After a successful first year for the ILMC (The Intercontinental Le Mans Cup) the series is to be renamed the WEC (FIA World Endurance Championship) with the FIA partnering the ACO and giving the Series World Championship Status.
The World Endurance Championship will follow much of the format of the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup and feature seven endurance races across the world, including the 24 Hours of Le Mans, with all races being at least six hours in duration. The calendar will include two races each in Europe, North America, and Asia, with a possible future expansion to eight or nine races. The four current categories utilized in ACO events will continue to be used in the World Endurance Championship through 2013: LMP1 and LMP2 prototypes and the GTE category, divided into GTE Pro for teams with professional driver line-ups, and GTE Am for teams featuring a mixture of amateur drivers.
Six titles will be awarded each season based on total point tally, with two being deemed world championships: Manufacturers’ World Endurance Champion and Drivers’ World Champion. The GTE Pro class champion will be awarded a World Cup, while the leaders in LMP2 and GTE Am will be awarded a Trophy. The final Trophy will be awarded to the best privateer team amongst all four classes. The points system will be similar to that that used in the FIA’s other world championships, awarding points to the top ten finishers on a sliding point margin scale from first to tenth. Cars finishing the race but classified eleventh or further will be awarded a half point. Double points will be awarded for the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
2012 Calendar
17th March 2012: Sebring 12 Hours (USA)
5th May 2012: Spa-Francorchamps 6 Hours (B)
3rd June 2012: Le Mans 24-Hours test day (F)
16th/17th June 2012: 80th Le Mans 24 Hours (F)
25th August 2012: Silverstone 6 Hours (GB)
16th September 2012: Sao Paulo 6 Hours (BR) tbc
30th September 2012: Mount Fuji 6 Hours (J)
20th October 2012: Bahrain 6 Hours (BAH)
11th November 2012: 6 Hours of TBA (CH)
