PREVIEW: 2024 FIA World Endurance Championship – Lone Star Le Mans

After a summer break, one of the most exciting series in motorsport, the 2024 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC), is back. The sixth round of the season takes place on 1 September, with the Circuit of the Americas in Texas playing host to the Lone Star Le Mans. With tight battles throughout the 36 car grid in both Hypercar and LMGT3 classes, here is your guide to the first American WEC race since 2020.

The Circuit Of The Americas, the setting for the Lone Star Le Mans. Credit: Toyota Gazoo Racing

Located in Austin, Texas, the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) has become a firm favourite among fans and drivers alike since it opened in 2012. The famous steep incline up to a very wide turn 1, the fast flowing section of corners which follow, the 1.18km straight into a fierce hairpin, and a triple-apex right-hander just when the drivers think they’re safe all combine to create a fabulously challenging and entertaining circuit.

COTA has played host to WEC before, most recently in 2020, and the sport’s social media pages are currently awash with clips from previous races from the Lone Star State. There are some similarities, particularly with certain marques being in contention for victory. However, the spectacle is set to be even greater with WEC going through an unprecedented “Golden Age” with 18 Hypercars and 18 LMGT3 cars ready to do battle.

Hypercar

Cadillac leading the pack in São Paulo. Credit: Julien Delfosse / DPPI

There will be plenty for the American fans to cheer. In Hypercar, despite being 7th in the championship, Cadillac Racing have been showing the increased potential of their thunderous V8 Cadillac V-Series.R, including leading a large chunk of the 2024 24 Hours Of Le Mans. With the news that they are partnering with Hertz Team JOTA and fielding a two-car line-up in 2025, the two-driver line-up of Earl Bamber and Alex Lynn will be very keen to bring home a good result for the team and boost their chances of retaining their seats for next season.

After a tricky start to the season, Toyota Gazoo Racing have reasserted their position as serious contenders at the pointy end of the championship. The #8 car dominated proceedings at the 6 Hours of São Paulo, while the #7 car took victory in the 6 Hours of Imola despite, in the words of Kamui Kobayashi, not having the fastest car. The #7 crew currently sit 3rd in the drivers’ standings on 95 points, just three points behind the #50 Ferrari AF Corse crew in 2nd.

The #7 Toyota Gazoo Racing crew celebrate victory in the second round of the season. Credit: Julien Delfosse / DPPI

One of the Toyota drivers who has experience of racing in WEC at COTA is Mike Conway, one of the #7 drivers, and is enthusiastic about returning to Texas. “My first race with Toyota was in Austin back in 2014 and it’s quite something to be going back there a decade later, after experiencing so much with this team” the British driver enthused. “It doesn’t feel like 10 years! I’ve raced a lot in the US over the years and I love the atmosphere and the fans there, so I’m looking forward to going back. The competition will be tough, as always this season, but I know we will be well prepared so we need to execute a clean race and bring home as many points as we can.”

Ferrari have had a mixed year so far. Following a combination of performance issues, poor team strategic calls, and just plain bad luck, the Italian Scuderia secured an epic double-podium at Le Mans. The manufacturer is very much in the running in the teams’ championship, currently 3rd, 12 points adrift of Toyota.

The car and team to beat, the #6 Porsche Penske Motorsport. Credit: Porsche AG

The team to beat, however, remains Porsche Penske Motorsport. They have had an extraordinary season so far, with the #6 car having a particularly storming run – their worst result of the year is 4th. In such a highly competitive grid, it is hardly surprising that this has given them a 19 point cushion at the top of the drivers’ standings. The target for the team is clear according to #6 driver, Laurens Vanthoor. “We want to become world champions! From now on, we’ll be more strategic, focusing on consistent points finishes. Of course, we want to win every race if we get the chance” the Belgian driver conceded.

Threats could come from anywhere on the grid, with improvements being made in every team. Alpine Endurance Team and BMW M Team WRT are tied on 25 points in the teams’ championship. While out of contention for the overall victory, both teams have demonstrated their potential and will be keen to put on a competitive showing at COTA.

Alpine, BMW, Peugeot, and the Lamborghini in the background demonstrate the enormous depth of performance in the midfield. Credit: Julien Delfosse / DPPI

WEC veterans Peugeot TotalEnergies have endured a very challenging season. Having unveiled their updated Peugeot 9X8, ditching their unusual wingless wonder design, the results haven’t materialised. There have been flashes of brilliance, but consistent performance just hasn’t been there.

Similarly targeting improvement is the striking Lamborghini Iron Lynx team. The #63 Lamborghini SC63 was running in the top 10 for a large portion of the race in São Paulo before a puncture and a drop in speed relegated them to 17th. The team have tested their SC63 at COTA several times, so will be hoping to maximise their performance from the very start.

It’s a sad farewell to Isotta Fraschini. Credit: Charly Lopez / DPPI

In a sad update for the season, Lone Star Le Mans is the first race of the year without Isotta Fraschini on the grid. The Italian marque have made the decision to drop out of the season for the remainder of the 2024 season. The plucky underdogs had been developing their car well, including a superb result finishing the 24 Hours of Le Mans at their first attempt, a seriously impressive achievement. They will be missed, and hopefully will make a return to series in the near future.

LMGT3

Manthey PureRxcing returned to winning ways in São Paulo. Credit: Julien Delfosse / DPPI

Porsche are also at the top of the tree in LMGT3. Manthey PureRxcing have looked the stronger of the two Porsche 911 GT3 R LMGT3 competitors, winning in Qatar and São Paulo and securing podium results at the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps and in Imola. Manthey EMA have had a busy time yo-yoing through the field. The only points they’ve scored were victories at Spa and at Le Mans, but that’s enough to put them 2nd in the standings on 75 points, with Manthey PureRxcing leading on 100.

The #31 Team WRT BMW will aim to chase down the leading Porsche in Texas. Credit: Javier Jimenez / DPPI

Hot on their heels are Team WRT in the #31 BMW M4 LMGT3 on 74 points. While the sister #46 may have pulled the pre-season headlines featuring star driver Valentino Rossi, it is the #31 car that has been able to deliver most consistently. Heart Of Racing are also ones to watch, with their #27 Aston Martin Vantage AMR LMGT3 in 3rd. While they are 45 points off the leading Porsche, there are plenty of points available in the remaining three races.

Somewhat lower down the order than they expected are the Iron Dames squad. The trio of Sara Bovy, Rahel Frey and Michelle Gatting have blasted to pole position twice in 2024 and consistently fought for victory in the races. However, mechanical issues have meant that their results have not matched their potential pace.

The Iron Dames must be wondering what they have to do for their luck to change. Credit: Fabrizio Boldoni / DPPI

“It’s been a tough season; I would say a lot of frustration” Gatting admitted, adding “I don’t think we have to hide that at all.” Looking ahead to the race in America, Gatting is optimistic. “We were lucky enough to go there last year to do two days of testing, which I think was very useful because it’s a challenging track” the Danish driver explained. “I think it’s a bit of an old school track and then it’s also kind of modern. It’s very bumpy, so it’s going to be physically exhausting. I think the heat is going to be a huge challenge there for everyone, and then the track itself is very physical. I’m looking forward to race there.”

The 2024 Lone Star Le Mans kicks off at 19:00 GMT on Sunday 1 September. Follow The Checkered Flag for a full race report and driver reaction.