LE MANS CONFIRMED FOR THE 2027 WEC SEASON
The 24 Hours of Le Mans will remain part of the FIA World Endurance Championship in 2027. The FIA and the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO) have clarified the situation after reports suggested that their partnership could end and that Le Mans could potentially leave the WEC. Both organisations have confirmed that their current agreement remains in place through the end of the 2027 season.
The clarification means there is no threat to the 2027 edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans as a WEC round. The race is already officially scheduled as the fifth round of the championship and will take place from June 9 to 13, 2027. It will be the 95th running of the event.
The FIA and ACO are, however, still discussing what will happen after 2027. The two organisations have said that they are working together on an extension of their promoter agreement and are continuing discussions about the long-term future of the championship. No new agreement covering the period beyond 2027 has been reached yet.
The situation became a major topic after reports suggested that the relationship between the FIA and ACO could change. The ACO owns and organises the 24 Hours of Le Mans, while its subsidiary, Le Mans Endurance Management, is responsible for promoting and organising the WEC. The FIA sanctions the championship and provides its world championship status.
This division is important because the FIA cannot simply move the 24 Hours of Le Mans to another championship if an agreement with the ACO were to end. The race is owned by the ACO, meaning its future within the WEC depends on the relationship between the two organisations. For 2027, however, that relationship remains in place.
The 2027 WEC season will also be the biggest calendar in a decade, with nine rounds instead of eight. The championship will begin in Qatar before visiting Imola, Silverstone, Spa-Francorchamps and Le Mans. The second half of the season will then take the teams to São Paulo, Austin, Fuji and Bahrain.
Le Mans remains the centrepiece of that calendar. The 2027 race will follow the return of Silverstone to the WEC schedule after an eight-year absence, with the British round taking place two weeks before Spa and four weeks before Le Mans.
The WEC is also entering a period of strong manufacturer interest. The 2027 grid is expected to include 14 major automotive manufacturers, while Ford and McLaren will increase the number of brands competing in the Hypercar class. McLaren will return to the top category with its MCL-HY, 32 years after the company’s famous overall victory at Le Mans in 1995.
The future of the Hypercar regulations is also already being discussed. The FIA has approved the general principles for a new technical platform that is scheduled to arrive in 2030, replacing the current separation between LMH and LMDh. The new rules are designed to keep manufacturer freedom while creating a common technical framework for the class.
For now, the important point is clear: Le Mans is staying in the WEC for 2027. What happens beyond that remains under discussion, with the FIA and ACO yet to reach a new long-term agreement.
Share this content:
