The FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) returns to Imola for the 2026 season opener in less than a month. The 2026 WEC season features a record-equalling 14 manufacturers taking part. Part of the new grid will be newcomers such as Genesis Magma Racing, setting the stage for an unpredictable season ahead.
If you have been looking to venture into the world of endurance racing, here is a beginner’s guide to the pinnacle of endurance racing, WEC.
What is WEC?
WEC is a premier international sports car racing series established in 2012. It is organised by both the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) and the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO). ACO’s former Intercontinental Le Mans Cup and the World Sportscar Championship are the two series that pioneered WEC, giving the series its structure and popularity. Widely considered the peak of long-distance racing, WEC hosts races ranging from six hours up to 24.
WEC is a multi-class racing series, with cars competing across the Hypercar and LM GT3 categories. Therefore, a key feature of the series is the sheer number of manufacturers involved. 14 will be competing in the 2026 WEC season.
The series is a test of not only speed but also reliability. Manufacturers compete through updates to their cars’ technology and performance. The appeal of the series is the freedom these teams have in designing their cars. This makes for an unpredictable championship season each year. In 2025, there were seven different race winners from the eight-race calendar in the Hypercar category and six in the LMGT3 division.
What Are the Categories in Wec?
There are two main categories in WEC: the headlining Hypercar class and the supporting LMGT3 class.
Hypercar
The Hypercar class is widely considered to be the top of the WEC series. These are the fastest cars on track that fight for the overall wins. Formerly known as the LMP1 class, this category features purpose-built prototypes from the brands that echo their usual road cars.
Regulations are put in place to keep all the Hypercars within a similar lap time with tools such as Balance of Performance (BoP). This lets organisers control factors such as weight or power, preventing a team from winning just by having the fastest car. This keeps the sport spectacular for fans but also affordable for teams since expenditure will not necessarily equate to performance gains.
There are also tight regulations on who can compete in this class, and only professional drivers are allowed in the line-ups. Each participating manufacturer is also required to enter a minimum of two cars.
LMGT3
Slower than the Hypercars but equally as entertaining on track are the LMGT3 cars. Introduced in 2024 to replace the LMGTE rules, the LMGT3 class is based around the FIA’s global GT3 technical platform. Instead of manufacturers competing, this class focuses on private teams and Pro-Am line-ups. This creates a more diverse blend of drivers in the teams that consist of emerging young talents and gentleman drivers.
LMGT3 features race-tuned versions of recognisable road cars from brands like Porsche, Ferrari and McLaren. However, these cars consist of several FIA WEC-specific adaptations. They include digital displays, luminescent number panels and uniform Goodyear tyres.
Where Does WEC Race?
WEC visits multiple iconic circuits across five continents during its eight-race calendar. This gives each race weekend a unique set of challenges.
It is worth noting that the Qatar 1812KM race has been postponed to 22-24 October due to the conflict in the Middle East.
The highlight of the 2026 WEC calendar is the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Not only is this the longest race on the calendar, but it is also the oldest and most prestigious active endurance race. The event has been held annually since 1923 at the Circuit de la Sarthe.
What Are the Teams in WEC?
There is a total of 14 manufacturers participating in the 2026 season of WEC across both classes. Some of the major brands with prominent success in other motorsport series include Ferrari, Toyota, Alpine, Cadillac and BMW.
For the 2026 season, the WEC line-up will consist of 17 cars in the Hypercar class and 18 cars in the LMGT3 class across 13 manufacturers, respectively.
One of the biggest headlines heading into the 2026 season was the withdrawal of Porsche from WEC. The German outfit had claimed the 2025 WEC Drivers’ title with Kevin Estre, Laurens Vanthoor and André Lotterer. Porsche ended their factory involvement in WEC to focus on the IMSA SportsCar Championship in North America from 2026 onwards. However, Porsche remains involved in WEC via customer racing in the LMGT3 class with Manthey Racing.
