WEC Weighing Up Three-Driver Mandate for All Races

The FIA World Endurance Championship could move to mandate three-driver lineups in the Hypercar category starting next year, with the topic set to be discussed in a sporting working group meeting later this year.

This comes after some teams have used two-driver lineups for the shorter, six-hour rounds at various points throughout the season.

Chip Ganassi Racing has contested all six-hour races with the two-driver pairing of Alex Lynn and Earl Bamber, while Proton Competition, Hertz Team JOTA and Peugeot have all competed with smaller crews at some point this year.

However, Porsche factory LMDh director Urs Kuratle told reporters on Tuesday that a mandate for a three-driver lineup will be a discussion point ahead of the 2025 season.

“We do read the rumors as well that this is being discussed and it will be discussed in the sporting working group later in the year,” Kuratle said.

“We keep an ear on the track on what’s going on there.

“Either way, with two or with three drivers. We had three drivers this year. It wasn’t mandated. Maybe it becomes mandated next year.

“It’s one point of the discussions we’re having currently.”

When asked if WEC could move to mandate a three-driver crew for next year, ACO President Pierre Fillon said: “We are thinking about that.”

If instituted, the mandate could provide hurdles for teams with drivers that also compete in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship.

JOTA won the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps with a two-driver crew, without Norman Nato, because of a clash with the Formula E round in Berlin, while Peugeot didn’t have Jean-Eric Vergne and Stoffel Vandoorne at the Belgian round for the same reason.

Next year, Berlin’s Formula E fixture is due to clash with the 6 Hours of Sao Paulo in July, which could potentially cause headaches for teams that have drivers with commitments in both championships.

Team WRT team principal Vincent Vosse, whose driver Robin Frijns is one of the names potentially impacted by the Berlin-Sao Paulo clash, told Sportscar365 that his team is waiting to receive further input on the rule change.

“We ask to have a clear statement of the championship because of course it’s important for our future,” Vosse said.

When asked about the Formula E clash, Vosse replied: “Let’s see. BMW has enough very strong drivers to make sure that we have the right one.”

Although Vosse expressed a personal preference towards a two-driver lineup, he expressed no qualms about sticking to a three-driver crew like his team has done at all WEC races should it be mandated by regulation.

“It is an advantage today to run with two,” he said. “More track time, a bit of a more open strategy, so it’s an advantage to have two.

“If it’s two, then we will consider. And if they announce, ‘Okay, now we want to have three,’ then it’s three and we make sure we have the package.”

Iron Lynx team principal Andrea Piccini, meanwhile, said that his team would like to stick with three drivers for its Lamborghini Hypercar effort, although he feels teams should have the option to go with a two-driver crew should the need or preference arise.

“We like to go with the three drivers we have because it’s always a good way to progress together and build the team, so we stick to the drivers we have for the season,” Piccini said.

“I don’t see why they should put three mandatory drivers in Hypercar for the short races.

“It might be easier to race with two drivers if you have a particular race where you prefer to do so. I honestly personally don’t see a problem with that.”

John Dagys contributed to this report