2020/2021 WEC Season: the calendar revealed
The general manager of the WEC, Gérard Neveu, has released the schedule for the 2020/2021 season. Shanghai disappears while Monza and Kyalami are added.
Present at Kyalami for the Intercontinental GT Challenge finale at the beginning of the month, Gérard Neveu had been impressed by the South African circuit. The general manager highlighted the enthusiasm of the fans and the excellent organization of the race. Speculation quickly arose about its inclusion in the World Endurance Championship. The circuit was even considered as a replacement for the canceled Sao Paulo round in February 2020.
If Kyalami won’t be seen this winter, the circuit has indeed been integrated into the 2020/2021 WEC calendar, unveiled today. It will be the first season of the new Le Mans Hypercar category.
A new addition in Kyalami? For the WEC and younger audiences, yes. But the highly appreciated South African circuit remains in the memories of the older generations. It was indeed part of the World Sports Car Championship (WSC) in 1983 and 1984, during the era of Group C and the legendary Porsche 956 and Lancia LC2, each having won an edition.
Another legend returns: the Monza circuit. The Temple of Speed experienced the golden years of the World Sportscar Championship, until the series ended in 1993. The last edition saw the victory of the Toyota TS010 driven by Geoff Lees and Itochi Ogawa. The only success for the Japanese brand in the history of the WSC.
If Kyalami logically replaces Sao Paulo, the appearance of Monza is more surprising as it is at the expense of Shanghai, a circuit that has always been on the WEC program since its creation in 2012. Note that there will no longer be four-hour races, which have been heavily criticized by fans and some drivers for being too short.
“When you have a list that includes Silverstone, Monza, Fuji, Bahrain, Kyalami, Sebring, Spa and, of course, Le Mans, you are at the heart of endurance racing history and heritage, its present and its future,” said Gérard Neveu. “The schedule is also very good for our roadmap as it provides our teams with the most efficient package possible. We hope it will make our competitors and fans very happy.”