A new addition to the grid is Genesis Magma Racing, Hyundai’s luxury brand. Genesis enters two 3.2-litre, turbocharged V8 prototypes, to be known as the GMR-001 Hypercar models. The team will be led by highly decorated drivers with the likes of André Lotterer and Pipo Derani; they will be a team to look out for this season.
What Is the Structure of a Race Weekend?
Like most motorsport series, the race weekend starts on Friday and follows a three-day weekend schedule.
Each race weekend starts with three rounds of free practice shared by all car classes. These sessions last 90 minutes and are important for drivers to gain a better understanding of the track and conditions. This is crucial for both the teams and drivers to gather feedback and refine the car set-up ahead of the main race.
Next on the schedule is Qualifying. The sessions are split into separate blocks for Hypercar and LMGT3 contenders. Qualifying starts with a 12-minute session, and the top 10 from the session move on to the 10-minute Hyperpole shootout to determine the starting grid.
On race day, teams are given a short warm-up session to prepare the car, which usually lasts around 15 minutes. Races can last from 6 to 24 hours.
How Are Points Awarded in WEC?
In WEC, the point system varies based on the duration of the race. What remains constant is that only the top ten teams of each class are awarded.
For 6-hour races, the points are awarded as follows:
| 1st: 25 points 2nd: 18 points 3rd: 15 points 4th: 12 points 5th: 10 points | 6th: 8 points 7th: 6 points 8th: 4 points 9th: 2 points 10th: 1 point |
As for 8-hour and 10-hour races, points are awarded as follows:
| 1st: 38 points 2nd: 27 points 3rd: 23 points 4th: 18 points 5th: 15 points | 6th: 12 points 7th: 9 points 8th: 6 points 9th: 3 points 10th: 2 points |
Finally, for the 24 Hours of Le Mans, they are awarded as follows:
| 1st: 50 points 2nd: 36 points 3rd: 30 points 4th: 24 points 5th: 20 points | 6th: 16 points 7th: 12 points 8th: 8 points 9th: 4 points 10th: 2 points |
The crew that secures pole position in each category during the Hyperpole sessions are also awarded an additional point.
What Are the Championship Titles up for Grab ?
There are a total of five WEC championship titles across both classes up for grabs this 2026 season.
Hypercar
There are two main titles up for grabs in the Hypercar class, with teams competing for the FIA Hypercar World Endurance Manufacturers’ Championship and FIA Hypercar World Endurance Drivers’ Championship.
There is an additional title known as the FIA World Cup for Hypercar Teams. This is a specific classification for customer teams competing in the Hypercar class. It allows these independent teams to compete for their own title since they are ineligible for the main FIA Hypercar World Endurance Manufacturers’ Championship, which is reserved for official factory entries.
LMGT3
There are two major titles for the LMGT3 class. The FIA Endurance Trophy for LMGT3 Teams and the FIA Endurance Trophy for LMGT3 Drivers.
Additionally, those competing in the LMGT3 category also compete for the Goodyear Wingfoot Award. This award is presented to the driver who posted the fastest average lap time during their stints behind the wheel over the course of the 2026 campaign across the eight-race WEC calendar.
Who Won the 2025 WEC Championships?
In the 2025 WEC Hypercar class, Ferrari took the crown in both the Manufacturers’ Championship and the Drivers’ Championship. The championship-winning car was the Ferrari AF Corse 499P No. 51 led by its driver lineup of Alessandro Pier Guidi, James Calado and Antonio Giovinazzi.
Ferrari’s dominance in the Hypercar class was evident as the Ferrari AF Corse 499P No. 83 took the FIA World Cup for Hypercar Teams.
In the LMGT3 class, the 2025 championship was dominated by Porsche‘s customer team with Manthey Racing. The Manthey 1st Phorm No. 92 car took a twofold victory in both championships. This marked the team’s second consecutive title victory in the WEC series.
WEC is gearing up for yet another season of high-stakes competition. That means eight upcoming rounds of cutthroat racing and cutting-edge innovations from the manufacturers.