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FIA WEC

GT World Championship Titles Proposed

WEC pushing for GT World Championship title for 2017…

Photo: Drew Gibson/Ford

Photo: Drew Gibson/Ford

The FIA World Endurance Championship has continued its push for the addition of GT World Championship titles, with a proposal set to go in front of the next World Motor Sport Council meeting in December.

FIA Endurance Committee President Sir Lindsay Owen-Jones revealed he will meet with FIA President Jean Todt at this week’s FIA Senate in Geneva to discuss the subject.

It’s understood a proposal for both GTE drivers and manufacturer world championship titles is under consideration, for what could join the existing world titles awarded to the overall drivers’ champion and top LMP1 manufacturer in the championship.

“Obviously it will be one of the subjects that will be on the table,” Owen-Jones said. “It’s a normal aspiration of our GT competitors. I feel that it has a lot of merit.

“The FIA is extremely parsimonious with the concept of world titles, which I respect because it’s a brand and they have the right to make it very exclusive and very difficult.

“I do think that our GT manufacturers today have a very strong case to put that the championship deserves better recognition. I will be supporting them.

“The decision is ultimately in the hands of the World Motor Sport Council and the FIA.”

The WEC is pushing for GT world titles amid Todt’s recent proposal for a the launch of a standalone GT World Championship utilizing upgraded GT3-spec cars, which was shot down by manufacturers earlier this year.

Four manufacturers are currently represented in GTE-Pro, with BMW set to enter in 2018 and both Lamborghini and McLaren rumored by as early as 2019.

Chevrolet is currently represented at the 24 Hours of Le Mans only, but efforts continue for a factory-supported GTE-Pro entry for next year

“It makes sense for the current manufacturers to ask for this title,” Neveu added.

“How they’re performing on the track is absolutely on the level of a world championship. There’s no question about that.”

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

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