TOYOTA GAZOO Racing will give track time to drivers Thomas Laurent, Nyck de Vries and Kenta Yamashita during the FIA World Endurance Championship Rookie Test at the Bahrain International Circuit on 15 December.

24H Le Mans

FIA WEC

24 Heures du Mans

The Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), the global governing body for motor sport and the federation for mobility organisations worldwide, and the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO), the founder and organiser of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, have today announced a major deal for the FIA World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC), securing another decade of growth.

<ul><li>10-year extension for FIA WEC agreed between FIA and ACO until 2037</li>
	<li>Significantly enhanced FIA branding across the championship</li>
	<li>Common ambition to expand partnership and drive commercial growth</li>
	<li>Stronger and consistent regulatory oversight; all regulations will be approved by the FIA Endurance Commission and FIA World Motor Sport Council</li>
	<li>‘Golden Age’ for FIA WEC as audience grows more than 8% in 12 months</li>
	<li>Deal marks the fourth long-term agreement for FIA World Championships since July 2025</li>
</ul>

The landmark agreement, which comes during a period of unprecedented growth for the championship, will ensure a common ambition to expand the partnership and drive its commercial success. It will run from the end of 2027, when the current agreement expires, to the end of 2037. 
Under the extended partnership agreement, all regulatory processes will be overseen by FIA Working Groups, the FIA Endurance Commission, and will require the final approval of the FIA World Motor Sport Council. The homologation process has also been streamlined, with the FIA and ACO overseeing the homologation of all cars competing in the Hypercar class. 
The renewed partnership will also deliver significantly increased branding for the FIA. This includes enhanced branding prominently displayed across key areas including parc fermé, the podium and the Safety Cars, as well as across broadcast coverage. 
With an expanding fanbase, a wider pool of competitors, and a global calendar of iconic events, the championship is stronger than ever. Since its inception in 2012, it has set the global standard for long-distance circuit racing. Following the introduction of the Hypercar regulations in 2021, interest in the championship from motor sport fans and from the automotive world has surged. 
FIA WEC’s trackside audience has grown 8% so far in 2026, with millions of fans following the championship globally. The fanbase for the championship is also evolving. This year, 44% of attendees are aged 34 or younger, while 40% are attending an FIA WEC event for the first time. The championship has secured the long-term loyalty of its existing fanbase, while building the next generation of endurance racing fans. 
Eight of the world’s leading auto-manufacturers currently compete in Hypercar, the top category of FIA WEC. Following the addition of the LMGT3 class in 2024, the championship now counts no fewer than 14 marques in total on the starting grid. Two more giants of the automotive industry – Ford and McLaren – are set to join the Hypercar ranks in 2027. 
For over 100 years, endurance racing has served as a proven testbed for technologies that transfer from track to road. This renewed agreement creates a solid framework for advancing hydrogen powertrains in competition, providing a clear pathway toward more sustainable transport and mobility. 
It will also deliver a more unified technical framework that defines top-level endurance racing Hypercars competing both in the FIA WEC and IMSA in North America, which will be introduced from 2030.  The new framework will provide greater cost-efficiency for manufacturers to compete in endurance racing championships and events globally, boosting potential participation and increasing the spectacle for motor sport fans. 
With interest in FIA WEC at levels never seen before, the championship is positioned for continued growth and success over the coming decade. This new deal offers the solid foundation needed to secure its future, marking a milestone moment in the history of FIA WEC. Mohammed Ben Sulayem, President of the FIA, said: “This is not simply an agreement, it is a vital step forward for racing that will secure the future of the FIA World Endurance Championship for years to come. 
“This is a deal built for the future, a deal of the century, one that strengthens the collaboration between the FIA and ACO, a relationship that dates back over 120 years, and sets the championship up for a decade of record growth that will deliver real benefits to fans, drivers, teams and manufacturers. 
“It has been an honour to play a part in the collaboration that has helped usher in this golden age of endurance racing. I look forward to continuing our work alongside President Pierre Fillon and his team as we build on this momentum and shape an even stronger future.” Pierre Fillon, President of the Automobile Club de l'Ouest, said: “We are delighted to see the agreement between the FIA and the ACO extended, reinforcing the strong and long-standing relationship that has been at the heart of the FIA World Endurance Championship since its creation in 2012. This partnership has been built on trust, shared ambition, and a common commitment to the development of endurance racing. 
“Together, the FIA and the ACO have created a solid foundation for the continued success and international growth of the championship, and we look forward to writing the next chapter of this remarkable collaboration. Finally, I would like to thank FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem for the great relationship we have built.”  Alberto Villarreal, General Manager at the FIA, said: “The FIA World Endurance Championship is stronger and more popular than it has ever been before, with a growing and evolving fanbase, and an impressive roster of top-tier global auto-manufacturers. 
“The agreement announced today underlines the investment in the championship from both the FIA and the ACO, and our commitment to continue bringing the sport to new audiences. It is a pivotal moment in the history of FIA WEC, and provides the foundation and stability needed for the championship’s ongoing success.” Frédéric Lequien, CEO of the Le Mans Endurance Management, the promoter for the FIA World Endurance Championship, said: “This agreement comes at an exciting time for the FIA World Endurance Championship. The championship is experiencing exceptional momentum, with growing engagement from manufacturers, teams, partners, media, and fans around the world. The extension provides a strong framework to build on this growth, further strengthen the global appeal of the WEC and continue to deliver a world-class championship at the forefront of endurance racing. We are looking forward to an ambitious and exciting future for the FIA WEC.”

