WEC News: Hypercar Class Could See Major Driver Rule Change From 2025

Saajan Jogia | Jul 31, 2024

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing into action at Interlagos WEC /

World Endurance Championship co-organizer the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO) has confirmed that the Hypercar class might see a ban on two-driver lineups starting in the 2025 season, with a shift to the standard three-driver teams. This proposed change is a direct response to feedback from teams and manufacturers advocating for this adjustment.

Currently, the rules for driver composition in the Hypercar class are flexible, except for the exclusion of Bronze-rated drivers. A proposed regulation change requiring three-driver teams would also need specific drive-time rules for the WEC's premier category. Presently, the only drive-time requirement is a one-hour minimum for drivers to be eligible for championship points.

The Ganassi Cadillac squad's decision to compete with a two-driver lineup in this season's six-hour races was a motivating factor for several teams to raise this proposal, with one example being Vincent Vosse, head of the WRT squad overseeing BMW's Hypercar campaign. Speaking to Autosport, he confirmed that his team was among those advocating for the rule change. He said:

“I would like it to be clear in the rules how many drivers you have to run, whether that is two or three.

“Two drivers clearly offers an advantage in terms of track time and team strategy, but we choose to run three because that is how many drivers you need for the Le Mans 24 Hours, the biggest race of the year.”

However, there has also been opposition from teams such as Jota, whose team principal, Sam Hignett, reckoned that the regulations should remain unchanged and the choice of the number of drivers, two or three, be left up to the teams. He added:

“Two drivers does offer an advantage for the six-hour races, there’s no doubt about it.

“But you need to to be ready for Le Mans, which is why we run three.  

“It’s the choice of the team and should be left that way.”

While a proposal has been put on the table despite the mixed reactions, ACO president Pierre Fillon hinted that the organizers were thinking about the change, but it would take time until a conclusion has been reached. He said:

“We are thinking about that, but you will have to wait for an answer."