WEC Provisional Entry List Revealed

[Bethonie Waring]

Nearly 30 entries have been confirmed for the 2017 World Endurance Championship, with five manufacturers represented.

The full entrance list was announced this afternoon in an online press conference: five LMP1 entrants, ten LMP2, eight LMGTE Pro, and five GMGT Am.

President of the Automobile Club de l’Ouest, Pierre Fillon, believes 2017 is full of promise.

“The on-track spectacle will be absolutely fantastic with duels among top-class drivers and all-out rivalry between the competitors,” he said. “All the ingredients that make up the DNA of endurance have been combined for 2017.”​

Porsche enter 2017 reigning champions, and will field a two car team in an effort to retain the title. Toyota will also run two cars for the majority of the season. Bykolles Racing team will also compete in the LMP1 class.

In LMP2, champions Signatech Alpine Matmut face a new rival that WEC fans will be familiar with. Rebellion Racing – now Vaillante Rebellion – made the switch to the category and are expected to be a tough challenge for the champions. Manor will continue in the category after joining last season. Jackie Chan DC Racing team will expand to two cars, whilst TDS Racing will collaborate with G Drive to take the step up from the ELMS.

A full provisional entrance list can be found below.

For more WEC news and discussions head over to the WEC sub forum and join in with your fellow community members.

How do you think Lopez will fare in the championship? Let us know in the comments below!

 

[Andrew Harper]

Quality field, shame there isn't a Corvette in GTPRO but fingers crossed Toyota can pull the odd surprise during the year. They're on a tiny budget in comparison to Porsche but here's hoping for a hard fought season in all the classes

This, IMSA and Blancpain are my favs at the moment (you could argue that IMSA may even overshadow WEC this year). Looking forward to 2017.... But Bathurst 12 hours first this weekend!

 

[Christian Moreau]

Quality field, shame there isn't a Corvette in GTPRO but fingers crossed Toyota can pull the odd surprise during the year. They're on a tiny budget in comparison to Porsche but here's hoping for a hard fought season in all the classes

This, IMSA and Blancpain are my favs at the moment (you could argue that IMSA may even overshadow WEC this year). Looking forward to 2017.... But Bathurst 12 hours first this weekend!

The lack of Corvette definitely is a shame. Since this is a provisional list, maybe they will announce some entries soon? Unless it was announced that they wouldn't be participating and I didn't notice?

Obviously, the goal for Toyota - WIN LE MANS

P2 looks like it's going to be good but at this point I'd say the IMSA Weathertech Sportscar Championship has a 1-up on them. The competitiveness of the GTLM field is incredible and the new DPi program is great step for the future of prototype racing. Not to mention the fact that the GT Daytona field is just insane this year with all the manufacturers involved.

Should be another good year of endurance racing! The best kind of racing!

 

[Paul Jeffrey]

Kubica in a P1!!!! Awesome news That's added a bit of excitement to things for me and I'm looking forward to seeing how he gets on in WEC. Still pi&&ed off about his early exit from Formula One.

In other cool ex-GP driver news, Rubens Barrichello looks to have snapped up a full time drive in a top class LMP2 car for ELMS. You've got to admire that blokes love of motorsport

Good luck to both of them this season

 

[Leonardo Chaves]

Oreca is making LMP2 almost a spec class, what happened to the Ligiers?

 

[Chris]

It's a shame that only the large manufacturers can afford to go racing in the P1 Hybrid class. And even then it's not a given. The series really needs more P1 cars. Just four cars simply isn't enough. There should be like a minimum of 8.

 

[Ole Marius Myrvold]

It's a shame that only the large manufacturers can afford to go racing in the P1 Hybrid class. And even then it's not a given. The series really needs more P1 cars. Just four cars simply isn't enough. There should be like a minimum of 8.

Hopefully that'll change, well, at least the privateer class will change for 2018. ByKolles might expand to 2 cars (or start to sell their CLM), Ginetta plans to build ten(!) LMP1 cars for 2018, supporting three 2-car teams, with ARC Bratislava and PRT Racing showing interest atm. Rebellion said that they wanted back if it was a class with more cars, which it looks like it might be in 2018.
Manor (the original Manor that is), is also in talks with Ginetta regarding a couple of cars with a beefed up Mechachrome GP2 engine, so around 800HP from it.
Also some talk and rumours about an SMP-P1 car (as they didn't get into the 4 car LMP2 field), and ESM-Nissan.

So, while there are no more factory cars with Hybrids there, a possible 10+ P1 privateers would be very very healthy!

 

[Knoxstar]

I appreciate the optimism of most of you but I don't think it is a stellar field at all. P1 is very low as of this moment and overall victory sees only 4 cars presuming they both get their numbers right. Otherwise it is F1 Mercedes all over again. P2 as mentioned is bigger with really good talent but Oreca dominated at this time. I think GTE will be good but I'd hoped to see BMW in the mix as I thought they had an eye of LeMans but I guess that may be for 2018 and GTA is looking anemic. I do agree after seeing the Daytona race that the IMSA series is smelling like a rose excluding the PC class but the endurance races get the big grids. The full series numbers will definitely be in the 30s and if you weatched the race should all be very competitive. I sincerely want WEC to work but if you watched the races last year about 70% of the coverage was on P1, maybe 10% on P2 and GTE each and hardly anything on GTA. With manufacturers and sponsors footing the bills it needs more balance on the TV direction side of things.

 

[Riblo]

The LMP1 class look so thin...
It looks like it could end like GT1 and it's sad...
Maybe a single LMP class with LMP2 specs would be better for all...
And maybe they should get did of the GTAM class...
It's the WORLD ENDURANCE CHAMPIONSHIP... IMHO it should be like F1 with professionals only...
Just one Prototype class and one GTE class... 10/15 LMP and 15/20 GTE cars would be a good rooster...

 

[gabrielof]

Hopefully that'll change, well, at least the privateer class will change for 2018. ByKolles might expand to 2 cars (or start to sell their CLM), Ginetta plans to build ten(!) LMP1 cars for 2018, supporting three 2-car teams, with ARC Bratislava and PRT Racing showing interest atm. Rebellion said that they wanted back if it was a class with more cars, which it looks like it might be in 2018.
Manor (the original Manor that is), is also in talks with Ginetta regarding a couple of cars with a beefed up Mechachrome GP2 engine, so around 800HP from it.
Also some talk and rumours about an SMP-P1 car (as they didn't get into the 4 car LMP2 field), and ESM-Nissan.

So, while there are no more factory cars with Hybrids there, a possible 10+ P1 privateers would be very very healthy!

10+ P1 privateers is exciting for sure, but what's the point of a P1 class that cannot fight with those hybrid monsters? I love WEC and would rejoice to see competitive non-hybrid P1 grid going for the overall victory.
We need more manufacturers and they should be allowed to build non-hybrid cars. Customer hybrids would be nice but the high costs is prohibitive.

I'm looking forward 2018 cause I don't know what to expect this year. While IMSA made a huge step forward, WEC seems uncertainly.

 

[fortyfivekev]

LMP2 should be great racing as usual and GTE Pro has no filler at all but I hope the ACO are working to get more entries right down the field. Like it or not they need to make non-hybrid cars competitive in LMP1 because winning in WEC is not worth EUR200,000,000 to most potential entrants. Nice to see Kubica back on track, just a shame they are likely to see very little competition this year.

Still looking forward to Silverstone at Easter. Hopefully no snow this year.

 

[Bethonie Waring]

Still looking forward to Silverstone at Easter. Hopefully no snow this year.

This is my number one concern for this season right now, if I'm honest.

 

[fortyfivekev]

This is my number one concern for this season right now, if I'm honest.

Yeah, it's a shame the race cannot be a little later, maybe after Le Mans when the weather is usually better. Silverstone in April can be pretty grim.

 

[Bethonie Waring]

Yeah, it's a shame the race cannot be a little later, maybe after Le Mans when the weather is usually better. Silverstone in April can be pretty grim.

The only problem with that is that it would mean waiting even longer to get to go to a race, which I don't like the sound of. I'll just bring a bigger coat this time

 

[Erwin Greven]

Quality field, shame there isn't a Corvette in GTPRO

Corvette is present at Le Mans with two entries with Jan Magnussen and Oliver Gavin as their leader drivers.
Risi Competizione will field one Ferrari 488 GTE with Toni Vilander as their leader driver.
Ford is present with again 4 cars: #(19)66, #(19)67, #(19)68 and #(19)69.

So 13 cars will field the GTE Pro class.

 

[Erwin Greven]

Full entry list:

 

[Andrew Harper]

This is my number one concern for this season right now, if I'm honest.

Yep I got to shiver at Silverstone last year too! Lol

 

[Andrew Harper]

Corvette is present at Le Mans with two entries with Jan Magnussen and Oliver Gavin as their leader drivers.
Risi Competizione will field one Ferrari 488 GTE with Toni Vilander as their leader driver.
Ford is present with again 4 cars: #(19)66, #(19)67, #(19)68 and #(19)69.

So 13 cars will field the GTE Pro class.

Yes that's true I should've added that it's just a kind of full season list and it will probably change for each round. I enjoyed the magnificent sound the Larbre corvette made so a shame it won't be at Silverstone this year. The works cars are doing what they did last year. IMSA and Le Mans only.

 

[Erwin Greven]

I made the error that the list in the OP the entry list was from the 24h Le Mans race.
Just like you point out, the Chevy's and the US CG Fords are not at all WEC dates.

 

[Rodent]

Late to the party on this one but phew, the GTE PRO class looks so much better now than during the provisional entry list. No Vettes felt wrong.

After Bathurst I'm pumped to see if Vilander and Ferrari can one up Ford this year.