Audi came away with the 6 Hours of Circuit of the Americas trophy in 2013 and 2014, but last year Porsche clinched the crown. The #18 Porsche 919 Hybrid driven by Marc Lieb, Romain Dumas and Neel Jani took pole while Timo Bernhard, Mark Webber and Brendon Hartley set off from P2 in the #17 car. However, the latter was first past the post after six hours of race action, its sister car having falling victim to electrical issues just 30 minutes from the chequered flag. After one-two finishes at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the 6 Hours of Nürburgring in 2015, Porsche thus strengthened its hold on the championship. Audi joined them on the podium but the title already appeared out of reach for them.

Will the 2016 race follow a similar pattern? Anything can happen: Porsche is clearly well-placed for another world title but Audi put in a fine performance in Mexico. The R18s even set the pace early in the race, regularly recording the fastest laps until they encountered reliability issues, and the Austin race could well mark a turning point. In the meantime, take a look back at the highlights from last year’s 6 Hours of Circuit of the Americas, a track designed for spectacular racing. Since 2013, the WEC races have certainly lived up to expectations, delivering some fine examples of overtaking and a few thrilling off-track excursions.