Notes to Editors 
The renewed agreement between the FIA and the ACO follows three other significant long-term agreement announcements since July 2025:

FIA and Formula E sign landmark extension to power Formula E World Championship for another 10 years, announced in July 2025 – <a href="https://api.fia.com/news/fia-and-formula-e-sign-landmark-extension-power-formula-e-world-championship-another-10-years">information here</a> 
Multi-year Concorde Governance Agreement between the FIA, Formula 1 Group and all 11 race teams, announced in December 2025 – <a href="https://api.fia.com/news/fia-and-formula-e-sign-landmark-extension-power-formula-e-world-championship-another-10-years">information her</a>e 
“Deal of the Century” for FIA World and European Rally Championships in July 2026 – <a href="https://api.fia.com/news/fia-completes-deal-century-fia-world-and-european-rally-championships">information here</a> 
These announcements form part of the FIA’s strategic investment in the future of motor sport, as it continues its mission to grow participation in the sport and provide a safe and accessible platform for all.

The FIA has seen a radical transformation since 2021, and earlier this year <a href="https://api.fia.com/news/fia-delivers-strongest-set-financial-results-decade">announced</a> that it had delivered its strongest set of financial results in a decade in 2025, with an operating profit of €6.7m. It also reported an exceptional gain of €20m through the Formula E contract extension.

 

About the FIA 
The Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) is the governing body for world motor sport and the federation for mobility organisations globally. It is a non-profit organisation committed to driving innovation and championing safety, sustainability and equality across motor sport and mobility. 
Founded in 1904, with offices in Paris, London and Geneva, the FIA brings together 246 Member Organisations across five continents, representing millions of road users, motor sport professionals and volunteers. It develops and enforces regulations for motor sport, including six FIA World Championships, to ensure worldwide competitions are safe and fair for all. About FIA WEC 
  
The FIA World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC), created in 2012 by the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) and the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO), represents the undisputed pinnacle of the long-distance discipline. 
  
Bringing together the world’s leading manufacturers, biggest brands, top drivers and most successful teams, FIA WEC races around the globe, pushing the limits of speed, performance and durability while encouraging ever-greater feats of strategic skill. If the fast and fearless drivers are the heroes, then the cars are the stars, from their cutting-edge technology to their dynamic design. And then, of course, there is the sound of the engines – that uncompromising, unadulterated roar. 
  
The cornerstone of the calendar is the iconic 24 Hours of Le Mans, an event born in 1923 that continues to serve as the ultimate test for manufacturers seeking to prove their mettle – but every race has its own character, challenges and pitfalls. As a series with a proud history, a compelling present and a thrilling future, FIA WEC remains endurance racing’s global benchmark, continuously setting the standard in the sport and inspiring generations to come.

Historic Deal Positions FIA WEC for Record Decade of Growth

The field of the 2026/7 Asian Le Mans Series includes two Ferrari 499Ps entered by AF Corse and Cetilar Racing.

