FIA WEC: new 2020 dates and return to summer season

Text & Images: Rick Kiewiet

The FIA has announced a new schedule to finish the 2019-2020 Season 8 of the World Endurance Championship, and to start the new season. The changes following the COVID-19 crisis result in a return to a summer season, running from the beginning to the end of the year.

After setting the new date for the 24 hours of Le Mans (19-20 Sept), the first thing that had to be done was to agree on a new date for the Total 6hrs of Spa. The race will now be held from 13 to 15 August, in the run up to the 24 hours of Le Mans. Le Mans will not be the Season 8 final this season. To ensure an 8 race championship this season, the cancelled 2020 1000 miles of Sebring is replaced by another 8 hour race in Bahrain, at the 21st of November.

Following this addition of the race in Bahrain to Season 8, it only seems logical that Season 9 will not start before March 2020. This means the pre-season test at Silverstone, the 6hrs of Silverstone itself and the 6 hour races of Monza and Fuji will all be postponed. There is no calendar of the 2021 season available yet, but it is clear that the championship will return to a 'summer season'. Where the 2018-2019 Super season meant a change to a winter season, starting in August of September and finishing with the 24 hours in Le Mans in June, Season 9 will start in March/April and probably run until November/December.