The FIA World Endurance Championship will include Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps on its calendar for the next four years, thus extending a relationship which has been in place since the start of the championship in 2012.
Spa has always played a major role in the WEC’s calendar, not only for its favoured position in Northern Europe which attracts spectators from Belgium, France, Germany, the UK and Netherlands, but also because it serves as the all-important dress rehearsal for the WEC’s headline event, the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Talks between the iconic Belgian circuit and the WEC have been ongoing since the 2019 event in early May. The successful renewal of the contract coincides with the announcement that the WEC’s 2020 Belgian round will be brought forward by a week from its traditional early May date. The TOTAL 6 Hours of Spa, round 7 of the 2019-2020 FIA WEC season, will now take place on Saturday 25th April 2020.
Gérard Neveu, CEO of the WEC, commented: “We have always aimed to have as much stability in our schedule as possible and we are really delighted that both the WEC and European Le Mans Series will be returning to Spa for another four years.
“Providing our competitors and fans with the opportunity to visit top class circuits and facilities such as Spa is crucial to us, and of course it is one of the drivers’ favourite places to race at, with so much history and drama. We have witnessed some incredible WEC events there, although we hope we won’t have any snow in 2020! (laughs)
“By moving our 2020 TOTAL 6 Hours of Spa race forward a week we manage to avoid some clashes with other events in order to satisfy our competitors, partners, fans and media.”
Nathalie Maillet, CEO of Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps added: “It is with great pride that we finalise today the renewal for four years of the contract which assures the presence at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps of the FIA World Endurance Championship and the European Le Mans Series.
“I welcome this extension which demonstrates the excellent collaboration between the ACO and Le Mans Endurance Management, organiser of these two key events in our calendar. I would also like to thank the management of these organisations for their confidence in the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps. This long-term agreement will allow us to develop these two championships together on the basis of a strong, lasting and fruitful relationship. It is finally, and above all, excellent news for all the fans of these two championships.”
