WEC Welcomes Back Silverstone
Silverstone Returns to FIA World Endurance Championship in 2027 as Calendar Expands
Anonymous
Key Points
1
Silverstone’s WEC-era roots go back further than its 2012-2019 stint: the venue began in the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup as the “1000km of Silverstone” (2010), the event was rebranded to the “6 Hours of Silverstone” in 2011, and ILMC became WEC in 2012. Article 2 also notes the track’s win record in WEC—Audi leads on three wins (2012, 2013, 2015) and Toyota is tied on three (2014, 2017, 2019).
2
At the ACO press conference, ACO president Pierre Fillon pointed to the current Le Mans week’s momentum, saying the sport is gaining popularity “as evidenced by the unprecedented on-site audience here this weekend, with ticket sales at an all-time high.”
3
Silverstone CEO Stuart Pringle framed the return as both a sporting and institutional milestone, saying: “The BRDC’s oldest friends are the ACO. During this contract that relationship will be 100 years old.”
4
The 2027 Qatar opener is specified more precisely as the championship kicking off on “27 March,” and Article 3 links the timing to the fact that this year’s Losail 1812km was “pushed back to later in the season due to the geopolitical situation in the Middle East.”
5
Organizers also flagged likely coordination issues with IMSA: the Le Mans Test Day is “set to be held the day after the Detroit Grand Prix,” and the “6 Hours of São Paulo” clashes again with IMSA’s race at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (formerly Mosport).
Silverstone will return to the FIA World Endurance Championship in 2027 for the first time since 2019, the ACO and FIA confirmed on Thursday. The six-hour race is set for April 25 as Round 3 of a new nine-event calendar — the championship's biggest since 2017. RACER reported the announcement came during the Le Mans 24 Hours press conference, where ACO president Pierre Fillon pointed to record ticket sales as proof the sport is booming.
The 2027 season opens in Qatar on March 27, swings through Europe — including Imola, Silverstone, and Spa — then travels to South America, North America, and Asia before closing with the eight-hour Bahrain finale on November 6. Bahrain's deal has also been extended through 2036, Crash.net reported.
Silverstone's Long Road Back to WEC
Silverstone's relationship with endurance racing goes back to 2010, when the venue hosted the "1000km of Silverstone" in the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup. The event was rebranded the "6 Hours of Silverstone" in 2011. When the ILMC became the WEC in 2012, Silverstone came along as a founding fixture. It stayed on the calendar through 2019, when Toyota took the final win, before dropping off after commercial negotiations stalled. Motorsport Week noted the circuit returned to endurance racing through the European Le Mans Series before securing this full WEC comeback.
Audi and Toyota share the all-time WEC win record at the circuit, with three victories each. Audi won in 2012, 2013, and 2015. Toyota claimed 2014, 2017, and 2019. The 2027 race will run on the 5.89km Grand Prix layout. Silverstone confirmed the race takes the third spot on the calendar, sitting between Imola and Spa-Francorchamps ahead of the 24 Hours of Le Mans on June 12–13.
A Century of Friendship Between BRDC and ACO
Silverstone CEO Stuart Pringle framed the return as more than a race contract. "The BRDC's oldest friends are the ACO," Pringle said. "During this contract that relationship will be 100 years old." The British Racing Drivers' Club and the ACO have ties stretching back to the earliest days of motorsport. The deal brings one of motorsport's most storied relationships full circle.
ACO president Pierre Fillon tied the announcement to the sport's current momentum. "The sport is gaining popularity as evidenced by the unprecedented on-site audience here this weekend, with ticket sales at an all-time high," Fillon said at the press conference. WEC CEO Frédéric Lequien described the nine-round expansion as a direct response to rising interest from manufacturers, broadcasters, and fans, according to RACER.
Nine Rounds Bring New Scheduling Headaches
The bigger calendar creates real friction with North America's IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. The Le Mans Test Day falls the day after the Detroit Grand Prix. Drivers racing in both events face an almost impossible travel window. The 6 Hours of São Paulo also clashes again with the IMSA race at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, forcing manufacturers like Porsche and Cadillac to split their factory driver rosters, Crash.net noted.
The Qatar opener was moved to March 27 after the 2026 Losail race was pushed back due to geopolitical tension in the Middle East. With UK-based teams making up roughly 70% of the WEC paddock — clustered in England's "Motorsport Valley" — the Silverstone date on April 25 acts as a de facto home round for much of the grid. Motorsport Week described the expansion as both a commercial win and a logistical puzzle the series will need to solve.
Bahrain Locked In Through 2036 as Middle East Anchor
While Europe gets its UK race back, the Middle East's grip on the calendar is tightening. Bahrain International Circuit has signed a contract extension running through 2036, keeping the season finale in the Gulf for at least another decade. The eight-hour format at Bahrain will close out 2027 on November 6. Silverstone noted the ACO framed Bahrain as a long-term commercial anchor for the series, complementing Le Mans as the "beating heart" of endurance racing.
The 2027 field is expected to feature around 14 manufacturers across the Hypercar and LMGT3 classes. Brands like Ford and McLaren are set to join the Hypercar ranks by that season, making a high-profile UK race commercially attractive for both. The full 2027 nine-round calendar — from Losail to Bahrain — represents the most ambitious WEC schedule in a decade, according to Head Topics.
Sentiment
Mostly NegativeNEGATIVENEUTRALPOSITIVE
Publishers
11
Articles
9
Reach
20
A
AnonymousAuthor
