Silverstone’s chance to rejoin the World Endurance Championship (WEC) calendar appears to be improving with plans for an expanded 2027 schedule that would include an additional European race. Frederic Lequien, the WEC series director, confirmed the possibility of nine races in the season following next, with the extra event set to take place in Europe.
Although Lequien did not explicitly confirm Silverstone as the next host, he acknowledged ongoing discussions with the iconic British circuit, which hosted WEC races from the series’ revival in 2012 until 2019.
Challenges and Opportunities for a New European Round
Lequien emphasized the difficulties of fitting another European venue into the calendar, especially given the timing of the fly-away races that begin immediately after the annual Le Mans 24 Hours in June. Despite these challenges, he expressed a strong wish to bring WEC back to the UK, highlighting Silverstone’s historic significance and the large British endurance racing fan base.
“It is true we are discussing with Silverstone, but we cannot say they are the favourites,”
—Frederic Lequien, WEC Series Director
“We would love to return to Silverstone, because we know the fan base for endurance is huge in the UK,”
—Frederic Lequien, WEC Series Director
Silverstone’s Increasing Involvement with Endurance Racing
This year, Silverstone renewed its partnership with the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO) and Le Mans Endurance Management (LMEM), the entities responsible for WEC and European Le Mans Series (ELMS) events. The circuit will host a round of the LMEM-managed European Le Mans Series on 14 September, marking the first international long-distance race in the UK since the COVID-19 pandemic caused cancellations in 2020.
Track Leadership Signals a Strong Desire to Host WEC Again
Silverstone’s Managing Director, Stuart Pringle, reaffirmed the venue’s ambitions to welcome the WEC back. He recalled the British Racing Drivers’ Club’s (BRDC) deep-rooted connection with Le Mans and the ACO through nearly a century of history, a legacy linked to founding figures like Dudley Benjafield, one of the famous Bentley Boys who raced at Le Mans.
“We would love to have the WEC back and the British Racing Drivers’ Club has a long tradition with Le Mans and the ACO going back nearly 100 years,”
—Stuart Pringle, Silverstone Managing Director
“We hope that the Silverstone ELMS weekend will remind everyone of the huge appetite for endurance racing in the UK.”
—Stuart Pringle, Silverstone Managing Director
Pringle also noted strong early ticket sales for the ELMS event, with expectations of a 40,000-strong crowd over three days, promising fans a glimpse of the atmosphere reminiscent of Le Mans itself.
to feel a little bit of the atmosphere of Le Mans
—Stuart Pringle, Silverstone Managing Director
WEC’s Past and Future Scheduling Trends
The WEC has often indicated interest in expanding its season back to nine races, recalling the 2016 and 2017 seasons when the championship featured that number of events. After settling on eight rounds during the 2018/19 ‘super-season’—which notably included two Le Mans 24 Hours editions—the series maintained eight races in 2019/20 despite pandemic disruptions.
Financial considerations led to a reduction to six races in 2021, followed by a gradual return to more events, with seven in 2023 and eight scheduled for 2024. The calendar for 2025 and 2026 remains consistent with the most recent announcements made at Le Mans in June 2024.
Significance of Silverstone’s Potential Return
Silverstone’s reappearance on the WEC calendar would not only restore an important historic venue to the championship but also reinforce the UK’s position as a key market for endurance racing. The expanding European race schedule anticipated for 2027 reflects the series’ commitment to reconnecting with passionate fan bases and enhancing the diversity of its event locations.
