24h Le Mans
This weekend sees the 6 Hours of Shanghai, the eighth and penultimate round of the 2016 World Endurance Championship (WEC). Apart from in the LM P1 privateer class, there is still everything to play for.
Unlike the 6 Hours of Bahrain, the race that brings the curtain down on this year’s WEC season, there is no night-time portion at Shanghai … but due to the time difference, European and American viewers will still have to stay up late to watch the winners cross the finish line!
Race weekend kicks off this Friday with the team managers’ and drivers’ briefings. The drivers then jump into the cockpit for the first 90-minute free practice session at 10:00. There is a second 90-minute session later on, from 15:30 to 17:00.
The final free practice session is scheduled for Saturday 5 November at 9:00, lasting one hour this time. Then there are two 20-minute qualifying sessions, first for the LM GTE Pro and LM GTE Am classes, followed by the two prototype classes. The average of the best times attained by both drivers selected by their teams for these sessions is taken to calculate the qualifying time.
However, Sunday 6 November is the day the fans will be waiting for, not only because it is race day but also because they get the chance to meet their favourite drivers and teams at the autograph session from 9:15 to 9:45 and enjoy the pit walk from 9:30 to 9:50. The flag goes down to start the six-hour race at 11:00.
All information is given in local time, which is eight hours ahead of UTC. Unlike Europe, China no longer applies the summer/winter time change.
Photo (credit: FIA WEC): Drivers get to know the Shanghai circuit on foot.
