Glittering gathering for 2017 end of season WEC Awards Ceremony

VIP guests, partners, drivers, team managers, engineers, mechanics, scrutineers, timekeepers, organisation and many more from within the WEC paddock came together last night for an effervescent and glittering ‘white party’ and Awards Ceremony on the beach at the Sofitel in Bahrain.

The FIA World Endurance Championship celebrated its champions in each of the four classes, watched some incredible reminders of the superb season of racing which has just come to an end, and presented several special awards during the evening, including one to outgoing President of the FIA Endurance Commission Sir Lindsay Owen-Jones.

Toyota Gazoo Racing’s Team President Hisatake Murata, on stage to pay tribute to departing World Champions and admirable competitors Porsche LMP Team, took the opportunity to confirm that the Japanese marque would return to compete in the 2018-19 Super Season. 

There was also a strong indication from Chief Executive of Bahrain International Circuit, Shaikh Salman bin Isa bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, in conversation on stage with WEC CEO Gérard Neveu, that the WEC might return to Bahrain following the Super Season.

GT Am FIA World Endurance Drivers Trophy Champions: Paul Dalla Lana, Mathias Lauda, Pedro Lamy of Aston Martin Racing

LMP2 FIA World Endurance Drivers Trophy Champions: Bruno Senna and Julien Canal of Vaillante Rebellion

LMP2 FIA World Endurance Teams Trophy: Alexandre Pesci and Calim Bouhadra of [Vaillante] Rebellion

Recipients of Special Awards (left to right):  Thomas Laurent - Rookie of the Year; Paul Dalla Lana - Gentleman Driver of the Year; Gary Holland representing Jackie Chan DC Racing - Team of the Year.

Inaugural recipient of the Pierre Coiffier Award representing the spirit of the paddock, Toyota Gazoo Racing's Doctor Bruno Franceschini for outstanding professionalism, compassion and humanity in helping an injured mechanic from another team

Special Award for outgoing President of the FIA Endurance Commission, Sir Lindsay Owen Jones, presented by President of the ACO Pierre Fillon

GT Pro FIA World Endurance Teams Trophy winners: 3rd place Ford Chip Ganassi Team UK, 2nd place Porsche GT Team, 1st place AF Corse plus 2017 GT FIA World Endurance Drivers Champions Alessandro Pier Guidi and James Calado (far right and second from right) plus head of Ferrari Competizioni GT, Antonello Coletta.  FIA GT and LMP champions will receive their trophies at the FIA Awards Ceremony in December.

Porsche LMP Team Principal, Andreas Seidl, with World Endurance Champions Timo Bernhard, Earl Bamber and Brendon Hartley who received watches from WEC partner Rolex, presented by Joel Aeschlimann

2017 FIA WEC Champions and prize winners

Awards Ceremony presenters Allan McNish and Louise Beckett with Sheik Salman of Bahrain International Circuit and WEC CEO/Awards Master of Ceremonies Gerard Neveu