WEC Changes: New Requirement of Two Cars per Manufacturer in the Hypercar Class

The World Endurance Championship is set to implement a rule that will require manufacturers to compete with at least two cars in the Hypercar class starting from the next season. This measure, part of a plan to expand the WEC grid to a minimum of 40 cars by 2025, would eliminate the possibility for a factory team to compete with a single car, a practice that has been employed by teams like Cadillac Racing, Iron Lynx Lamborghini, and the Heart of Racing Aston Martin team in previous and current seasons.

The new regulation would maintain the prohibition for Hypercar manufacturers to run more than two factory cars, with the exception of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, where a higher number of participants is allowed, although they do not score points for manufacturers or drivers.

This initiative aims to partially align the Hypercar class with the new LMGT3 category, which since its introduction in 2024 requires each manufacturer to be represented by a two-car team. So far, the WEC promoter and co-organizer, the Automobile Club de l'Ouest, has chosen not to comment on this new regulation, which seems poised to be implemented for the next season.

The news comes after Chip Ganassi Racing announced that their factory program with Cadillac V-Series.R LMDh in the WEC and IMSA SportsCar Championship will come to an end after 2024. It is known that General Motors' negotiations for the replacement of these programs are focused on a two-car operation.

In addition to manufacturers, independent teams like Iron Lynx and Aston Martin have expressed their plans to increase their presence with two cars in the Hypercar category for the coming seasons. This could have implications for private teams, which could see their grid spaces reduced.