Keating Could Make Full-Time WEC Return Next Year

Photo: Julien Delfosse/DPPI

Ben Keating could return to the FIA World Endurance Championship on a full-time basis next year, with the Bronze-rated Texan evaluating multiple racing options.

The two-time WEC class champion is making his LMGT3 debut in this weekend’s Lone Star Le Mans event at Circuit of The Americas in the No. 88 Proton Competition Ford Mustang GT3, in what’s currently a one-off appearance with the German squad.

“I’m still trying to figure out what I’m going to do next year,” Keating told Sportscar365.

“I’ve long said that I don’t want to do two series; I want to do one or the other. I’ve also long said that I’m looking forward to going to historics and racing the Ford GT and the Viper and the AMG. I don’t know when that is [for historics].

“I’m considering all of those things.

“I’m talking to teams about running my historic cars. I’m talking to teams about LMP2 in IMSA. I’m talking to teams about GT in WEC.

“Just trying to decide, I’m talking to my wife about what it looks like.

“I really like WEC. I have a really big issue that they plan to race in Italy on Easter. How in the world can you plan a race on Easter Day?

“That’s my main hangup with WEC, literally. I don’t expect them to change the race but it’s a major issue with family.”

While previously being quoted in not having interest in racing GT3-spec cars with ABS and other driver aids, Keating said that’s not the real truth behind his racing preferences.

“I don’t have any problems with GT3 cars,” he revealed. “I’ve been labeled as the guy that doesn’t like GT3 and I understand how that happened.

“But I’ll say that’s a more politically correct way of me saying I didn’t want to be in WEC this year.

“With the addition of torque [sensors] and having all the data, they have been willing to be flexible to how they’re looking at the BoP to make sure everybody’s competitive.

“They’ve realized it’s not just about one aero table or one power table that cars might handle differently over 200 km/h vs. below it, different things that come into play.

“I believe their approach to this very technical and very difficult system is better than anybody’s right now.

“I’ve been very impressed with WEC and what they’ve done. It definitely hasn’t been perfect.

“As they have gone through this learning process of having new cars, new manufacturers, some new tracks, it’s a whole new data set and I’ve been very impressed with their reaction to the data that they’ve got.

“It’s encouraged me to consider WEC for next year. I think it’s a fairly well-balanced field, which is exciting to me.”

Proton Wanted Keating for Remainder of 2024 WEC Season

Keating revealed that team boss Christian Ried had initially wanted him to be in the No. 88 Mustang GT3 for the final four WEC races of the season after its regular driver Giorgio Roda became unavailable.

Ried came out of retirement to drive the car in last month’s 6 Hours of Sao Paulo, although the team has yet to confirm its mandated Bronze-rated driver for the final two rounds of the season at Fuji and Bahrain.

“Chris called me,” said Keating. “We’ve been competitors for a long time but also friends. He asked me if I wanted to finish out the season in the car because [Giorgio] Roda was not going to be able to.

“While parts of that would be fun, my most valuable asset is time. I couldn’t give up the time to do the last four races.

“But I told him, ‘I am available on the weekend of COTA and if you have an empty seat, I’d love to drive at COTA.’

“It’s worked out that way. I have no idea what he’s going to do for the last few races but I’m just grateful to be here.

“It’s a one-off deal. I was going to be here anyway but it’s a difference of me hanging out with my friends in the garage or am I going to be on track driving. It’s fun.”

He added: “I don’t know what I’ll be doing next year but this is my home track. I have been more strangely successful here than any other track I’ve raced at.

“I don’t feel like I am personally particularly fast here but I have been personally particularly lucky here. I’d rather be lucky than good.

“I’m excited to be back in the paddock. I’m excited to be running with Ford again. I haven’t been in a Ford since 2019 at Le Mans. I’ve got four Ford dealerships in Texas.

“I’ve got a good relationship with Jim Farley [Ford CEO], from a racing side of things.

“I’ve raced against Chris for so many years and I’m loving being a part of his team and being part of this family. I’m loving being part of the whole WEC family.

“There’s lots of exciting things for this weekend. I’m just glad I was available to come do it.”

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