Everything about the first WEC race (and the new Le Mans Hypercars)

The WEC season is about to start. The first WEC race of 2023 takes place this weekend at Sebring International Raceway in the United States. During the 1,000 miles of Sebring, teams will have to complete 267 laps to reach the finish line. In this overview we prepare you for the start of the season in endurance racing.

When is the first WEC race?

The start of the first WEC race is on Friday 17th March. From March 15, teams and drivers will practice in two free practice sessions on Wednesday and one on Thursday, March 16. Qualifying will take place later on the latter day at 23:30 Dutch time. The race will start one day after 5:00 pm our time.

Where can I watch the first WEC race?

Normally, long-distance races in the Netherlands are broadcasted by RTL 7 and Eurosport 1. In Belgium you should listen to Sport 10. You can also take a subscription with WEC. You pay 6.99 euros per race (except for the 24 Hours of Le Mans, which costs 12.99 euros) or you can get a season ticket for 39.99 euros.

Racing classes in the 2023 WEC season

Classes have been simplified for this season. LMP1 is out the door and now there is only one GTE class left. There are a total of 38 cars with three drivers per car. Famous names such as Romain Dumas, Jacques Villeneuve and Kamui Kobayashi will be there. The Dutch Robin Frijns, Bent Viscaal and Nicky Catsburg are also participating again.

Hypercars

So the LMP1 class no longer exists. Instead, the LMDh and LMH classes are combined. In addition, the rules have been made simpler and looser. Therefore, the biggest brands want to participate in the top class – brands like Ferrari, Peugeot and Porsche. Another result is that cars have different designs. The rules state that cars can have 681 horse power. You can identify high class cars by the red panels on the sides. Watch the video at the bottom of the page to see the different Hypercars in action.

LMP2

Just say the little brother of Hypercars. The FIA stipulates that the sales price of a complete car without engine and electricity can exceed 483,000 euros. The engine is a 4.2-liter V8 that can produce no more than 568 horses, without injection. Cars in the LMP2 class can be identified by blue panels on the side.

LMGTE Am

These are race cars that are derived from street cars. In this class, every team must have an amateur racer in the squad. These racers are equipped with aero engines with a maximum displacement of 5.5 liters. When using a turbo or supercharger, the maximum displacement is 4.0 liters. If you can’t already identify these cars; they wear orange panels.

The team from the first race of the WEC

Not all teams participate in every race. That’s why we now stick with the participants of the 1,000 miles of Sebring. Click here for all drivers for each team. There are also a number of manufacturers who take two cars to Sebring. We have designated this as ‘(x2)’.