The FIA World Endurance Championship, often abbreviated to the WEC, is an international sportscar racing series organised by the FIA and the Automobile Club de l'Ouest. Built around the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans race, the WEC is one of the world's biggest and most innovative series, featuring a mix of hybrid prototypes and traditional GT cars.
The WEC has had a very good relationship with Formula E since the latter's creation, with both series agreeing to avoid each other when deciding the season calendars.[1] Only one clash has occurred in the first four seasons of the FE/WEC relationship, as drivers and team personnel have been known to compete in both series.[1]
Links to Formula E[]
The WEC pre-dates the Formula E Championship by a couple of years, having been founded in 2012 to reignite the sportscar racing scene.[2] Major manufacturers and drivers have been involved in the WEC since its creation, with several household names having since driven in FE alongside their WEC commitments.
Drivers[]
Below is a list of all drivers whom have competed in both a Formula E ePrix and a WEC race:
| World Endurance Championship & Formula E Drivers | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Driver | FE years | WEC years | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Daniel Abt
|
2014-present | 2015 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Nathanaël Berthon
|
2015 | 2014-2016 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Sam Bird
|
2014-present | 2014-present | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tom Blomqvist
|
2018-present | 2016 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Sébastien Buemi
|
2014-present | 2012-present | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mike Conway
|
2016-2017 | 2013-present | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Lucas di Grassi
|
2014-present | 2012-2016 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tom Dillmann
|
2017 | 2015-2016 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Loïc Duval
|
2014-2017 | 2012-present | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nick Heidfeld
|
2014-present | 2012-2016 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Neel Jani
|
2017-present | 2012-2017 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Kamui Kobayashi
|
2017 | 2013, 2016-present | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fabio Leimer
|
2015 | 2014 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Vitantonio Liuzzi
|
2014-2015 | 2012-2013, 2015 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 José María López
|
2016-2017 | 2016-2017 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| André Lotterer
|
2017-present | 2012-2017 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Alex Lynn
|
2017-present | 2016-present | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Franck Montagny
|
2014 | 2012 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nelson Piquet Jr.
|
2014-present | 2016-2017 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nicolas Prost
|
2014-present | 2012-present | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| René Rast
|
2016 | 2015-2016 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stéphane Sarrazin
|
2014-2017 | 2012-present | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Takuma Sato
|
2014 | 2012 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bruno Senna
|
2014-2016 | 2013-2014, 2016-2017 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Ho-Pin Tung
|
2014 | 2016-present | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jean-Éric Vergne
|
2014-present | 2017-present | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
- Bold indicates Formula E Champion.
- Italics indicate a World Endurance Championship Champion (overall).
Personnel[]
Several key WEC personnel have been drafted into the Formula E Championship, as have major sponsors:
- Allan McNish (Team principle/former driver).
Manufacturers[]
Two major manufacturers have competed in both the WEC and FE, although both have opted to join the latter full time at the expense of the former. Audi were the first to leave the WEC that they had previously dominated, re-branding the ABT Schaeffler effort as their own from 2017/18.[3] It was the Ingolstadt firm's rivals Porsche who announced their plans for FE next, planning to join at the start of the 2019/20 season.[4]
Most other manufacturers have since declared interests in FE, having attended FIA meetings about the future of the series. Elsewhere, famed Italian designers Dallara have a solid relationship with both series, having aided the design of the Spark-Renault SRT_01E, and supplied LMP2 chassis for the WEC.[5]
More Information[]
For more information on the World Endurance Championship head to one of these sites:
References[]
Videos and Images:
References:
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 'GP2 champ Gasly replaces Buemi for New York', fiaformulae.com, (FIA Formula E, 10/07/2017), http://www.fiaformulae.com/en/news/2017/july/gp2-champ-gasly-replaces-buemi-for-new-york/, (Accessed 10/07/2017)
- ↑ 'Archives', fiawec.com, (World Endurance Championship, 2017), http://www.fiawec.com/en/past-seasons/36, (Accessed 20/11/2017)
- ↑ 'ABT retains drivers for season three', fiaformulae.com, (FIA Formula E, 20/05/2016), http://fiaformulae.com/en/news/2016/may/abt-retains-drivers-for-season-three/, (Accessed 20/05/2016)
- ↑ 'Porsche set to compete in Formula E from Season 6', fiaformulae.com, (FIA Formula E, 28/07/2017), http://www.fiaformulae.com/en/news/2017/july/porsche-set-to-compete-in-formula-e-from-season-6/, (Accessed 28/07/2017)
- ↑ Leggett, Theo, 'Shhh! It's time for Formula E!', bbc.co.uk, (BBC, 04/07/2014), http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-28144411, (Accessed 27/04/2015)
| Racing Series |
|---|
| FIA Formula E |
| FIA Formula E Championship • Jaguar I-Pace eTrophy • Extreme E Championship • Roborace |
| Other FIA Series |
| Formula One • FIA Formula 2 Championship • World Endurance Championship |
| Other Electric Series |
| E TCR • ERA Championship • FIM MotoE World Cup • FIA Electric GT |