Established in 2012 by the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) and Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO), the FIA World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC) represents the international pinnacle of the long-distance discipline, in which races last anything from six hours up to 24.
The popularity of the pioneering series is evidenced by the sheer number of manufacturers involved – a record-equalling 14 in 2026, featuring cutting-edge race cars from Alpine, Aston Martin, BMW, Cadillac, Corvette, Ferrari, Ford, new arrival Genesis, Lexus, McLaren, Mercedes-AMG, Peugeot, Porsche and Toyota. All of them clearly recognise the value of competing in a championship that helps to accelerate advances in technology, performance and safety for their road-going vehicles.
Freedom of design is a key part of the appeal, and with seven different winners from eight races in the headlining Hypercar category and six in the supporting LMGT3 division in 2025, unpredictability comes as standard – offering up an irresistible challenge for competitors and an unmissable experience for fans.
Contested across multiple continents, some of the world’s finest drivers do battle in Qatar, Italy, Belgium, Brazil, the USA, Japan and Bahrain, alongside the series’ flagship event in France in mid-June – the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans, renowned as one of the sport’s very toughest tests. Such a diverse calendar guarantees FIA WEC’s stakeholders and partners intercontinental visibility in key regions around the world.
So buckle up and settle in, because if you’re after action and entertainment from the first lap to the chequered flag, you’ve come to exactly the right place!
The Hypercar class is the top-tier in the FIA World Endurance Championship, pitting cutting-edge, purpose-built racing prototypes piloted by professional drivers against each other in a sensational spectacle of sporting prowess.
The regulations are focused on controlling performance, allowing participants to choose costeffective solutions since significant expenditure does not translate to performance gains – a strategy that ensures a level playing field across the grid.
2 TITLES ARE UP FOR GRABS
Competitors do battle for the FIA Hypercar World Endurance Drivers’ Championship and FIA Hypercar World Endurance Manufacturers’ Championship.
Replacing the long-standing LMGTE regulations, LMGT3 joined the FIA World Endurance Championship package in 2024 and proved to be an immediate success.
Based around the FIA’s global GT3 technical platform, the focus is on private teams and Pro-Am driver lineups, represented by a blend of emerging young talents and gentlemen drivers inside the cockpit. The cars – race-tuned versions of recognisable road-going models – feature a number of FIA WEC-specific adaptations such as digital display panels, and are all equipped with Goodyear tyres.
FIA ENDURANCE TROPHY FOR LMGT3 TEAMS / FIA ENDURANCE TROPHY FOR LMGT3 DRIVERS
While drivers in this category also do battle for the Goodyear Wingfoot Award, recognising the fastest average lap times during the course of their stints behind the wheel in each race – with an overall champion come season’s end.
FREE PRACTICE
Before qualifying, there are practice sessions where teams can test the car, adjust settings, and assess track conditions.
QUALIFYING & HYPERPOLE
For 2025, an enhanced qualifying format will see Hypercar and LMGT3 classes feature two sessions each. Both classes will have a 12-minute qualifying followed by a 10-minute-long Hyperpole for the top 10 qualifiers that will decide the pole position winners.
POLE POSITION
The pole position is the first position on the starting grid of the race. It is awarded to the driver who sets the fastest time during Hyperpole, meaning they start at the front of the race.
According to their race record and achievements, the drivers of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) are categorized by a dedicated committee of the FIA as follows: Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze.
Hypercar: No Bronze drivers admitted
LMGT3: A crew of two or three drivers including at east one Bronze driver, plus another Bronze driver or a Silver driver
PLATINUM DRIVER
A Platinum driver is the highest category in the FIA driver classification, and it includes the most experienced and highest-performing drivers in the motorsport world.
These drivers are often living legends of the sport, with highly successful international careers. They have exceptional experience in high-level races, including competitions like Formula 1, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, or other prestigious endurance events.
