain (November 20), all of which are 6-hour races.

The story behind TOYOTA GAZOO Racing and why it was created

Peugeot Hybrid4 500KW to power Peugeot hypercar for endurance racing in 2022

After a decade-long absence, Peugeot will return to endurance racing, including the Le Mans 24 Hours, in 2022. By then, it will have completed development of an all-new hypercar defined in the new FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) regulations.

Development by Peugeot Sport and Total
The hypercar will be known as the Peugeot Hybrid4 500KW and its powertrain is now being developed by Peugeot Sport and Total (and its subsidiary, Saft). Details of the powertrain which have been revealed show a mid-rear, 2.6-litre, 500 kW (680 bhp), twin-turbo, V6 , petrol internal combustion engine combined with a front-mounted 200 kW (272 bhp) motor generator unit, with a high-power density battery. The smart powertrain will have energy flow management, a key to high performance.

Although the 165-kg engine can deliver 500 kW and the motor generator unit has a capacity of 200 kW, the regulations set a maximum power output of just 500 kW during races. The regulations also forbid the use of electrical energy below 120 km/h, so the motor generator unit only engages once this speed has been reached. The car must pull away from standstill under the power of its internal combustion engine alone.

At full power, the power output is limited to 300 kW and adjusted as a function of the power delivered by the motor generator unit at 200 kW which is directly dependent on the battery level. When the motor generator unit comes into use, the car automatically switches to 4-wheel drive, thereby modifying its drivability – through high-speed corners, for example,

When the battery pack is empty, the engine reverts to 500 kW power output and the transmission returns to rear-wheel drive. During races, the battery will be fully charged prior to the start by means of a mains-connected plug-in hybrid charger. Once on the track, the battery will function completely independently and be charged only by the kinetic braking energy recovery system.

The robotised sequential 7-speed (plus reverse) gearbox will be controlled by steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters, and the Peugeot Sport-developed brake-by-wire system will also be managed electronically.

The driver will be able to adjust the level of engine-braking generated by the electric motor under deceleration and the force applied by the pads to the braking discs to achieve the optimum electric regenerative/hydraulic braking split. Optimal energy management, both under acceleration and during energy recovery, will consequently be key to the car’s performance and efficiency.

The architecture of the Peugeot HYBRID4 500KW powertrain is the result of a highly- detailed brief shaped by the new FIA WEC regulations,” noted François Coudrain, Peugeot Sport’s WEC Programme Powertrain Director. “We initially considered a single turbo, but that would have prevented us from achieving our engine’s centre of gravity target. A twin-turbo V6 block offers the best trade-off between technology, weight, packaging of the engine’s ancillaries, reliability and performance.”

Innovative battery concept
The high-density, high-power battery pack has been developed jointly by Peugeot Sport and Saft, a Total subsidiary. As one of the keys to high performance, it will need to be integrated perfectly, physically inside the car and in the powertrain’s energy-management process. Working from a specification written by Peugeot Sport, Saft’s engineers selected the best type of cells for the battery which favours power over energy density, consistent with the needs of endurance racing.

“The main parameter will be to optimise how the energy stored in the battery is used,” explained Kamen Nechev, Saft’s Chief Technical Officer. “To achieve this, you need an extremely short charge-time combined with high-capacity storage cells to form a package that enables maximum power to be delivered as rapidly as possible. The most competitive solution resides in the management of charge optimisation and the amount of power available in real time.”

The new battery will be located in a carbonfibre casing inside the car’s monocoque structure, behind the driver and underneath the fuel tank. It has been designed to combine durability with consistent performance during races of durations of up to 24 hours, and even beyond.

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Audi to compete in Dakar Rally 2022, return to WEC, and leave Formula E after 2021

Audi will return to the international rallying arena in 2022 when it competes in the Dakar Rally. The brand shot to prominence in the World Rally Championship in the 1980s with its superior all-wheel drive Quattro, winning a number of championships and revolutionizing the sport. Then it competed in other areas, a dominant force in the World Endurance Championship (WEC) endurance racing three years in a row. More recently, it has participated in Formula E, the all-electric single-seater series, which has served to highlight the brand’s pioneering technology in electrified vehicles.

*In the 1980s, Audi was the dominant force in the World Rally Championship with its all-wheel drive Quattro.*

“Formula E has accompanied the transformation phase at Audi. Now we are taking the next step in electrified motorsport by facing the most extreme conditions. The many technical freedoms offered by the Dakar Rally provide a perfect test laboratory for us in this respect,” said Markus Duesmann, Chairman of the Board of Management and Board of Management Member for Technical Development and Product Lines at Audi AG.

