[WEC] FIA WEC calendar

[NaBUru38]

If Hypercars can do Long Beach, Laguna Seca and Mexico City, they definitely can do Donington Park.

[broadrun96]

I don't think WEC scheduling has anything to do with the track, IMSA doesn't care about local amenities like the FIA does. And does the WEC run at any of the 3 you listed, do any hypercar/GTPs run at Mexico City?

[flatlandsman]

I also cannot really see MSV paying to host an event they might not get a crowd for, I do not really think that is an issue, but Palmer is not a fan of huge hosting fees and really only pays one, SBK, maybe also Brands GTWC, not sure. But both are nothing like as dear as WEC can command now after the two huge crowds at Imola and Spa, if you were ACO now you would be bigging up your host fee!!

[J Jay]

Silverstone isn't the big draw it once was for the ACO, and the BRDC are happy enough with the, ahem- "premier" car and motorcycle racing series as its blue riband events.

It sucks, but outside a major change in attitude or circumstance, ACO racing isn't coming to the UK for the forseeable future.

[flatlandsman]

My only counter to that might b that the bike racing event MotoGP has seen very sever drop[s in crowds in the past couple of years. Basically since Rossi retired, the crowd dropped by 20-30 thousand. Used to be 80k or so I think last year was less than 50

He is in WEC, he would not draw that crowd but in their terms they are only really interested in paying for events that gain them huge returns it seems now, MotoGP is contracted but might be dropped after its current deal. If you are wise you are seeing what is going on right now *huge crowds at Imola and Spa) and getting on the phone. But that depends on the relationship if it is damaged, maybe not.

[E.B]

Originally Posted by flatlandsman

My only counter to that might b that the bike racing event MotoGP has seen very sever drop[s in crowds in the past couple of years. Basically since Rossi retired, the crowd dropped by 20-30 thousand. Used to be 80k or so I think last year was less than 50

The French MotoGP over the weekend would no doubt argue your point and disagree.....

The 2024 Michelin® Grand Prix de France put on an incredible show right to the final lap, and a record-breaking crowd was there to see it. An awe-inspiring 297,471 fans flocked to historic Le Mans across the weekend, making it the highest-attended Grand Prix in history.

Obviously Grand Prix refers to bikes, I presume history refers to the MotoGP era. ie 2002 on.
The weekend record was over 20,000 up on the previous record which incidentally was set last year. (ie Both previous and current records set post Rossi retiring.)

[Coach Ep]

That doesn't negate at all the fact that WEC is a hot commodity right now and track managements worldwide are keeping an eye on the series. Silverstone might attract as many as 100.000 spectators considering the current momentum of the series and the 'hunger' from UK and mainland Europe sportscar fans. I bet at least 10% of the Spa crowd last week came from accross the channel!

Silverstone is undoubtedly in the upper tiers of tracks with aspirations to host a round due to FIA grading, prospective audience and geological plus historical aspects (among other considerations). So are a few select other venues and there seems to be only a decent chance the series will extend their calendar with another event, making it a very competitive landscape in that regard.

I'm not the biggest fan of the track but will take it over another Middle East venue any day. A post-LM slot (mid July) should work nicely and why not rotate the event with the Ring annually?

[flatlandsman]

EB my point about Rossi was only really aimed at a UK crowd, we have no riders that crowds will flock, to see in the top class, France have Fabio and Zarco, both likeable guys who are very popular, plus the promoter works very hard to make prices cheap and put on stuff that makes the event worthwhile, something Silverstone singularly fail to do other than with F1

And I also agree coach, my only slight quibble is that even in the peak days of LMP1 the crowds at Silverstgone for WEC were not great, so they might still be hesitant or reticent to push hard and pay the by now no doubt increased prices ACO want. And why not!! it is a commodioty any decent track would want currently.