New qualifying format for 2024 FIA WEC season
The World Motorsport Council (WMSC) has today approved a new qualifying format for next year’s FIA World Endurance Championship.
Technical Regulations for the new class set for introduction in next year’s FIA WEC called LMGT3 have also been approved.
The new GT class will be based around FIA’s existing GT3 technical platform and will focus on gentlemen drivers and private teams. LMGT3 will replace cars built to LMGTE technical regulations that have been on the WEC grid since the series’ inaugural season in 2012. The cars will feature several WEC-specific adaptations such as luminescent number panels and leader lights.
For 2024, an enhanced qualifying format will see Hypercar and LMGT3 classes feature two sessions each. Both classes will have a 12-minute qualifying followed by a 10-minute-long Hyperpole for the top 10 qualifiers that will decide the pole position winners.
Previously each class featured a single, 15-minute qualifying, with the Hyperpole format reserved only for round four of the FIA WEC, the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
This new qualifying format will be in place from the opening round of the 2024 FIA WEC season which takes place in Doha, Qatar (1-3 March).