Start of the race, 50 Antonio FUOCO (Italian), Miguel MOLINA (Spanish), Nicklas NIELSEN (Danish), Ferrari AF Corse, Ferrari 499P #50, Hypercar, action during the 2024 6 Hours of Imola, second round of the 2024 FIA World Endurance Championship, from April 18 to 21, 2024 at Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari in Imola – Photo by Julien Delfosse / DPPI
The CEO of the FIA World Endurance Championship, Frederic Lequien, informed journalists that there will not be an increase in the number of races in 2026. However, he stated that there may be the possibility of more races in 2027, depending on various factors. Lequien emphasized the importance of managing the budget and ensuring stability before considering additional races. He mentioned that if the paddock agrees to include nine more races, they will move forward accordingly.
The current WEC calendar consists of eight races, totaling 72 hours of racing. This is the highest number of races the championship has ever had, matching the counts in 2026 and 2017. However, the events in 2017 had shorter durations compared to the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The contract for the 6 Hours of Imola, which took place in April of this year, has been extended until 2028. The contract signing took place in Le Mans on Friday.
The Circuit of the Americas (COTA) will also host the 6-hour Lone Star Le Mans event in 2025. After being absent from the WEC calendar for several years, COTA returned in 2024. Lequien expressed satisfaction with the collaboration and praised the track layout. He mentioned the importance of covering the United States market as the main reason for renewing the contract for 2025. Lequien did not provide further details about the agreement, stating that it is confidential and avoiding any comments on the future of WEC in the United States.