First carmaker to commit alternative drive for rally
Audi is the first carmaker that has committed to develop a viable alternative drive concept for the Dakar Rally, making it a pioneer in motorsport once again. It has a prototype with the alternative drive concept that combines an electric drivetrain with a high-voltage battery and a highly efficient energy converter for the first time.

With the use of an alternative drive concept in the Dakar Rally, the vehicle will be driven in the most extreme conditions. The aim is to permanently improve the performance of the electric drivetrain and the battery in the years to come. The experience gained in this process should then be incorporated into the further development of future electrified production models.

*AudiSport has been involved in Formula E with the ABT Schaeffler team.*

Exit from Formula E after 2021
The Dakar Rally will replace Audi’s factory involvement in Formula E, which will no longer be continued in the form of an AudiSport factory team after the 2021 season. The use of the newly developed Audi powertrain by customer teams like ABT Schaeffler will remain possible beyond next year.

“A multifaceted commitment to motorsport is and will remain an integral part of Audi’s strategy,” said Duesmann. “We want to continue demonstrating the brand’s slogan ‘Vorsprung durch Technik’ in international top-level motorsport in the future and develop innovative technologies for our road cars.

*The Audi R18 won three years in a row at Le Mans,*

It is also learnt that Audi will return to endurance racing and take part in the new LMDh category. This is a cost-effective formula as the same car can be used in the WEC as well as the American IMSA series.

“We are intensively preparing to enter the new sports prototype category LMDh with its highlight races, the Daytona 24 Hours and Le Mans 24 Hours,” confirmed Julius Seebach, Managing Director of Audi Sport GmbH. “The most important message for our fans is that motorsport will continue to play an important role at Audi.”

*Technology developed in competition, which has extreme conditions, will be used in the advancement of electrified production models like the Audi e-tron.*

2022 Dakar Rally
The Dakar Rally began in 1997 as a rally-raid event from Paris to Dakar, on the west coast of Africa. Traditionally held at the start of the new year, it came to be the most gruelling off-road event. It ran the same route up till 2007 and then security concerns forced the organisers to find a new and equally challenging route, which was in South America.

So from 2009 (the event had to be cancelled in 2008 when terrorist threats were too serious), it was held on the western side of South America in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile and Peru. The name was retained as it had become legendary.

*Mitsubishi Motors, with the Pajero, has had the most number of wins (12) in the Dakar Rally.*

*A MINI in the 2020 Dakar Rally, held for the first time in Saudi Arabia.*

However, the teams have been uncomfortable with the logistical complexities and high cost of travelling to South America, while the host countries have been less willing to pay the organisers the extremely high fees for the event. This has led to the event moving to Saudi Arabia for 2020 as the Kingdom has been willing to sign a multi-year contract. The shorter distance from Europe is also more acceptable to the teams. So it is likely that when Audi returns in 2022, it will be competing in the desert sands of Saudi Arabia.

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Toyota wins at Le Mans for the third time

Toyota continued its winning streak at Le Mans with another victory this weekend, its third successive one in the classic 24-hour endurance race. Kazuki Nakajima was at the wheel of the No. 8 Toyota GAZOO Racing TS050 HYBRID as team mates Sebastien Buemi and Brendon Hartley watched him take the chequered flag after 387 laps.

From No.7 to No.8
The early lead was maintained by Kamui Kobayashi, partnered by Mike Conway and Jose Maria Lopez, in the No. 7 Toyota. However, midway through the race, the car had a turbo problem and the No.8 car quickly moved to take over at the front.

Second overall was Rebellion Racing’s Gibson R-13 driven by the trio of Bruno Senna, Norman Nato and Gustavo Menezes. It was one of two cars from the Swiss team which shadowed the No.8 Toyota, waiting for the car to drop out which, of course, didn’t happen.

LMP1 and GTE winners
While Toyota won the LMP1 category, the LMP2 category was won by the United Autosports Team with an Oreca-Gibson crewed by Paul di Resta, Philip Hanson and Filipe Albuquerque. They finished fifth overall after the No.3 car of Rebellion Racing.

Aston Martin Racing won the FIA GT Manufacturers Championship as the No.97 Aston Martin Vantage AMR finished tops in the GTE Pro class and the #90 TF Sport Aston Martin Vantage AMR collect the trophy for the GTE Am class.

This year’s Le Mans race, the 88th edition since starting in 1923, is the last one before the new Hypercar era starts for the next season. Sadly, the spectator stands were empty as French authorities did not allow large crowds due the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The 2019-2020 WEC season has one more round remaining which will be held in Bahrain on November 14.

Toyota’s GR Super Sport hypercar returned to its spiritual home this weekend to appear in public for the first time, as part of its ongoing development process, shortly before the start of the Le Mans 24 Hours. Based on the 2-time Le Mans-winning TS050 HYBRID racing car and covered in GR camouflage livery, the car completed a demonstration lap before arriving at a ceremony to return the Le Mans trophy for this year’s race.

*Besides the win at Le Mans, Toyota GAZOO Racing also won the Rally Turkey this weekend.*

Peugeot to return to endurance racing in 2022 with hypercar (w/VIDEO)

This weekend sees the running of the 88th edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, which was originally scheduled for its usual date in June but had to be postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On this weekend too, Peugeot and TOTAL officially commence their Le Mans Hypercar (LMH) project. This will see a new racing car, developed to new regulations, for the top tier endurance category.

“Le Mans is the holy grail of the automobile world,” said Jean Philippe Imparato, Peugeot brand CEO. “It is the race who determines its winner. For us, this represents 3 victories but also the endless sweat, tears and joy and an incredible team spirit with TOTAL, with whom we celebrate 25 years of collaboration.”

“The Le Mans Hypercar project provides us possibilities for joint development on the entire energy system of the car. We can work on the efficiency of our fuels – for all the competitors, as the exclusive supplier- or for the lube, specifically designed for hybrid vehicles. It will also allow TOTAL and SAFT to study new battery solutions alongside Peugeot,” said Philippe Montanteme, TOTAL’s Strategy/Marketing & Research Director.

The choice of the LMH category was dictated by several criteria, one being that of a certain aerodynamic freedom. This makes it possible to incorporate, with the support of Peugeot Design, the aesthetic detail of the brand. Draft sketches have already been prepared which show the first design thoughts and verify the fundamental required elements, particularly in terms of dimensions.

The hypercar specifications
After various phases of studies for the general structure, the aerodynamic concept and the choice of engine architecture will come the final decision of the electrical framework. This will lead to development of the hybrid powertrain that can generate 500 kW.

“The hypercar will have 4-wheel drive, equipped – as required by the regulations – with an electric motor and a maximum power of 200 kW on the front axle. The total power level will be identical to that of a 100% thermal 2-wheel drive car (500 kW or approximately 680 ps) that will be distributed between the 2 axles. In comparison with what we currently know in LMP1, the car will be heavier so as to be compatible with road vehicles. It will also be longer and slightly wider,” revealed Olivier Jansonnie, Technical Director WEC program at Peugeot Sport which will be involved.

“This regulation is also different because it incorporates ‘BoP’ or ‘Balance of Performance’. It certainly sets limits, but also allows room for many technical possibilities in our development, specifically on the general shape, as long as a certain overall aerodynamic efficiency is not exceeded. This will be measured in a 1:1 scale wind tunnel and which will be part of the BOP,” explained Jansonnie.

Debut in 2022
He added that the aerodynamic concept has been confirmed, engine framework has been decided and the functionality of the hybrid system and its fundamental design are chosen. “We still have several steps left before our debut in endurance in 2022,” he said.

Peugeot is no stranger to Le Mans and endurance racing, having successfully competed with the 908 turbodiesel in earlier years. It stopped participation suddenly after 2011 due to a decline in sales as the company needed to conserve resources on the launch of new models.

“This category unites our entire company and all of our entities, with features and technologies similar to those of our production cars. We are coming back to endurance racing because we have the opportunity to work the sport in a different way, with the hybridization of petrol and electricity. Peugeot Sport is changing its identity and launching its label of electrified high-performance vehicles. This endurance program allows us to integrate ourselves fully into the transition of energies,” declared Imparato.

Carlos Tavares, Chairman of Groupe PSA and also a racing driver, will be the official starter of the 88th 24 Hours of Le Mans race today. He will be in a Peugeot 908 which the brand used in endurance racing between 2007 and 2011.

Two more WEC races to be run, with replanned Le Mans 24 Hours in September

Organisers change plans for 88th 24 Hours of Le Mans – spectators not allowed

Each year, usually around June, thousands of spectators (250,000 in 2019) ring the Circuit de la Sarthe in France to watch the classic 24 Hours of Le Mans race. This year – for the first time since the first race was held in 1923 – there won’t be the carnival atmosphere at the 88^th edition of one of the best known events in the motorsport calendar.

Surge in infections force change
With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, permission is being given by governments to run races with strict conditions largely aimed at avoiding spread of the coronavirus. Originally, besides being postponed to September 19 and 20, the event was allowed by health officials to have spectators. However, with a recent surge in infections in France, this was changed and no spectators are allowed. Teams and media must also be at a minimum and follow stringent procedures just like Formula 1.

“The 88th 24 Hours of Le Mans will go down in the annals of history as, sadly, the world’s greatest endurance race run this year with no spectators trackside,” said Pierre Fillon, President of the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO).

Health and safety the priority
He explained that even a limit on the number of spectators could not be considered as health and safety are the highest priority. “Given the constraints involved in organizing a festival-scale event over several days in the current situation, we have opted with the local government authorities to hold the race behind closed doors,” Fillon said.

“Fans will not miss out altogether,” he assured. “They may not be at Le Mans but our media teams and service providers will bring Le Mans to them! Thanks to the new digital platform, they will gain an exclusive insight of what goes on behind the scenes at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.”

*A Toyota TS050 Hybrid racing car in one of the past events.*

The second last round of the 2019/2020 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) will have 62 teams taking part. There will be 4 free practice sessions, qualifying, the Hyperpole session and a warm-up, culminating with the 24-hour endurance race on the 13.6-km course.

Last year, the starting time of the 2020 race was changed to 4 pm on Saturday, one hour later than usual. However, in replanning the whole event program this year, the race itself will start at 2:30 pm on Saturday.

7 races for this season
The championship season began with the 4 Hours of Silverstone in September 2019 and races were run in Japan, China, Bahrain, and the USA (Texas). There was also a second race to be held in the USA at Sebring but this was cancelled due to the pandemic.

Before Le Mans, there will be a 6-hour race at Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium on August 15. The final round will be the 8 Hours of Bahrain scheduled for November 21.

Looking ahead
The 2020/2021 WEC season will see the brand new Le Mans Hypercar category in place of the LMP1 category. Assuming the pandemic diminishes and countries are less restrictive, there are 8 races (ranging from 6 hours to 24 hours) scheduled to be run in Europe, Asia, Middle East, Africa and the USA. Two new venues – Monza in Italy and Kyalami in South Africa will be on the calendar.

Two more WEC races to be run, with replanned Le Mans 24 Hours in September

The 24 Hours of Le Mans race, typically held in June, had to be postponed to the 19/20 weekend of September due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s the 88^th edition this year, and well aware of the financial impact of the situation on racing teams, the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO) was keen to ensure that their resources are not tied up over too long a period.

In agreement with the FIA and the main partners and stakeholders of the international event, the event will have a packed 4-day schedule for the 62 teams confirmed to be taking part. Between Thursday and Sunday, there will be 4 free practice sessions, qualifying, the Hyperpole session and a warm-up, culminating with the 24-hour endurance race itself.

Compact time-frame
The schedule of practice sessions – vital to good race preparation – has been rearranged, with qualifying, the warm-up and the race, packed into a 4-day time-frame. This is expected to maintain the requisite level of quality for such an iconic international event.

The traditional scrutineering procedures will take place at the Circuit on Wednesday before the 62 cars take to the track on Thursday for the free practice sessions, qualifying and night-time practice. Friday will see more practice sessions and the much-awaited new Hyperpole shoot-out where 24 competitors will battle it out on the 13.626-km circuit in a test of sheer speed, without the ‘heavy traffic’!

Hyperpole format
The Hyperpole qualifying format replaces the previous approach which involved 6 hours of qualifying in 3 two-hour sessions over Wednesday and Thursday. It was confirmed late last year to determine the top positions on the grid. The top six cars in each of the four classes during a 45-minute qualifying period will go forward to the Hyperpole session.

The 24 cars that make it through to this shoot-out session will be allowed one run because they will not be permitted to return to their pit during the 30 minutes. Teams will have free choice of tyres within the existing allocation for qualifying and the race.

Pierre Fillon, President of the ACO, explained that the new format was aimed at ‘guaranteeing two exciting sessions for both drivers and spectators, where all the focus will be on sheer speed in a quest for the perfect lap’.

The race at Le Mans will be the finale for the 2019/2020 World Endurance Championship (WEC). The season began with the 4 Hours of Silverstone in September 2019 and races were run in Japan, China, Bahrain, and the USA (Texas). There was also a second race to be held in the USA at Sebring but this was cancelled due to the pandemic. Before Le Mans, there will be a round at Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium in August.