In 2011, the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO) and the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) announced the creation of the FIA World Endurance Championship also called the FIA WEC whose top category at the time LMP1 was open to hybrid technology. The FIA WEC comprised six to eight races per season whose formats varied from 6 to 24 Hours. Its intercontinental calendar (Europe, America, Asia and the Middle East) included the 24 Hours of Le Mans, which was the jewel in the crown of this new championship.

<h3>2012-2020: the Hybrid era</h3>

In 2012, Toyota made its return to top-level world endurance racing for the inaugural season. After a 13-year hiatus the Japanese firm chose the 24 Hours of Le Mans as its first race to mark its comeback using hybrid technology, a domain in which Toyota is one of the world leaders for road use. The TS030 Hybrid prototype used a 530 bhp ICE coupled to an electric motor pushing out 300 bhp fed by the recovery of kinetic energy generated in the braking phase. The TS050 Hybrid, winner of the last three 24 Hours of Le Mans, was powered by a twin turbo V6 combined with two electric motors developing a total power output of 1000 bhp!

Since 2012 Toyota is the only manufacturer not to have missed a race in the top-level FIA WEC category. On the eve of the 2021 24 Hours of Le Mans the brand holds the record for the number of outright victories with 32 including the last three editions of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Toyota has also clinched three manufacturers’ (2014, 2018-2019) and drivers’ titles with Sebastien Buemi (2014, 2018-2019), Anthony Davidson (2014) and Kazuki Nakajima (2018_2019 as well as the reigning 2019-2020 champions, Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi and Jose Maria Lopez.

<h3>2021: the Hypercar, the start of a new era</h3>

Today, Toyota is one of the pioneer manufacturers in the new Hypercar category that has replaced the LMP1 prototypes in 2021. It has already racked up three victories in the first three FIA WEC races of this new era.

The Hypercar category allows the manufacturers to design their car from A to Z. But the specificity of the Hypercar is also visual. Its exterior appearance must take into account not only the technical and aerodynamic constraints linked to racing and the regulations, but also the aesthetic codes of the road-going models of the brand. This will facilitate its instantaneous identification by the public.

Several brands have already confirmed that they will enter for this category. The first manufacturers entered for 2021 are Toyota and Glickenhaus. Peugeot, which recently unveiled its Hypercar 9X8, is expected in 2022 while Porsche, Audi and Ferrari will take to the track in 2023 - the centenary year of the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

The temporary exhibition is open now and runs until 20 February 2022.

Head to <a href="https://www.lemans-musee24h.com/en">Musée des 24 Heures du Mans</a> to find out more.

Toyota and the FIA WEC, 10 years and 32 victories

On Sunday 24 October, the 4 Hours of Portimão will bring the curtain down on the 2021 European Le Mans Series season with what is shaping up to be an exciting race. No fewer than 41 cars will take to the Algarve track where titles in LMP2 Pro/Am, LMP3 and LMGTE are still to be decided.

Orlen Team WRT scooped the ELMS LMP2 Driver and Team titles at Spa-Francorchamps last month. However, no fewer than six titles are waiting to be claimed at the 2021 season finale, the 4 Hours of Portimão. All is still to play for in LMP2 Pro/Am, LMP3 and LMGTE.

A 41-strong field entered by 28 different teams will see 120 drivers from 31 countries take to the Portuguese racetrack. The home nation will be represented by one of those teams – Algarve Pro Racing – and one driver, Rui Andrade, who currently leads the race to the LMP2 Pro/Am title with his American teammate, John Falb.

There is still plenty at stake in LMP2 as G-Drive Racing (#26 Aurus 01-Gibson), Panis Racing (#65 Oreca 07-Gibson), United Autosports (#22 Oreca 07-Gibson) and Duqueine (#30 Oreca 07-Gibson) vie for the runner-up spot behind Orlen Team WRT that will offer them an automatic ticket to the 2022 24 Hours of Le Mans. . G-Drive Racing’s #25 Aurus 01-Gibson leads the Pro/Am class ahead of the #37 Oreca 07-Gibson fielded by Cool Racing. Gustavo Menezes will join forces with Falb and Andrade to help them secure the title whereas Charles Milesi, LMP2 class winner at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, is set to make his second appearance with Cool Racing. Milesi will team up with Alexandre Coigny and Nicolas Lapierre.

Seventeen cars will line up in LMP3 with a straight fight between Cool Racing’s #19 Ligier and DKR Engineering’s #4 Duqueine for the title. Seven Ferrari 488 GTE Evos, two Porsche 911 RSR-19s and a solitary Aston Martin Vantage AMR will make up the LMGTE field. The Iron Lynx #80 Ferrari driven by Miguel Molina, Rino Mastronardi and Matteo Cressoni holds a 20-point lead over the AF Corse #88 entry. Spirit Of Race’s #55 Ferrari lies a further four points in arrears. Two invitations to the 2022 24 Hours of Le Mans will be awarded to the top two teams at the end of the race.

Check out the <a href="https://storage.googleapis.com/doc-prod/2FI7MMTUXXBHs5VmPghiD1l0.pdf">full entry list</a> for the 4 Hours of Portimão.