GOLD DRIVER
A Gold driver is a very high-level driver. These drivers are often those who have dominated prestigious championships like Formula 1, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, or other major series. They are considered world-class athletes, capable of performing at very high levels, even in the most demanding races.
SILVER DRIVER
A Silver driver has significant experience but are still considered to have areas to improve compared to the world’s best drivers (Gold and Platinum). A Silver driver may have good results in lower-tier series but still lacks consistency or exceptional performance on the global stage. They may also be a young driver starting to climb the ranks in motorsport.
BRONZE DRIVER
A Bronze driver is generally a less experienced driver, often older or who has not yet reached a skill level comparable to that of more experienced drivers. The FIA assigns this category to drivers who do not have impressive results in major international races or lack significant performance statistics in high-level series. Bronze drivers are often considered beginners or amateurs in the professional setting.
Michelin
Michelin has been the technical partner of the FIA WEC since its foundation in 2012. Endurance racing aligns perfectly with the Michelin Group’s ‘all-sustainable’ vision and reflects the values of ‘long-lasting performance’ embodied by the Michelin tires designed every day.
Michelin sees motorsport in general, and endurance racing, as a means to accelerate innovation. The technological relevance of the current regulations has attracted numerous manufacturers. Thus, FIA WEC provides a unique platform to strengthen Michelin’s partnerships with the world’s leading automotive brands and to accelerate the transfer of Michelin’s innovations to road-going vehicles and tires, while the strong growth in the number of fans allows Michelin to showcase those innovations to an ever-growing audience.
Goodyear
In 2024, Goodyear played a pivotal role as the exclusive tyre supplier for the new LMGT3 category, delivering a compound that balanced durability and performance. The debut season saw five different LMGT3 winners and a historic first appearance at Le Mans, where some drivers completed five stints on a single tyre. Goodyear also became the first WEC tyre supplier to earn the FIA’s top 3-star environmental accreditation. At Le Mans, 39 of 62 starters raced on Goodyear tyres, including all 16 LMP2 entries. Manthey PureRxcing claimed the first LMGT3 title with drivers Klaus Bachler, Alex Malykhin, and Joel Sturm.
Goodyear will support nine LMGT3 manufacturers in 2025, including Mercedes-AMG joining the grid. LMP2 returns to the WEC at Le Mans, and a new ‘Compound C’ slick tyre debuts, offering greater durability. The season kicks off in Sao Paulo, followed by COTA and the Bahrain finale, with proven 2024 compounds used elsewhere. Goodyear continues to ensure performance balance across car layouts, while road tyre development benefits from racing innovation.
In 2022, the FIA WEC adopted a new fuel (Excellium Racing 100) which is now in its fourth year of competition. This 100% renewable fuel produced by TotalEnergies will be produced on bioethanol basis made from wine residues from the French agricultural industry, and from ETBE produced at TotalEnergies' Feyzin refinery near Lyon (France) from feedstock also sourced from the circular economy. This will allow for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions savings of at least 65% compared with traditional fossil fuels.
6-Hour Race
1st: 25 points
2nd: 18 points
3rd: 15 points
4th: 12 points
5th: 10 points
6th: 8 points
7th: 6 points
8th: 4 points
9th: 2 points
10th: 1 point
8-Hour or 10-Hour Race (or 1812 km)
1st: 38 points
2nd: 27 points
3rd: 23 points
4th: 18 points
5th: 15 points
6th: 12 points
7th: 9 points
8th: 6 points
9th: 3 points
10th: 2 points
24 Hours of Le Mans
1st: 50 points
2nd: 36 points
3rd: 30 points
4th: 24 points
5th: 20 points
6th: 16 points
7th: 12 points
8th: 8 points
9th: 4 points
10th: 2 points
An additional point will be awarded, at each Competition, to the "pole position" team in each category (best time achieved by the car in each category during qualifying, and the 24 Hours of Le Mans Hyperpole, with the exception of additional cars) , as well as to all the drivers making up the crew of the car concerned.
