Since its launch in 2012, the FIA World Endurance Championship has visited all kinds of tracks all over the world, racing throughout Europe, Asia and the Americas. Some occasions like Spa have change into everlasting fixtures on the calendar, whereas others disappeared shortly with out leaving a mark.
At its peak, the WEC hosted as many as 10 rounds in a season earlier than shrinking to simply six through the COVID-19 pandemic.
In the previous couple of years, the schedule stabilised to eight races, however the return of Silverstone in 2027 will develop the calendar again to 9 occasions.
Here’s a record of all of the tracks which have hosted the WEC:
Monitor
Years
Le Mans (La Sarthe)
2012-present
Spa-Francorchamps
2012-present
Fuji
2012-19, 2022-present
Bahrain
2012-17, 2019-2025 (two races in ‘21, returning in 2027)
Sebring
2012, 2019, 2022-23
Austin
2013-17, 2020, 2024-present
Silverstone
2012-19 (returning in 2027)
Shanghai
2012-19
Imola
2024-present
Sao Paulo
2012-14, 2024-present
Monza
2021-23, 2026
Nurburgring
2015-17
Mexico
2016-17
Portimao
2021, 2023
Qatar
2024-25 (returning in 2027)
Barcelona
2026
Le Mans
Monitor motion
Photograph by: Marc Fleury
The WEC has been constructed across the Le Mans 24 Hours and the French endurance traditional stays greater than the championship itself even after 14 seasons.
Unsurprisingly, Le Mans has featured in each single WEC marketing campaign. Even through the pandemic in 2020, the FIA and the ACO had been capable of stage a race on the Circuit de la Sarthe, albeit behind closed doorways.
Le Mans additionally serves because the centrepiece of every season, with the opening rounds successfully constructing in direction of the largest occasion in endurance racing. The one exception got here in 2018/19, when the WEC additionally adopted a novel ‘superseason’ format encompassing two editions of Le Mans, with La Sarthe additionally internet hosting the title-deciding spherical.
Spa-Francorchamps
#10 Storage 59 McLaren 720s GT3 EVO: Antares Au, Thomas Fleming, Marvin Kirchhofer
Photograph by: James Moy Pictures by way of Getty Pictures
Aside from La Sarthe, Spa-Francorchamps is the one observe that has been ever-present within the WEC because the sequence’ inception in 2012. Already a longtime venue through the World Sportscar Championship period, the Belgian circuit was an apparent selection when the FIA and ACO launched the brand new sequence in 2012.
Spa has additionally persistently attracted the biggest crowd of any WEC spherical outdoors of Le Mans, whereas its sweeping 7.0km format has produced a few of the championship’s most fun races.
Often held in Could, the Spa 6 Hours naturally serves because the curtain-raiser for Le Mans.
Fuji Speedway
Begin motion
Photograph by: James Moy Pictures by way of Getty Pictures
Whereas Suzuka is Japan’s religious dwelling of Formulation 1, Fuji has lengthy been synonymous with sportscar racing. What was initially the Fuji 1000km was changed into a six-hour contest when the WEC was launched in 2012.
Aside from the COVID-affected years, Fuji has been an annual fixture on the WEC calendar, turning into an necessary hub for the championship in Asia. Toyota’s presence in LMP1/Hypercar additionally makes the Fuji weekend an necessary cease on the calendar.
Unsurprisingly, Toyota is essentially the most profitable producer at a observe it owns, though the final two WEC races in Japan had been gained by Porsche and Alpine respectively.
Bahrain
#5 Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963: Julien Andlauer, Mathieu Jaminet, Laurin Heinrich
Photograph by: AG Photograph – Daniele Paglino
All main championships have established a foothold within the Center East, and the WEC isn’t any completely different. Initially run over six hours like different common WEC rounds, the occasion was prolonged to eight hours in 2019, with extra factors consequently being awarded to the winner.
Lately, Bahrain has change into the venue for the season finale, with the bonus-points system holding extra groups within the title struggle come the ultimate spherical.
Save for 2018, Bahrain has hosted a WEC spherical each single yr. Actually, throughout 2021, Bahrain hosted back-to-back occasions in response to the pandemic: a six-hour fixture adopted by an eight-hour race.
Nevertheless, the race was faraway from the 2026 calendar as a result of battle within the area. It is because of return in 2027, topic to the prevailing state of affairs in Iran.