The race, scheduled to start at 14:00 on Sunday 24 October, will be the second event of the season with fans in attendance.

For further information, head to the <a href="https://www.europeanlemansseries.com/en">European Le Mans Series official site</a>.

ELMS – Six titles up for grabs at season finale in Portimão

During the 89th 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Automobile Club de l’Ouest gave the ACO Sustainable Endurance Award presented by DHL to Team WRT participating in the LMP2 class with two cars.

Tow factors played a role in deciding the recipient of this award: the reduction of CO2 emissions related to the transport of equipment and people as well as the logistics from garages to circuits. The contribution, participation and development of innovative social and/or environmental initiatives that create a positive impact and added value at the local community level have also been taken into account.

Team WRT has adopted a proactive approach by committing to its corporate social responsibility beyond auto racing. The Belgian outfit is involved in several projects, including the "Drive Fast, Act Faster" campaign spearheaded by driver Ferdinand Habsburg and Green Future Project. The endeavor supports efforts in endurance racing to achieve carbon neutrality and encourages the collective reshaping of the future of motorsport as related to the reality of the climate crisis.

Team WRT team manager Vincent Vosse: "Motorsports, as part of the automotive world, is victim of a paradox: it is seen as part of the problem, while in reality, as an engine of innovation, it is one of the sectors that has progressed most towards a cleaner, safer and more conscious society. Still, concerns surrounding climate change are rising. Like everybody, motorsports can contribute more and faster by adapting the way we do racing and business, adopting better practices and at first compensating the impact of our activities. This is why all of us at Team WRT are particularly happy to support and be involved in initiatives at improving sustainability that have originated from the world of motor racing itself."

CEO DHL Global Forwarding Europe, Global Head of Marketing and Sales, Thomas George: "We are proud to be the official logistics partner of the Championship. And we are all the more pleased that in the ACO we have found a partner who values sustainability as much as we do. As experts in sustainable logistics, we are happy to continuously support their effort towards a more sustainable championship and recognize the teams that are committed to this as well."

In the coming years, the ACO Sustainable Endurance Award presented by DHL will aim to highlight progress made by the teams year after year.

24 Hours of Le Mans – Team WRT wins the ACO Sustainable Endurance Award presented by DHL

24 Heures du Mans 2021 - ACO Sustainable Endurance Award presented by DHL

L’ ACO Sustainable Endurance Award presented by DHL remis au Team WRT

Check out the entry list for the second round of the Le Mans Virtual Series, the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, set for Saturday 16 October.

Whether in real life or in the virtual world, any race organized at Spa is an event that never fails to offer excitement, tension and drama. The circuit always delivers plenty of action and shows off the ability of professional and simracer drivers on the rFactor 2 platform.

The winners of the 4 Hours of Monza, Realteam Hydrogen Redline, will lead the charge among the 21 LMP2 prototypes entered. Jeffrey Rietveld and Mochal Smidl will be joined for this round by F3 star Caio Collet, replacing Dani Juncadella committed to other sporting engagements.

Now that the IndyCar season has come to a close, former F1 driver Felix Rosenqvist is expected to take the wheel Team Redline's #123 ORECA 07 LMP2. The recent FIA F3 runner-up Jack Doohan will drive Red Bull Racing Esports' #11 ORECA 07 LMP2.

As many as five constructors (Ferrari, Porsche, BMW, Corvette and Aston Martin) are participating in the LMGTE class, with Porsche looking to clinch a second win in a row after Monza.

The Le Mans Virtual Series 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps <a href="https://lemansvirtual.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/LeMansVirtualSeries_Round-2_entry-list.pdf?x55739">entry list</a>.

The Le Mans Virtual Series gathers professional drivers as well as top simracers from all over the globe for five simulated endurance races, from four to 24 hours long. The Series will end with the 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual that will be held live at the 2022 Autosport International in Birmingham, England on 15-16 January.

For more info, go to the official <a href="https://lemansvirtual.com/">Le Mans Virtual Series</a> website.

Le Mans Virtual Series – 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps entry list

Le Mans Magazine: find all the news, articles about the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans race.

News and magazine | 24 Hours of Le Mans

With Dwight Merriman out the race due to a back injury, Idec Sport bring Porsche driver Patrick Pilet in to save the day

24H Le Mans

24 Heures du Mans

24 Heures du Mans 2020

The American driver Dwight Merriman is out of the race after sustaining a back injury when his car came off the track during yesterday&rsquo;s second practice session. It&rsquo;s not the end of the road for the #17 Oreca 07- Gibson though, as Idec Sport are drafting in an illustrious replacement. Porsche factory driver Patrick Pilet will step in to help the French team out for this weekend&rsquo;s race at Le Mans. It will be the French driver&rsquo;s first time in a prototype!

24H LE MANS

Patrick Pilet steps in to replace Dwight Merriman at the last minute

Patrick Pilet steps in to replace Dwight Merriman at the last minute

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Toyota and the FIA WEC, 10 years and 32 victories

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24 Hours of Le Mans – Team WRT wins the ACO Sustainable Endurance Award presented by DHL

Le Mans Virtual Series – 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps entry list