2017 FIA WEC calendar announced

While the current season of the FIA World Endurance Championship hás three races to go, the next calendar was already announced this Friday (23), without a single surprise and only a change in the pré-season test venue.

As it will occur with the European Le Mans Series, the FIA WEC Prologue will also move to from Paul Ricard to Monza, a move that was on the cards some years ago but will be executed only in 2017. Audi Sport Team Joest is famous for their pre-season exploits with their R18 e-tron Quattros at the Italian circuit, normally without the first chicane, which gives to the spectators on site a nice collection of flyby scenes, but also other teams tend to make private or collective unofficial tests there.

The season still starts in the middle of April, sharing the Silverstone circuit with ELMS, then going to Spa-Francorchamps in the begin of May, this being the 6 hour race and also the first true test of what the teams will send to the 24 Hours of Le Mans in the middle of June. After a month to let the teams at Le Mans reorganize themselves, the action comes back at Nürburgring, ending the European part and moving to North America, first stopping in Mexico in early September and then at Austin and the Circuit of the Americas two weeks later. Moving to Asia for the final third of the season, Fuji opens the activities as the single round of October, while Shanghai and the season finale in Bahrain occur in November. Outside Le Mans, all the races of the FIA WEC calendar keep the trademark 6 hour race format, and the calendar still needs the confirmation of the World Motor Sport Council. 

2017 FIA WEC calendar

March 24^th-25^th – WEC Prologue at Monza

April 16^th – Silverstone

May 6^th – Spa-Francorchamps

June 17^th-18^th – 85^th 24 Hours of Le Mans

July 16^th – Nürburgring

September 3^rd – Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, Mexico

September 16^th - Circuit of the Americas, Austin

October 15^th – Fuji

November 5^th – Shanghai

November 18^th – Sakhir, Bahrain

PHOTO: FIA WEC