While the FIA World Endurance Championship is right in the middle of its transitional season, things start to clearer for the 2019/2020 season, the second after the switch to a winter calendar, with changes in venues as well in some race formats.
The changes were proposed after consultation via a fan survey, with three races departing from the traditional 6-hour format, but balance was needed for it to work, so putting extra length in a place meant reduction in others. The upcoming season also marks the return of the 6 Hours of São Paulo to the calendar, and the Interlagos race is joined by Spa-Francorchamps and Fuji as the only ones to retain the common format.
Silverstone is the home of the beginnings again, but will see its race reduced to four hours, to be held on September 1st. Then starts the Asian trip with the 6 Hours of Fuji on October 13th, followed by the also revised 4 Hours of Shanghai on November 17th. The length increase goes for the returning Bahrain race as it goes from six to eight hours, ending the year on December 14th.
After a break of a month and a half, 2020 starts with the 6 Hours of São Paulo in the middle of the really hot Brazilian summer, and then the action moves to the 1000 Miles of Sebring, which is confirmed to March but has no confirmed date.
Back to Europe we have the final two races, which are also the most traditional ones too, as the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps will be held on May 3rd, followed by the season finale at the 24 Hours of Le Mans on June 13th and 14th.
Spa sees its importance in the championship raise with the calendar switch, as most of the classes will probably have open title fights at this point, so alongside being a test race for Le Mans, Spa may be a championship decided for all trophies in place, and Le Mans becomes even more important, as winning the race may come along with winning the championship, which is one of the reasons that ignited the proposal of a switch to a winter championship.
The calendar awaits confirmation of the FIA World Motor Sport Council, which will have a meeting on October 12th, as Paris will be the host of the meeting.
2019/2020 FIA WEC provisional calendar
4 Hours of Silverstone - September 1st 2019
6 Hours of Fuji - October 13th 2019
4 Hours of Shanghai - November 17th 2019
8 Hours of Bahrain - December 14th 2019
6 Hours of São Paulo - February 1st 2020
1000 Miles of Sebring - TBA March 2020
6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps - May 3rd 2020
88th 24 Hours of Le Mans - June 13th/14th 2020
IMAGE: FIA WEC
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