COTA, Interlagos, Silverstone in Frame for WEC Returns

Photo: Jamey Price/Toyota

Interlagos, Silverstone and Circuit of The Americas are in the frame for returns to the FIA World Endurance Championship calendar as part of a targeted ramp back up to as many as nine rounds by 2025.

French publication Auto Hebdo reported last week that the Brazilian circuit is set to replace Portimao on the schedule beginning next year, with COTA currently the leading candidate for the U.S. round, which is not expected to be back at Sebring International Raceway.

WEC CEO Frederic Lequien, meanwhile, has confirmed ongoing talks for a Silverstone return, likely as a ninth round for 2025.

Both Interlagos and Silverstone had been on the world championship’s inaugural season calendar in 2012, with the 6 Hours of Sao Paulo having run through 2014 and Silverstone until the 2019-20 season.

Interlagos was due to feature in the 2019-20 WEC campaign but was replaced by an event at COTA, which is understood to be the current favorite to replace the WEC’s portion of the ‘Super Sebring’ event next year.

Addressing recent media reports over the 2024 calendar, Lequien told reporters: “Really it’s only rumors. We are currently negotiating and discussing with some countries and different tracks all over the world.

“We will release the calendar [at] the 24 Hours of Le Mans.”

As previously reported by Sportscar365, a return to Sebring was unlikely given the proximity of the world championship’s new season-opener in Qatar, which Lequien confirmed will be held in early March.

The six-year deal also includes the Prologue pre-season test to be held in the Middle Eastern nation, after also previously being in Sebring.

Interlagos, meanwhile, would likely be paired with COTA on the calendar post-Le Mans, with the 6 Hours of Monza being moved to the spring.

While next year’s calendar will not exceed eight rounds, a ninth event for 2025 appears to be on the cards with a return to Silverstone.

When asked by Sportscar365 if the WEC has held serious discussions with the famed British circuit, Lequien said: “Yes, we have” and acknowledged that talks are ongoing.

Silverstone managing director Stuart Pringle was on-site at both last year’s season-ending 8 Hours of Bahrain as well as the 1000 Miles of Sebring in March.

“We’re keen to host WEC at Silverstone and remain positive about a return of the championship in the future,” Pringle said this week.

“We’ve been talking with them for a while and hope that we can reach an agreement and that there is space on the WEC calendar to enable a race at Silverstone to happen.

“The Formula 1 British Grand Prix is the summer’s hottest sporting event with ticket sales at an all-time high and our festival-style weekend including a launch party and top music artists proving to be popular with the fans.

“We know that WEC delivers thrilling sports car endurance racing and that the passionate British fans want a home race, so we hope that we’ll have the WEC back at Silverstone before too long and that we can see the weekend develop into its own distinct sporting and entertainment event.”

Lequien said there are a number of factors at play in being able to secure a comeback to the all-important UK market.

“It’s a question of budget, finding a place, the time in the calendar, the availability of the track – Formula 1 is there,” Lequien said. “It’s like a jigsaw. It’s not so easy.”

The addition of Qatar is believed to be playing a factor in enabling Silverstone’s potential return indirectly from a financial standpoint.

“The Qatar deal helps us to maintain some destinations which are the history of motorsport,” Lequien said. “I think it’s important.

“I’m not saying that because I’m doing some politics.

“It’s important to remind that they really want to welcome us. And this is super nice. We can feel something. They are very motivated to welcome us.”

Lequien Expresses Caution on Calendar Growth

Should a deal with Silverstone be reached for 2025, it would mark the largest WEC schedule since 2017 when nine events were held at the height of the LMP1 hybrid era.

Lequien, however, expressed caution on growing too quickly, even with a record number of top-class prototype entries on the way.

“We need to pay attention to the team budget[s],” he said. “This is something which is a little bit new.

“Every month we receive something from different countries and circuits, that want to welcome the WEC.

“If I said yes to everybody we would have 12 to 14 rounds.

“I think eight or nine is the maximum. Because of the logistics: we want to maintain some sea freight, not only air freight, which is important for budget reasons.”

Daniel Lloyd contributed to this report

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