Edmond Dantès
Dantès the White
About
The FIA World Endurance Championship is an auto racing world championship organized by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO) and sanctioned by the FIA. The series usurps the ACO's former Intercontinental Le Mans Cup which began in 2010, and is the first endurance series of world championship status since the demise of the World Sportscar Championship at the end of 1992. The World Endurance Championship name was previously used by the FIA from 1981 to 1985.
The series feature multiple classes of cars competing in endurance races, with sports prototypes competing in the Le Mans Prototype categories, and production-based grand tourers competing in the LM GTE categories. World champion titles are awarded to the top scoring manufacturers and drivers over the season, while other cups and trophies will be awarded for drivers and private teams.
The World Endurance Championship follows much of the format of the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup and features seven endurance races across the world, including the 24 Hours of Le Mans, with all races being at least six hours in duration. The calendar includes four races in Europe, one in the Americas, two in Asia and one in the Middle East, with a possible future expansion to eight or nine races. There are four categories: LMP1 and LMP2 prototypes and the GTE category, divided into GTE Pro for teams with professional driver line-ups, and GTE Am for teams featuring a mixture of amateur drivers.
Six titles are awarded each season based on total point tally, with two being deemed world championships: Manufacturers' World Endurance Champion and Drivers' World Champion. The GTE Pro class champion are awarded a World Cup, while the leaders in LMP2 and GTE Am are awarded a Trophy. The final Trophy is awarded to the best privateer team amongst all four classes. The points system is similar to that that used in the FIA's other world championships, awarding points to the top ten finishers on a sliding point margin scale from first to tenth. Cars finishing the race but classified eleventh or further are awarded a half point. Double points are awarded for the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Reigning Champions
World Endurance Drivers' Championship:
Anthony Davidson/Sébastien Buemi - Toyota Racing
World Manufacturers' Championship:
Toyota - TS040 Hybrid
World Endurance Cup for GT Drivers:
Gianmaria Bruni/Toni Vilander - AF Corse Ferrari
World Endurance Cup for GT Manufacturers:
Ferrari - 458 Italia GT2
LMP1 Private Teams Drivers' Trophy:
Mathias Beche/Nicolas Prost/Nick Heidfeld - Rebellion Racing
Endurance Trophy for LMP2 Drivers:
Sergey Zlobin - SMP Racing
Endurance Trophy for LMGTE Am Drivers:
Kristian Poulsen/David Heinemeier Hansson - Aston Martin Racing
Endurance Trophy for Private LMP1 Teams:
Rebellion Racing - Lola B12/60-Toyota/Rebellion R-One-Toyota
Endurance Trophy for LMP2 Teams:
SMP Racing - Oreca 03-Nissan/Oreca 03R-Nissan
Endurance Trophy for LMGTE Pro Teams:
AF Corse - Ferrari 458 Italia GT2
Endurance Trophy for LMGTE Am Teams:
Aston Martin Racing - Aston Martin Vantage GTE
Thus far
Race calendar
The classes
Regulations 2015
Use of engines:
- For LMP1 Hybrid competitors only: Engine use is limited to 5 engines for the complete season (all race events) per car entered.
- For new manufacturers entering the Manufacturers FIA World Endurance Championship : Engine use is limited to 7 engines for the complete season (all race events) per car entered.
- For the non-permanent LMP1 competitors in the FIA World Endurance Championship (race-by-race entry): A maximum of 2 engines can be used for free practice, qualifying practice and the race.
Tyres:
Summary table of maximum number of tyres available per event (does not apply to the 24 Hours of Le Mans)
LMP1 average driver weight:
LMP1 entrants must declare the minimum weight of each driver entered. If the average weight of the drivers is 80kg or more no action is necessary. If the average weight is less than 80kg, driver ballast must be added to the car which will equal 80kg minus the actual average weight of the drivers.
Starting grid:
There will be one qualifying session to determine the starting grid and organised as follows:
- 20 minutes for LMP1 and LMP2 cars only
- 20 minutes for LMGTE Pro and Am cars only
Note: In 2014 the average of 4 best laps (the best 2 for each driver) was used as the reference time, with each half session in qualifying being 25 minutes.
Sporting regulations:
Titles:
At the end of the Championship, the following titles of World Champions and Cup and Trophy Winners will be conferred:
The Championship comprises primarily the following two World Champion titles:
- The title of FIA World Endurance Champion Driver
- The title of FIA World Endurance Champion Manufacturer
- World Cup for LMGTE Manufacturers, reserved for Manufacturers entered in LMGTE (whether Pro or Am)
- FIA Endurance Trophy awarded to the best private LMP1 team, officially entered in the Championship but not competing for the title of FIA World Endurance Champion Manufacturer.
- An FIA World Endurance Cup for GT drivers.
- FIA Endurance Trophy awarded to the best private LMP1 team officially entered in the Championship but not competing for the title of FIA World Endurance Manufacturers' Champion.
