Organisers of motor racing’s World Endurance Championship (WEC) are holding talks to shift its calendar so that it becomes a winter series.

The Autosport website said WEC chiefs are debating a new system whereby the series would commence in the European winter, climaxing with the iconic Le Mans 24 Hours race in June. Pierre Fillon, president of Le Mans organiser Automobile Club de l'Ouest, said: “In principle it is something that we would like to do. It is a good idea on paper, but we have to consider all the ramifications and work out how to manage the transition.”

WEC chief executive Gerard Neveu added: “It is one of the things we are talking about, but it is not an easy exercise. On the marketing side it makes sense, because then we can talk about the road to Le Mans.”

Autosport said a new-look WEC would begin in the autumn with what at present is a five-race leg of flyaway races outside Europe, which this year commences with an event at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas on September 20. These races could be spread out into the winter before the series resumes in April with its European rounds.

However, Neveu has discounted the prospect of the WEC expanding from its current eight-race schedule. “We don't want to add at date for the sake of it: we will not add a new race in a small island in the middle of the Pacific just because they want to pay a lot of money,” he said. “It would have to be at a good race track, in a good market and with good interest for the manufacturers.”

source: sportbusiness