Stat attack: the WEC goes to Portimão!
In just over one week’s time, the FIA WEC will travel to the Algarve for the 8 Hours of Portimão marking the first time the World Championship has taken place on Portuguese soil.
Below are ten facts going into the second round of WEC Season 9. With thanks to @WECData for some of these stats.
1. Portimão will be the fourth 8 hour race in WEC history, with all of these falling within the last 13 races. Sebring in 2019 was the first, before Bahrain closed out each year in the 2019/20 season.
2. To date, the three 8 hour races in the WEC have produced a 91% finish rate – with only eight of the 88 entrants failing to see the chequered flag. At #8hBahrain 2020, all 24 entrants were classified, for only the 5th time in series history.
3. Toyota are undefeated at WEC 8 hour races, with the No. 7 crew beating sister No. 8 2-1. Similarly, Porsche have won each time in GTE Am, with Project 1 beating 2021 rivals Dempsey-Proton 2-1.
4. Eight Swiss drivers have won in the WEC, following debut victory in Spa for Scherer. With Beche set to make a first LMP2 start since 2017, five of these drivers will be on the Portimão grid, including Buemi, Jani and Flohr.
5. Portimao is round 68 of the WEC. Only one car has won at an event wearing the number 68 – Ford’s fairytale GTE Pro victory at Le Mans in 2016, though it was a non-full season entry.
.png)
6. Ferrari and Aston Martin are tied for combined GTE wins at round 2 of a WEC season – on six apiece. Ferrari with four wins in GTE Pro, Aston Martin with four wins in GTE Am. Porsche’s four total wins occurred across two races – Spa in 2012 and 24 Hours of Le Mans om 2018.
7. Portimão is set to be the shortest WEC lap in Europe, at 4.653 km. It means every continent the series has visited has now been to a circuit under 5km per lap – South America (Sao Paulo), Asia (Fuji), North America (Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez), Europe (Portimao)
8. Portuguese drivers sit 1-2 in the LMP2 standings, United Autosport’s Filipe Albuquerque (who is absent) leading Jota Sport’s Antonio Felix da Costa.
9. Four Portuguese drivers have achieved at least one class win in the WEC to date – Pedro Lamy, Filipe Albuquerque, Rui Aguas and Antonio Felix da Costa
10. Portugal is set to be the 11th country to host a WEC round – after the USA, Belgium, France, UK, Brazil, Bahrain, Japan, China, Germany and Mexico.
Click HERE for the Portimão entry list.
