The World Endurance race championship compete by a variety of sports cars
In the 2025 season, Le Mans (France), Fuji (Japan) and six other races will be contested in eight countries

The FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) is a world endurance racing championship series. Ever since it was launched in 2012, it has consisted of races contested in a format where prototype cars and GT cars run together. The year 2025 marks the 13th season of WEC, and once again it will be competed by cars of the Hypercar class and the LMGT3 class.

Competing in the Hypercar class for the overall title are a total of eight manufacturers, including TOYOTA GAZOO Racing as well as Porsche, Ferrari, BMW, Cadillac, and others, making for a total of 18 cars, while nine makers of GT cars are entered in the LMGT3 class, including Lexus, Mercedes, Porsche, Ferrari, Ford, Astin Martin and others, making for a total of 18 cars competing this season. The championship series will consist of eight rounds, starting with the opening round in Qatar, followed by round at Imola, SPA-Francorchamps, then the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and then to the South and North America with races in Brazil and COTA (Texas, U.S.A), after which will be the rounds at Fuji and finally the final round in Bahrain.

The Championship and its Titles

The regulations state that each race must be at least six hours long, and the longest race of the season is the 24-hour race at Le Mans. The WEC series will be contested in two classes, the Hypercar class and the LMGT3 class, and the Hypercar class that TOYOTA GAZOO Racing competes in, has three titles, while the LMGT3 class has two Cups. And as shown below, the number of championship points awarded will be different depending on the length of each race.
The manufacturers (carmakers) competing in the FIA Hypercar World Endurance Championship are required to enter two cars. The Competition Rules stipulate that manufacturers entering more than two cars must compete in the FIA World Cup Hypercar Team Division. The maximum number of cars that a team can enter is decided by the WEC Selection Committee.

Note that the Sporting Regulations for the World Endurance Championship include one clause specifying that: “Due to its unique character, the 24 Hours of Le Mans is supervised under special regulations provided by the organizers.” This special clause takes precedence over the other regulations of stated in the WEC Sporting Regulations.

FIA Hypercar World Endurance Drivers Championship
FIA Hypercar World Endurance Manufacturers’ Championship
FIA World Cup Hypercar Team Division
FIA Endurance Trophy LMGT3 Drivers Division
FIA Endurance Trophy LMGT3 Team Division

Drivers

A maximum of three drivers per car is allowed in each class. According to the FIA Driver Classification Regulations, drivers are classified into four categories based on their performance: Platinum, Gold, Silver, and Bronze, and the possible line-ups of a team’s drivers from these ranks are designated for each class.

Qualifying

For the classes other than Round 4, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, there will now be a 12-minute qualifying session, in which the qualifiers in 11th place and below will be decided. As for the top 10 finishers, they will move on the 10-minute Hyperpole to determine the top ten positions on the starting grid.

This season, the 24 Hours of Le Mans will adopt a qualifying session in which the top 15 finishers will move on to a Hyperpole, while starting grid positions for the cars finishing from 16th position downward will be determined by their finishing positions in the initial qualifying session.
There will also be a change in the Hyperpole, in which it will be divided into two stages, the Hyperpole 1 (H1) and Hyperpole 2 (H2). The H1 will run for 20 minutes, and its top ten finishers will advance to H2, while the cars finishing from 11th to 15th position will take those starting positions. Then the 15-min. H2 session will be held to determine the top ten positions for the race’s starting grid.

Virtual Safety Car

This is a procedure that can be called into use when an accident occurs and the Race Director determines it necessary. When the Virtual Safety Car (VSC) is called, a signal will appear on a monitor in all the participating cars, and in response to it, all drivers must slow to a speed of 80 km/h and stay in line while maintaining the distance between the cars for two laps until the Safety Car (SC) comes onto the track. During the VSC it is possible to access the pit lane.

Tires

The Hypercar class and LMGT3 class both adopt one-make systems with a single designated supplier, Michelin or Goodyear respectively, will exclusively supply the tires for all cars in these classes.

Classes and participating car specifications

The WEC is competed in two classes, Hypercar and LMGT3, but in the case of the 24 hours of Le Mans, teams can continue to enter the with the cars of the LMP2 class that has been eliminated from WEC as of 2023. Hypercar is the pinnacle class, and this is the class that the Toyota GR010 HYBRID competes in. Also, LMH vehicles and LMDh vehicles will be able to participate in the Hypercar class. The LMGT3 class is the class launched in 2024 to replace what was the “LMGTE Am” class until 2023.

This is the pinnacle class of the WEC. In it, LMH and LMDh cars can also participate. The combined maximum output of the engine + hybrid system is limited to 520 kW. Performance Adjustment (BoP) is applied here. All cars must be equipped with a driveshaft torque sensor and the BoP output will be constantly monitored by FIA/ACO. There are no limits concerning driver classification, but Bronze class drivers are not allowed to participate. The base color of the race number is red. The tires are one-make tires supplied exclusively by Michelin.

Le Mans Hypercar(LMH)

Cars that comply with the LMH technical regulations of the FIA and ACO are defined as race-specific prototype cars and they are also classified as cars that can compete in Hypercar races run on public roads. Hypercars have a closed body, an overall length of less than 5,000 mm, an overall width of 2,000 mm or less, an overall height measured from the reference surface of 1,150 mm or more, excluding any antennas, and they have a minimum vehicle weight of 1,030 kg. There are no limits on engine displacement, number of cylinders, etc., and the adoption of an exclusive hybrid system is also permitted, and when a hybrid system is adopted, 4-wheel drive is also permitted.

Le Mans Daytona h(LMDh)

These are cars complying with the LMDh technical specifications of IMSA and ACO. While LMH cars can be designed and manufactured by the different car manufacturers, LMDh cars must be constructed around a chassis manufactured by one of four companies, Oreca, Dallara, Ligier, and Multimatic, and they are required to be equipped with a standard hybrid system. They have a closed body with an overall length of less than 5,100 mm, an overall width of 2,000 mm or less, an overall height of 1,150 mm or more, an overall height of 1,060 mm or more from the reference surface, excluding any antennas, and a minimum vehicle weight of 1,030 kg. Four-wheel drive is not permitted.

Le Mans Grand Touring Three(LMGT3)

The LMGT3 class is competed by cars based on the FIA GT3 cars that have become the international standard, but the technical regulations also dictate that they must adopt WEC-exclusive equipment like a driveshaft torque sensor and a leader light display panel, etc. Performance Adjustment (BoP) is also applied. Concerning driver classification, at least one Bronze or Silver class driver must be included. Also, for cars entering the championship, a Success Ballast (weight) system is applied, except for the 24 hours of Le Mans. The base color of the race number is green. The tires are one-make Goodyear tires.

RACES