Austin, Interlagos on course to rejoin WEC calendar in 2024

Austin, which last hosted the WEC in 2020, looks to be favourite to take the all-important North American slot on the schedule in place of Sebring.

Interlagos, which was on the calendar in 2012 to ’14, appears set to effectively replace Portimao when the series calendar goes back to its traditional eight races.

WEC boss Frederic Lequien refused to confirm any new or returning races for next year ahead of a likely publication of the calendar at the Le Mans 24 Hours in June.

“We are currently negotiating and discussing with some countries and different tracks all over the world,” he said.

He described talk of Austin and Interlagos returning to the series as “only rumours”.

But he did confirm that the new-for-2024 season-opener at Qatar would be in early March.

That would almost certainly preclude a return to Sebring on the bill of the 12-hour round of the IMSA SportsCar Championship, which traditionally takes place in mid-March.

The contract for the WEC to join the 12 Hours on what was known as the SuperSebring weekend came to an end after last month’s 2023 season-opener.

2014 World Endurance Championship, Interlagos, Brazil. 28th - 30th November 2014. Race start - Timo Bernhard / Mark Webber / Brendon Hartley Porsche AG Porsche 919 Hybrid leads. World Copyright: Ebrey / LAT Photographic.

Photo by: Ebrey / Motorsport Images

Pierre Fillon, president of series promoter the Automobile Club de l’Ouest, stated in January that the WEC was re-evaluating its future in the USA for next year.

Where Austin and Interlagos would fit into the schedule isn’t clear, although a summer date for the US venue at the start of the non-European leg of the series incorporating Fuji and Bahrain has been mooted.

Lequien revealed that the series has been inundated with proposals to host races.

“If I said yes to everybody we would have 12 to 14 rounds,” he said.

Lequien confirmed that Silverstone, which hosted a WEC round between 2012 and ’19, was one of the circuits with which there have been discussions.

The British venue is understood to have proposed a May date for its return to the series.

Lequien insisted there is no intent for the series to expand beyond eight or nine races, though he has previously stated that 10 would be the maximum.

The series slimmed down to six races during the COVID pandemic in 2021.

This year’s seven-race schedule was billed as part of staged return to eight races in 2024.