Asian Le Mans

The <a href="https://www.24h-lemans.com/fr/actualites/asian-le-mans-series-2026-2027-une-saison-europeenne-exceptionnelle-60921" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">saison 2026/2027 de l’Asian Le Mans Series</a>, held in Europe, will comprise a Hypercar class, the top level of endurance racing. Two Italian teams have already signed up for the competition: AF Corse and Cetilar Racing. Both teams will be fielding a Ferrari 499P. Following three brilliant performances in the FIA World Endurance Championship, the Italian Hypercar is taking on a new series.

<h2>Three Ferrari works drivers</h2>

The #47 Ferrari 499P entered by Cetilar Racing can count on the technical support of AF Corse. It will be driven by Roberto Lacorte, Nicola Lacorte and Ferrari factory driver Antonio Fuoco, winner of the 2024 24 Hours of Le Mans. The Italian team was second overall in the 2025/6 Asian Le Mans Series and has competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans five times, between 2017 and 2021.

Roberto Lacorte explained their intentions: “The new challenge we’re about to take on alongside Ferrari, in a top-tier category like Hypercar and in a rapidly growing championship like the Asian Le Mans Series, is a milestone in Cetilar Racing’s history. And the fact that it coincides with the 10th anniversary of our first participation in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, which took place in June 2017, speaks volumes about how much the team has grown over this decade, gaining experience and achieving success in the world’s most important endurance championships. With the usual, invaluable support of AF Corse, we’ll be taking to the track in a marvelous and winning prototype like the Ferrari 499P, and we’re truly thrilled to be the first private team to experience this moment, driven by the same passion that has always set us apart. A beautiful, challenging, and exciting challenge awaits us: we can’t wait to take it on and share it with all our fans who have supported us for years, starting with the unveiling of the new No. 47 livery, which we’ll reveal at the end of October.”

The AF Corse #90 Ferrari 499P will be in the hands of Luís Pérez Companc, who will share with Nicklas Nielsen and Yifei Ye in turns.

Nicklas Nielsen: “I’m very happy to be racing in the Asian Le Mans Series with Luís and Yifei. We’ve been doing quite a lot of LMP2 together with Luís, so I’m looking forward to driving with him again in such a competitive championship. It’s always nice to drive the 499P, so I’m looking forward to trying a new environment”.

The first of the six rounds in the 2026/7 Asian Le Mans Series takes place on 13–15 November at Circuit Paul Ricard (Le Castellet, France).

Asian Le Mans Series: AF Corse and Cetilar Racing field the Ferrari 499P

Next year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans will host Legends of Le Mans, a feeder series introduced by Peter Auto in partnership with the Automobile Club de l’Ouest and the FIA WEC. The supporting fixture features iconic endurance racing cars, still racing several decades after their hey day.

But Le Mans isn&rsquo;t all about the past. It is very much about making history in the present. After a promising start, Legends of Le Mans continues in 2027 with a round at the 95th 24 Hours of Le Mans, 9&ndash;13 June 2027. Vintage prototypes and GTs will be back at the circuit that made many of them famous.

<h2>History back on track</h2>

There&rsquo;s something special about seeing a race car back where it earned its laurels. Shapes, colours and sounds take us back to an era, a race, a story.

Legends of Le Mans does exactly that. It&rsquo;s not just a classic car series. The championship is a revival, a festival of iconic sports cars racing on the circuits that witnessed their glory days. Automotive heritage leaves the museum, comes back to life and up to speed.

At Le Mans, the impression of being whisked back in time is even more striking. The French round forms the core of the 2027 season. Returning to the 24 Hours of Le Mans circuit is not just another calendar fixture. It&rsquo;s a proud homecoming, a return to the place where many of the cars on the grid wrote a page of automotive history.

<h2>Two generations united</h2>

Legends of Le Mans and the FIA WEC are building a bridge between past and present. On one hand, vintage prototypes and GTs demonstrate decades of innovation and racing. Meanwhile, today&rsquo;s Hypercars and LMGT3s represent the new generation of endurance race cars.

These curtain raisers are a superb opportunity for motorsport fans to gauge how far the automotive world has progressed in a short time. And for those new to the discipline, they offer a glimpse of its not-so-distant past.

