With Better Cars and Drivers, the World Endurance Championship Turns a Corner
'I think most people would agree we are in a real golden age of endurance racing right now, which is testament to the success of the discipline's current format and regulations,' Frederic Lequien, chief executive of the W.E.C., said in an interview in June.
The W.E.C. is motorsport's pinnacle sports-car competition, and it features two classes. In the Hypercar division, automotive manufacturers build a prototype car specifically for racing. The slower LMGT3 class usually comprises private teams that must run race-tuned mass-production models.
The Hypercar rules were put into effect in response to dwindling interest from manufacturers, with the predecessor category, LMP1, attracting just seven full-time entries in its final season in 2020, and only Toyota as a recognized manufacturer.
The W.E.C. focused on reducing costs and permitting different technical approaches, allowing either hybrid or nonhybrid power units — though capping total power output — and giving teams freedom to choose rear- or four-wheel drive.
For Hypercar's first season in 2021 there were three manufacturers, and just four years later there are eight. Ferrari, Cadillac, BMW and Porsche are among the high-profile competitors, and there are 18 cars competing full time.
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