Yahoo Autos No Austin, No Silverstone on 2021 World Endurance Championship Schedule
World Endurance Championship officials unveiled the series' 2021 racing schedule on Friday, and it included a few surprises.
The WEC will not be returning to Austin, Texas or Silverstone, England next year as part of a modest six-race schedule that at least reverts back to a true calendar schedule. The current season began on Sept. 1, 2019, at Silverstone as part of a 2020-21 campaign that was scheduled to conclude with this weekend's 24 Hours of Le Mans. Instead, thanks to juggling caused by the coronavirus pandemic, this year's season will end in Bahrain on Nov. 14.
As part of the 2020-21 schedule, the WEC raced in Austin on Feb. 23—just three weeks before the U.S. coronavirus shutdowns began.
New to the 2021 schedule will be a race at Monza, Italy, on July 18.
The 2021 season is scheduled to kick off at Sebring, Fla., for the 1,000 Miles of Sebing event on March 19 and end at Bahrain on Nov. 20.
“We listened to our manufacturers, teams and partners and responded with a calendar featuring fewer events than in the past to allow them all time to deal with the current economic crisis." said Gerard Neveu, CEO of the WEC. "We will revise this upwards again in the future, as and when the health situation and the economy allows us to do so, hopefully from 2022 onwards.
"The calendar also takes into account our logistical road map as it provides our teams with the most cost-effective package possible.”
2021 World Endurance Championship
Provisonal Schedule
March 13-14 - Preseason test at Sebring, Fla.
March 19 - 1,000 Miles of Sebring
May 1 - 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium
June 13 - 24 Hours of Le Mans
July 18 - 6 Hours of Monza, Italy
Sept. 26 - 6 Hours of Fuji, Japan
Nov. 20 - 6 Hours of Bahrain
