2014 World Endurance Championship calendar
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The World Endurance Championship’s planned calendar for next year is the same eight races as this year:
Silverstone – 18-20 April
Spa-Francorchamps – 9-10 May
Le Mans 24 Hours – 14/15 June
Interlagos – 29-31 August (TBC)
Circuit of the Americas – 19-21 September
Fuji – 10-12 October
Shanghai – 31 Oct – 1 Nov
Bahrain – 13-15 NovemberFirst thought: it seems odd that a series which will have Audi and Porsche in it next year has no German round.
@keithcollantine i really want to see the WEC having a 12hr hour race at Mount Panorama (Bathurst). Its the best circuit Australia has to offer and our motorsport contingent would love to see the Championship Down Under.
Bathurst is pretty difficult to access. The teams would have to fly to Sydney, and then they’re looking at a three-hour drive to get to the circuit. Hell, getting across the city could take three hours. I can’t see them going down Parramatta Road, even if it is the most direct route – which means they would have to take the M5, M7 and M4 just to get to the mountains.
When getting to the circuit is a feat of endurance in itself, it’s not exactly a great start.
There is actually a twelve-hour race there every year with a pretty big field, but there are no prototypes racing.
Maybe Porsche joining is an explanation for the recent rumours of a Nürburgring round (even as a replacement for Spa, but thankfully that hasn’t happened)
I wonder why they don’t go to Monza – I thought there was a long tradition of 1000km Monza races, and I think they’re missing out by not racing in Italy, particularly after seeing that video of the Audi cutting out the first chicane and zooming through Curva Grande.
Bathurst is glorious, but I really can’t see it working with Prototypes. If because of safety than anything else.
They should really bring back Sebring at Petit Le Mans and ditch Bahrain and perhaps Shanghai because those two US races are classics and quite prestigious, not to mention strongly attended.
The FIA has deliberately left those events off the WEC calendar because they did not want the series to become dependent on an existing championship; in this case, ALMS. If Sebring and Petit Le Man’s were on the calendar, then between them and the race at COTA, American rounds would make up nearly half the championship. The WEC would effectively become ALMS with a few international rounds thrown in. At the same time, ALMS would suffer because WEC entries could potentially win ALMS championships by only contesting the WEC rounds. It is better for the long-term future of each championship if their calendars are as divided as possible.
Obviously for the reasons above and more, most of these venues would not be suitable for the World Endurance Championship, but this would be the dream calendar for me, with a lot of prestigious events and a season opener at a newer event:
Dunlop Dubai 24 Hours Dubai Autodrome 11th January
Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona Daytona 19th January
Liqui Moly 12 Hours of Bathurst Bathurst Mount Panorama 9th February
Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring Sebring 15th March
RAC Tourist Trophy Silverstone Circuit 6th April
1000km of Monza Circuito di Monza 27th April
24 Hours of Le Mans Circuit de la Sarthe 15th June
ADAC Zurich 24 Hours of Nurburgring Nurburgring Nordschleife 6th July
Total 24 Hours of Spa Spa Francorchamps 27th July
Petit Le Mans Road Atlanta 5th October
6 Hours of Fuji Fuji Speedway 12th October
Mil Milhas Brasil Interlagos 9th November
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