The World Endurance Championship (WEC) has delayed its planned grid expansion until 2025.
Confirmed:
- WEC had intended to grow its grid to 40 cars for 2024
- Instead, 37 cars will be maintained as the limit for next season
Context:
The International Automobile Federation (FIA) and the Automobile Club of the West (ACO) reportedly arrived at this decision as two of the new circuits on the calendar next season – Imola and Austin – do not have the adequate pit boxes available to cater for more than 37 cars.
Comment:
WEC president Frédéric Lequien told Autosport that 37 cars is “the right number”, but that “the goal is to increase the grid in 2025”. Pierre Fillon, president of the Automobile Club of the West (ACO), added that expanding the grid is “too complicated for the refuelling of the cars”.
Coming next:
When the 2024 WEC season gets underway in Qatar for the first time, it will do so without the longstanding LMP2 class. Dropping the category will ease the strain on WEC with Lamborghini, BMW and Alpine all set to join the top class of the endurance series next season, especially now that the planned grid expansion has been delayed.