- FIA Endurance Trophy for Private LMP1 Team Drivers (provided that at least three cars are entered for the full season)
- FIA Endurance Trophy awarded to the best LMP2 team
- FIA Endurance Trophy awarded to the best LMGTE Pro team
- FIA Endurance Trophy awarded to the best LMGTE Am team
- FIA Endurance Trophy awarded to the best LMP2 driver(s)
- FIA Endurance Trophy awarded to the best GTE Am driver(s)
Points:
Points for the titles of Drivers World Champion and Manufacturers World Champion, as well as those for the Cup and Trophies, are awarded at each race according to the following scale:
Pole position:
For all the above classifications, an additional point will be awarded, at each Event, to the "pole position" team, as well as to all the drivers making up the crew of the cars concerned, in each category (best time achieved by the car in each category during qualifying).
Two drivers from each crew must each set at least one timed lap during qualifying. The average of the two best lap times (the best lap of each driver) will serve as the reference time for establishing the grid.
Driving times:
- For the LMP1 and LMGTE Pro categories:
To be able to score points, a driver must imperatively drive for a minimum of 40 minutes during the race. A driver may not drive for more than 4 hours and 30 minutes in total.
- For the LMP2 category:
A driver must imperatively have driven for a minimum of 1 hour and 15 minutes during the race. A driver may not drive for more than 3 hours and 30 minutes in total.
- For the LMGTE Am category:
A driver must imperatively have driven for a minimum of 1 hour and 45 minutes during the race. A driver may not drive for more than 3 hours and 30 minutes in total.
Conditions for classification:
The car placed first is the one that covered the greatest distance up to the showing of the chequered flag (the position of the cars on the starting grid is not taken into account).
To be classified, a car must:
- Cross the finish line on the race track when the chequered flag is shown, except in a case of force majeure at the Stewards' discretion. It is prohibited to stop on the race track pending the showing of the chequered flag.
- Have covered at least 70% of the distance covered by the car classified in first place in the overall classification.
- The official number of laps will be rounded down to the nearest whole number.
Equivalence systems (performance and technologies):
Equivalence systems between the different LMP1 propulsion technologies.
In order to limit the differences between the hybrid and non-hybrid cars, the Endurance Committee will be able to adapt the performance of the non-hybrid cars in accordance with the following conditions:
A. The reference will be the calculation of the average lap time of the fastest car in each technology. The average lap time will be calculated over the number of laps corresponding to 20% of the distance of the races (average of the best laps).
The models of the cars with the slowest technologies must have participated in at least two races and must have been properly classified in order to be able to benefit from the application of the rule.
The first adjustment of performance may be applied at any time by the Endurance Committee. The Committee will have the right to request any necessary information from the manufacturers and/or the competitors in order to shed light on the issue at hand. Any such information will be treated in a strictly confidential manner.
Any competitor having deliberately provided false information or having attempted to influence an adjustment by hiding its true level of performance will be penalised by the FIA.
B. The Endurance Committee may adjust the allocation of energy by + or 10 MJ (reference for a lap of the Le Mans 24 Hours circuit) for all LMP1 cars in order to adjust the global level of performance.
Equivalence of Technology of the LMP1 cars.
The principles of the EoT, calculated on the basis of the data collected from the «best in class» of each technology (as defined in the specific note that will be published by the Endurance Committee on 1 January 2015 at the latest), will be applied up to the 2015 Le Mans event inclusive, based on the manufacturers declarations the values specified in the Committees Decision 14-D0027-LMP1 and set out in Appendix B to the 2015 Technical Regulations.
The calculation formulae, the list of data to be communicated by the manufacturers and the list of sensors required will be published by the Endurance Committee in this same note. If, during the Le Mans 24 Hours event, any discrepancy is noted in relation to the declared values, a dissuasive penalty system will be applied.[MM1]
Upon examination of the data collected during the 2015 Le Mans 24 Hours event, the criteria of the EoT will be defined for application up to the 2016 Le Mans 24 Hours event inclusive.
It will be up to the Endurance Committee to settle any questions that might arise concerning the application and/or interpretation of these elements in the last resort.
Balance of performance:
LMP2 cars:
The FIA and the ACO do not wish to encourage the Manufacturers to invest in LMP2 in any developments which improve the performance of the cars.
The main objectives for these cars must be reliability, safety and a low maintenance cost.
Thus, should a particular model of car perform too well, under the terms applicable to the adjustment of performance the Endurance Committee may take immediate measures to reduce its performance.
The Endurance Committee will favour reducing the performance of the fastest models rather than increasing the performance of the slower models.
The Endurance Committee may proceed to adjust the balance of performance of the different LMP2 cars and engines. The parameters liable to be modified are as follows:
- Engine power up to -5%
- Weight up to +30 kg
- Fuel tank capacity up to -10 litres
LMGTE cars:
According to its missions, the Committee is allowed to balance the performance of the GTE cars as defined by the applicable technical regulations.
Championship tables thus far
Drivers' Championship:
Manufacturers' championship:
World Endurance Cup for GT manufacturers:
Endurance Trophy for private LPM1 teams:
Endurance Trophy for LMP2 teams:
FIA Endurance Trophy For LMGTE Pro Teams:
Next race
Timezone: CEST
Entry list:
