Following in the footsteps of IMSA’s WeatherTech Sportscar Championship, the FIA World Endurance Championship will make the switch from GTE-spec cars (GT Le Mans in IMSA) to GT3-based cars from the 2024 season onwards.
With the recent exit of factory-supported entries from the likes of BMW, Aston Martin and Ford, the Pro class has been left with only four full time entries in the form of Ferrari and Porsche with two cars each.
With the dwindling numbers in the Pro class, the Am class boasts 13 full time cars with 23 entries at Le Mans. This forms the basis of the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO) decision to focus on amateur racing.
The switch to GT3 machinery opens the door to many more manufacturers such as Audi, Mercedes and Lamborghini, all of whom have enjoyed success in GT3-based championships across the globe. The GT3 formula is a cheaper and simpler format to that of GTE and universally used in GT racing around the world – including both the Nürburgring 24 Hours and the Spa 24 Hours.
IMSA and the ACO have also announced a 10-year extension to their long-standing agreement to work together on technical and sporting regulations. This agreement has already led to the new Hypercar and future LMDh prototypes being able to compete in both championships.
