The Evolution of WEC: Where Will It Go Next?

As motor racing has evolved over the past century, it has brought many inventions and innovations with it. Endurance racing has been a big part of this. So, I ask Daniel Lloyd of SportsCar365 what has Le Mans and WEC brought to the table? And, what is next for the series?

"Le Mans started in 1923. In this time, the sport has gone through so many different eras and phases and, Le Mans in particular, thrives from this history". Each era of endurance racing has also brought new innovations and inventions. This is something of USP for the sport, with "manufacturers using the sport for marketing, to show their reliability, speed and innovation", according to Daniel.

"Manufacturers want to use the series as a laboratory for invention and innovation as much as they want to use it as a competition".

- Daniel Lloyd, Journalist for SportsCar365

The series very much still possesses the 'win on Sunday, sell on Monday' mantra that has helped make motorsport so successful both win fans and manufacturers.

Perhaps the most well-known example of this is the Ford GT40, which was

created by Ford after their business relationship with Ferrari broke down, so, Ford poured masses of its resources into beating Ferrari at Le Mans. This led to many developmental breakthroughs for its chassis, aerodynamics and engines. However, it didn't just help the car companies, but "car company battles also really helped to grow endurance racing as a sport" and made Le Mans "arguably the biggest single race in the world".

Ford vs Ferrari, the infamous Le Mans rivalry that is still very much alive in WEC today.

Photo credits: DriveTribe.com and DailySportsCar.com

"Endurance racing has always been the trendsetter in technology. If you go back throughout the history of endurance racing, particularly Le Mans, it's always been where firsts have happened - firsts not just in racing but also within the entire automotive industry."

- Daniel Lloyd, journalist for SportsCar365

However, many other innovations that have come from or were originally tested in at Le Mans include seatbelts, headlamps, windscreen wipers and disc brakes - all of which are now essential parts of road cars.

Innovations that have occurred in recent years include the forays into diesel engines by LMP1 teams, which was so successful for Audi that the technology was then replicated into the whole Volkswagen group's road cars with some of the lowest emissions for the time. Not only was Audi dominant on the race track with its Diesel technology, but also in the wider motor industry, changing the perceptions of the fuel and making diesel common place on our roads (or at least before the Diesel-gate scandal).

The first ever diesel powered Le Mans Winner, the Audi R10 TDI.

Photo credits: snaplap.net

The innovations haven't just been limited to diesel in recent years, however. Daniel Lloyd states that "one of the main attractions for WEC was that the regulations allowed manufacturers to develop crazy hybrid technologies, it was such a great moment for hybrid development - not just for motorsport but also in general". Therefore, it seems like no coincidence that since the introduction of the hybrid LMP1 regulations, Porsche, Audi and Toyota have all since come out with hybrid or fully electric road cars.

So, what's next for WEC? The FIA has already confirmed the new hypercar category, with both LMH and LMDH, set to replace LMP1 and LMP2 from the 2021 season. This has updated regulations designed to drastically reduce costs whilst continuing the hybrid powertrains currently in use. The future for this looks bright with Aston Martin, Peugeot and Toyota already signed up for the class and the entry open until mid-January.

The Toyota GAZOO Racing and the Aston Martin Racing Valkyrie for the new hypercar class.

Photo credit: TimeAttackManila.com

What about after the hybrid era? With the rise of Formula E, this is a common question. However, Unlike Formula E, WEC is unlikely to go down the fully electric route. Daniel believes that "electric power is suited to short sharp bursts. The big problem is recharging. A full charge needs to be as quick as a pit stop. Therefore, electric is currently suited to sprint racing. Although I'm not saying it'll never be part of endurance racing".

Le Mans has also seen a biofuel car, with Daniel recounting that "there was a car called the Nasamax DM139 that ran at Le Mans in 2004". Therefore, there is the potential for biofuels to be used as part of the hybrid powertrains to further reduce carbon emissions before a permanent solution is found.

Instead, Daniel believes that the permanent solution for WEC is hydrogen stating that it is "definitely high on the agenda". He believes this because "hydrogen offers the combination of speed and endurance that electric simply cannot. It is also easy to refill a hydrogen car". Daniel goes on to detail how the ACO, the organiser of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, is backing a hydrogen prototype project based on an LMP car, called the MissionH24 and how hydrogen is likely to been within the next 5 years at Le Mans.

The biofuel powered 2004 Nasamax DM139 and the AOC backed, hydrogen powered MissionH24.

Photo credit: DailySportsCar.com and Racer.com

In conclusion, Daniel states "Le Mans is quite often the first to do things, often before you even realise it. As long as teams keep looking for future technologies, I think WEC has a very promising future".