Sebring
#48 Hertz Group Jota Oreca 07 – Gibson: David Beckmann, Yifei Ye, William Stevens
Photograph by: JEP / Motorsport Pictures
The primary-ever WEC race befell at Sebring, as a part of a mixed 12-hour occasion held along side what was then the American Le Mans Sequence. When Sebring returned in 2019, the WEC as an alternative staged a standalone 1000-mile race on Friday earlier than IMSA’s 12 Hours took centre stage the next day.
The joint WEC/IMSA weekends proved massively fashionable, introducing the WEC to IMSA’s extra established fanbase in Florida. Sebring additionally served because the season opener in 2022 and ‘23, serving to set the tone for the remainder of the yr.
Nevertheless, after internet hosting a complete of 4 WEC rounds within the span of over a decade, Sebring was struck from the calendar in 2024.
Austin
#21 Vista AF Corse Ferrari 296 LMGT3: Francois Heriau, Simon Mann, Alessio Rovera
Photograph by: James Moy Pictures by way of Getty Pictures
For essentially the most half, Austin has been the WEC’s major dwelling within the US. The championship first visited the Circuit of the Americas in 2013, and the Lone Star Le Mans remained an annual fixture till 2017. The race was revived in February 2020, earlier than being dropped once more within the wake of the pandemic.
However Austin now seems to have its future safe, having changed Sebring on the calendar in 2024 and re-established its presence since then.
Porsche has been essentially the most profitable producer at Austin throughout the LMP1 and Hypercar eras, whereas Cadillac has but to attain a podium on dwelling turf.
Silverstone
#7 TOYOTA GAZOO RACING – Toyota TS050 – Hybrid: Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi, Jose Maria Lopez Race
Photograph by: Paul Foster
Silverstone was a cornerstone of the WEC calendar between 2012 and 2019. At one stage, the British venue hosted each the European Le Mans Sequence and the WEC on the identical weekend, underlining its significance to endurance racing. It appeared that Silverstone, which has an extended historical past of internet hosting world championship-level sportscar racing, can be an indefinite a part of the WEC.
With its wealthy sportscar heritage courting again to the World Sportscar Championship period, Silverstone appeared destined to stay a everlasting fixture. Nevertheless, the COVID pandemic disrupted the calendar, forcing WEC to scale back the variety of races and revert to the annual calendar format.
Rumours of Silverstone returning continued to flow into for a few years, earlier than the WEC lastly introduced that the championship will likely be heading again to the UK in 2027.
Shanghai
#38 JOTA Oreca 07: Roberto Gonzalez, Antonio Felix da Costa, Anthony Davidson
Photograph by: JEP / Motorsport Pictures
Shanghai was one other race that had been a part of the WEC since its rebirth, because the sequence centered on the Chinese language market from the get-go.
The primary seven races in China’s monetary hub all ran to 6 hours, earlier than the ultimate 2019 occasion was shortened to 4 hours.
Shanghai fell off the WEC calendar similtaneously Silverstone, however its departure had nothing to do with the pandemic. Actually, the circuit was already dropped from the calendar for what was presupposed to be the 2020/21 season.
Though Formulation 1 and Formulation E have each returned to China, a WEC comeback seems unlikely within the quick time period.
Imola
#51 Ferrari AF Corse Ferrari 499P: Alessandro Pier Guidi, James Calado, Antonio Giovinazzi
Photograph by: FIA WEC / DPPI
Imola took over because the host of the WEC’s Italian spherical in 2024, as Monza was unable to host a race in April that yr whereas renovation work was carried out. Whereas this was presupposed to be a one-off association, Imola has now change into a everlasting fixture on the calendar.
Toyota gained at Imola in each 2024 and ‘26, however Ferrari scored a house win final yr en path to successful the producers’ championship.
This yr, Imola ended up internet hosting the opening spherical of the season, because the Qatar spherical initially scheduled for March needed to be pushed again till later within the yr and finally cancelled as a result of Iran struggle.
Sao Paulo
#69 Group WRT BMW M4 LMGT3 EVO: Anthony McIntosh, Parker Thompson, Daniel Harper
Photograph by: JEP
Sao Paulo was one in all eight tracks that had been part of the inaugural WEC season in 2012. Having a race in South America additionally helped set up the sequence’ place as a burgeoning world championship.