In 2027, Legends of Le Mans will be a FIA WEC support fixture at circuits across Europe and around the world. After the Peter Auto Test Days at Paul Ricard in March, the championship heads to Imola in April, then Spa-Francorchamps in May and the highlight of the season &ndash; Le Mans&thinsp;&ndash;&thinsp;in June. The last round takes place in Bahrain in November, the finale of the FIA WEC season.

Keep your eyes and ears open at Le Mans next year. Every car has a detail with a story to tell. It would be a shame to leave them under dust sheets!

Legends of Le Mans, 2027 24 Hours of Le Mans support race

2023 ELMS Champions Algarve Pro Racing became the fourth different overall winner in 2026, with the Portuguese securing their first ELMS LMP2 victory in three years.

European Le Mans Series

Matthias Kaiser, Jake Hughes and Ben Barnicoat stood on the top step of the podium following the Goodyear 4-hours of Silverstone. &nbsp;Heavy rain fell at the halfway point that had all the teams reevaluating their strategy and providing a thrilling final part of the race.

The no14 TDS Racing Oreca took the LMP2 Pro/Am victory from pole position, the fifth different winners in five races and Scott Huffaker taking the chequered flag in second place overall, despite an earlier incident that saw his teammate Sami Meguetounif stop at the side of the track with a technical issue.&nbsp;Pole sitter Steven Thomas joined his teammates on the top step of the class podium.&nbsp;

The LMP3 class saw the debut ELMS victory for reigning Michelin Le Mans Cup&nbsp;Champions R-ace GP, with Fabien Michal, Pierre-Alexandre Provost and Hugo Schwarze finishing ahead of the championship leading no17 CLX Motorsport Ligier, closing the gap in the championship race to just 9-points ahead of the final race of the season in Portugal next month.

There was another couple of firsts in the LMGT3 class, with Abdulla Ali Al-Khelaifi becoming the first driver from Qatar to win in the ELMS and it was also the first ELMS LMGT3 victory for Mercedes-AMG. Ralf Aron handed over to Julian Hanses, who took the chequered flag in the no62 Team Qatar by Iron Lynx Mercedes-AMG, finishing less than 3 seconds ahead of Charlie Eastwood in the no33 TF Sport Corvette, moving Team Qatar by Iron Lynx into the championship lead by just 3 points ahead of TF Sport ahead of the season finale in Portim&atilde;o.&nbsp;

All four ELMS titles are still up for grabs in the final race of the 2026 season, the 4 Hours of Portimao on Saturday 10 October.

<a href="https://www.europeanlemansseries.com/en/page/results" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a> for the result from the Goodyear 4 Hours of Silverstone&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.europeanlemansseries.com/en/page/classification-2" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a> for the championship positions after Round 5 of the 2026 European Le Mans Series.

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&nbsp;

ELMS : Algarve Pro Racing win wet Silverstone race

Thomas Laurent (age 21) is a&nbsp;test and reserve driver with TOYOTA GAZOO Racing and is set to take part in the FIA WEC&nbsp;Rookie&nbsp;Test at the Bahrain circuit on 15 December along with Nyck de Vries (age 24, Racing Team Nederland driver in LMP2 and 2019 Formula 2 Champion). The team has also confirmed Kenta Yamashita (age 24), a member of the&nbsp;Toyota Young Drivers Program (TDP), this season driving High Class Racing&#39;s&nbsp;ORECA&nbsp;07-Gibson in the LMP2 class. He recently won the Super GT title at the wheel of a&nbsp;Lexus LC 500.

Each of these three &#39;rookies&#39; will do a minimum of&nbsp;30 laps during the test day, and&nbsp;five hours of track time will be available to the other FIA WEC competitors looking to evaluate future drivers for the 2020-2021 season.

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Related article: <a href="https://www.lemans.org/en/news/official-rookies-announced-for-wec-bahrain-test-in-december/52857" target="_blank">OFFICIAL &lsquo;ROOKIES&rsquo; ANNOUNCED FOR WEC BAHRAIN TEST IN DECEMBER.</a>

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing confirms its 'rookies' for the WEC tests at Bahrain

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Historic Deal Positions FIA WEC for Record Decade of Growth

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Legends of Le Mans, 2027 24 Hours of Le Mans support race

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