6H Fuji Date Could Change to Avoid F1 Clash for Alonso

Photo: Toyota

The date for the Six Hours of Fuji could be changed, in the wake of Fernando Alonso’s confirmation at Toyota Gazoo Racing for the FIA World Endurance Championship ‘Super Season.’

Alonso, who was announced Tuesday by the Japanese manufacturer, is set to take part in all non-conflicting WEC races, with the Fuji round currently the only event that clashes with the 2018 Formula 1 season.

Sportscar365 has learned that at least one post-Le Mans WEC date change has been under consideration, originally believed to be Shanghai, to avoid a clash with the FIA GT World Cup in Macau.

However, sources have indicated that Fuji is now the most likely candidate for a change, with the Oct. 19-21 race to potentially be moved back to its originally announced Oct. 12-14 weekend.

WEC officials changed the original date to avoid a clash with the Motul Petit Le Mans, a race that sees heavy  involvement from international drivers, including participation by several full-time WEC pilots.

The F1 schedule leaves few possibilities for changes in the WEC calendar, with the F1 race in Suzuka currently two weeks prior to Fuji and F1’s trip to Mexico the week after the U.S. Grand Prix at Circuit of The Americas, the event that currently clashes with Fuji.

Additionally, F1 races in Sao Paulo and Abu Dhabi book-end the current WEC date in Shanghai in November.

When asked by Sportscar365 about a possible date change, WEC CEO Gerard Neveu admitted it could be a possibility although refused to go into detail.

“Sometimes you have to change, but that’s not the case at this [moment],” he told Sportscar365 last weekend at Daytona.

“But it can happen. You never know. If there is something special or requirement that you have to move, you move.

“But the calendar is absolutely definite, and the dates can move, because the date is a date.”

A date change for Fuji would theoretically allow Alonso to compete for the ‘Super Season’ title, as long as the 2019 WEC races at Sebring, Spa and Le Mans do not clash with that year’s F1 schedule.

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John