The Interlagos observe remained part of the WEC till 2014, earlier than it was struck off the calendar. A number of makes an attempt had been made to revive the Brazilian occasion, however it was solely in 2024 that it rejoined the WEC because the sequence expanded to eight rounds once more.
The present contract with Sao Paulo runs by 2028, guaranteeing Brazil a spot on the calendar for 2 extra seasons.
Monza
#2 Cadillac Racing Cadillac V-Sequence.R: Earl Bamber, Alex Lynn, Richard Westbrook
Photograph by: JEP / Motorsport Pictures
The WEC made its first go to to Italy in 2021, even because the season was minimize quick to 6 races to scale back prices within the wake of the pandemic. Monza was an apparent selection for the WEC, having loved a wealthy historical past in sportscar racing. Additional, the race’s reputation was boosted by Ferrari, which was competing within the GTE courses at the moment and had already introduced its plans to enter Hypercar as a manufacturing facility entrant in 2023.
WEC visited Monza for 3 consecutive years between 2021 and ‘23, with Toyota and Alpine sharing the general wins. Ferrari needed to accept a second place on dwelling turf within the 2023 version of the occasion because the 499P made its dwelling debut.
Monza returns to the WEC calendar this November, changing Bahrain because the season finale. This additionally means the championship will conclude in Europe for the primary time because the 2018/19 season.
Nurburgring
Begin: #7 Toyota Gazoo Racing Toyota TS050 Hybrid: Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi, Jose Maria Lopez leads
Photograph by: JEP / Motorsport Pictures
Given Porsche’s presence and sportscar historical past, it was solely pure for WEC so as to add a race in Germany. And whereas the Hockenheimring can also be recognized for its sportscar pedigree, Nurburgring was finally chosen because the venue for the WEC’s German spherical in 2015, reviving what was beforehand an necessary fixture within the World Championship of Makes.
The race additionally helped fill an necessary hole within the WEC’s post-Le Mans schedule, slotting in late August.
Nevertheless, Nurburgring was dropped from the schedule after simply three years, coinciding with Porsche’s exit from LMP1.
Mexico Metropolis
#7 Audi Sport Group Joest Audi R18: Marcel Fässler, Andre Lotterer
Photograph by: James Holland
The WEC’s first foray into Mexico got here in 2016, bringing world championship-level sportscar racing again to Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez for the primary time since 1991.
Nevertheless, the occasion turned out to be short-lived and was dropped after simply two years.
Porsche gained each editions with its dominant 919 Hybrid, defeating Audi and Toyota on the high-altitude circuit.
Portimao
#708 Glickenhaus Racing Glickenhaus 007: Romain Dumas, Ryan Briscoe, Olivier Pla
Photograph by: JEP / Motorsport Pictures
Portimao was the massive beneficiary of the pandemic. Across the identical time it started internet hosting F1 races, the Portuguese venue additionally joined the WEC calendar.
The 2021 Portimao occasion befell in mid-June – a date often reserved for Le Mans – after the La Sarthe occasion needed to be postponed to August. The race additionally ran for eight hours versus the same old six.
After a yr’s absence, Portugal returned on the WEC map in 2023, internet hosting the second spherical of the season, this time reverting to the usual six-hour format.
Lusail
#51 Ferrari AF Corse Ferrari 499P: Alessandro Pier Guidi, James Calado, Antonio Giovinazzi
Photograph by: JEP / Motorsport Pictures
The WEC added a second race within the Gulf in 2024, with Qatar becoming a member of because the season opener. The race was set to a distance of 1812km, in honour of Qatar’s Nationwide Day, however was subjected to a most period of 10 hours.
Porsche triumphed within the first-ever WEC race at Lusail, earlier than Ferrari swept the rostrum positions in 2025. Qatar was once more as a result of open the 2026 marketing campaign, earlier than the struggle within the Center East compelled the occasion to be postponed and finally cancelled.
Qatar is already scheduled to make a return in 2027, assuming the prevailing state of affairs improves within the area.
New addition: Barcelona
The WEC will head to Spain for the primary time in historical past, with Barcelona changing the cancelled Qatar occasion. A six-hour race is scheduled for 18 October, per week earlier than the postponed Qatar 1812km fixture was as a result of happen.
Though Barcelona has by no means hosted a championship race, some groups are already aware of the circuit, having accomplished the WEC Prologue there forward of the 2019-20 season.
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